Drivers license written exam. Yield signs at limited access highways.

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by Mojojojo

That's funny in our area they actually put stop lights at the bottom of the on ramps and two lanes. Good luck getting a big rig or heavier load up to hwy speed before merging.

It's interesting how different areas do different things, we all need to keep that in mind while traveling.

Never seen stop lights or signs on entrance ramps to interstates. Traveled mostly east of the Mississippi River though. Last time I was on the West coast was 1975. That would be interesting pulling out in front of someone going 70mph..........

[wuffwuff]

From my Driver Ed days, I was instructed to use the entry ramp to get to highway speed in order to join the flow of traffic. If it's 65 ... achieve that speed before entering traffic. Of course looking back for an opening to merge into.
If you see traffic coming down the ram to enter the flow, move from your travel lane or slow down to allow a save entry.
My pet peeve is the 'unqualified' driver that want to merge into 65-70 mph traffic at 50 mph. Another would be the the driver that has to slow down for an exit ramp, a mile before exiting.

[j free]

Dose not matter how much training or signs are on the road if the highway patrol dose not enforce them. as for allowing them to merge you have to if you don't and you have an accident they will hold you at fault saying you could have prevented contact. Seen this many times 2nd gen law enforcement.

[donanddona]

Seams sad that to many want to quote highway speeds to that of which is the maximum posted speed (under ideal conditions). Yea I know 9 your fine 10 your mine. To bad we won't mention the range is 40-70. Only to state it's a bad thing to enter onto the highway at "speeders/violation" pace. I'm not condoning or promoting to save the brakes, extend engine life, be safe/considerate, nor save gas. I personally just don't like white knuckles...

[SilverbackMel]

Amen to all of the comments. Living in the north suburbs of CRAZY Atlanta drivers, I "almost" have an accident each time I depart or enter the city. People simply drive normal, that be described as DUMB, and expect a truck or RV can stop on a dime or swerve to avoid their stupid actions. I also am an avid motorcyclist and I use the HOT LANES because at least you have a chance to survive! Before retirement, I traveled weekly from Atlanta via air. On trips to and from the airport it was incredible to see people talking, texting, driving with their knees, 70mph in a 55 mph zone oblivious outside of their own world. Having sald that, we as RV people have to wear that extra set of eyes and adjust to the conditions. I AM going to put a louder horn on my tow vehicle. They may not "see" me but I am going to do my best to ensure that they do.

[DDC]

There is no amount of testing that will clear up the idiot factor, the particular maneuver that the OP is describing is just the same as changing lanes, the vehicle making the maneuver should indicate their intent and make the maneuver when it is safe to do so, the main problem I found when I started driving in North America was that drivers moved over to allow the oncoming traffic to enter and this created a feeling of entitlement.

[kentnjudy]

Oaklevel has the right take on this one. (His first post on this thread) Drive defensively and courteously and merging becomes much less of a problem. Unfortunately in today's hectic traffic there are way too many aggressive drivers and not enough courteous ones. My take on it is not about retaking the drivers exam, but to require everyone to take a defensive driving course of some type as many of us do for reduced insurance rates. This gives a much better understanding of what it takes to keep yourself out of bad situations and not relying on others to do "what they are supposed to do". The most important point of the whole course is "no one has the right of way until someone yields it to you".

Former National Safety Council DDC instructor

[j free]

Arizona use to do it right. they had stationary and mobile traffic cam's with radar and would catch you on film and send a ticket. this works great every time I went to Arizona the drivers drove the speed limit. until the state decide it was no longer making enough money anymore. They cancelled the program and now it like driving in LA now. everyong is speding and swerving from lane to lane. It a shame they had it right

[SilverbackMel]

After 58 years of motorcycling including present HD dresser, I fully endorse safety training. Several advanced safety courses have saved me and passenger from serious injury or death. Training and reenforcement allows you to react by trained instinct rather than act. An actual example: a blowout at 50+ mph riding 2 up on a 1,000 pound motorcycle. Training taught me stay straight, do not brake quickly and allow bike to slow to around 5mph before steering off the road. Any breaking of the tire bead from the rim can throw you off and into traffic. I ALWAYS presume a merge from the right or left does not see me. I would rather yield if I can to avoid a serious situation. I rode all over Germany Autobahns in the 1960's at over 100 mph and lived.
Towing is no different. Knowledge, awareness, instinct and assuming others are not seeing you or understanding your length are key to avoiding a collision, if possible.
Those not owning an RV are mesmerized and are distracted.
A safety course is recommended but it will never happen universally.
Be safe, understand your vehicles capabilities and it make your travels more relaxed. I see dumbos all the time towing and passing at 80 mph. Really, on RV China tires rated for much lesser speed. Now that's plain crazy!! Be safe.

[Mojojojo]

Wouldn't it be great if everyone left 4 car lengths between them and other cars? Then there would always be piece and harmony on the road. As they fly by me at 80-90 I always tell my passengers that they should have left an hour earlier, and on occasion get to laugh at them as we drive past them on the shoulder getting a citation.

[Big Paul]

Well from reading this looks like the best thing is to do as they do in a big city in Georgia close your eye's and put the peddal to the floor. Then something has to give but that may be your truck though!! Merging traffic is without a doubt the worst place for RV's everyone does not want to be behind you but most do not know how to do it safely or just do not care. If a test would help I would be for it but like the cell phone texting law it would be usless. So just be as safe as you can out their.

[asquared]

Originally Posted by Oaklevel

It's interesting how different areas do different things, we all need to keep that in mind while traveling.

Never seen stop lights or signs on entrance ramps to interstates. Traveled mostly east of the Mississippi River though. Last time I was on the West coast was 1975. That would be interesting pulling out in front of someone going 70mph..........

I used to encounter these in NJ. Usually related to a lack of lanes in a construction area. I have also seen them in. MD for the same reason. I remember one time in NJ I was heading to work. I had to use one of those stop sign entrances at rush hour. No ability to enter and no merge lane. I stopped (at a reasonable pace not standing on brakes) and waited for enough of a clearing to make the leap from 0-55 in my Durango without causing an accident. The guy behind me was stopped too and then got impatient after just under a minute. He actually accelerated in to me trying to push me onto the highway.

[asquared]

When I'm on the highway whether I'm towing or not, I try to stay out of the right lane if there are 3 or more lanes. If I have to be in the right lane (ie towing or key to g somebody pass me) then I always let off the accelerator approaching an on ramp that has vehicles on it. If it is apparent they won't be getting on ahead of me I either move over if safe or accelerate out of their way.


One thing I encounter daily on my commute to work is an entranced that is also an exit ramp for the truck weigh station. This one us a longish time in between (maybe a halF mile in comparison to a short scissor ramp) but you have cars trying to accelerate around the trucks onto the highway and trucks slowing down to merge on to the scales lane. I always let them in and then worry about getting on the highway as maneuvering is much easier for me. I've often said if people understood the every other vehicle mentality in a merge (especially in slow speed heavy traffic) then there would be less accidents and less back ups.

[SilverbackMel]

Agree that cameras and citations will slow folks down and make them pay attention. The problems with them are: GREED where city government shortened the length of CAUTION thus unjust ticketing. The other relates to the awarding of traffic light camera contracts and who made the BIG $$$$$ vs the legal intent.
I will say that a recent trip in Denmark and Germany in a rental car will get your attention. They have cameras everywhere....and they enforce them!

[1A Camper]

Forget the camera, let put a black box in each car and any time you break a law it give you a ticket.

[Brother Les]

Having driven in Los Angles and have used the stop light at the 'end of the on ramps', what I have noticed and have been told by people living in those 'Metro' areas, is that at the interchanges the traffic is at a 'crawl'. The 'open' Interstates the traffic will flow at 90 MPH (it seems) and when coming up to an interchange the traffic will almost stop as if you are in a parking lot, so the system with the 'lights' does work. (very white knuckle driving)

As for the post by 'Buckeyechuck'. The 'Deputy Sheriff' says that he 'knows the law'... that may be so, but he needs to go back for a refresher course . I read a study years back that the 'yield' signs on the ACCELERATION lanes caused more problems and accidents for those coming off the ramps AND those on the interstate. People 'obeying the law' coming off the ramps would 'slow down' (yield) (quite a few would Stop, a big NO NO) and either get rear ended on the ramp or pull into traffic at a slower rate of speed and get hit that way. By using the ramp as intended and Accelerate to the speed limit of the interstate, the percentages of a safe and smooth entry goes way up for all involved, the one coming down the ramp and the one on the main road, either by moving over a lane, speeding up or slowing down to leave a gap for the incoming traffic.

My wife works for an insurance company and 'adjustors have told her' this is a half way rule of thumb. If 'you' are driving down the interstate past a on ramp and a vehicle hits 'you' in the front quarter of your vehicle 'you' are at fault as 'you' did not allow him to merge into traffic. If he hits 'you' on the back quarter panel then 'he' is at fault for merging too fast. If you both hit side by side, then (so called) 'other' factors must be looked at to assign fault and at what percentage of fault. Yes, percentage.... 'you' can be as an example 20% at fault and the other driver 80% at fault. As the 'adjustor' told my wife.... it all comes down to percentages.... but the 'house' (insurance company) always wins...

Just my 2 cents worth.

[Big Bill]

good coments on everyones part when on the highway I try to move out of the merge lanes , if merging I put on my turn signal to other drivers know im coming and look ahead to avoid accidents and have a safe trip

[RhoZeta]

If you have ever been to a defensive driving class they teach you that even tho the merger has to yield to freeway traffic, it is incumbent on the freeway traffic to help facilitate the merge. Which is what I always do personally because I know what a pain in the arse it can be sometimes to merge on to a freeway with moderate to heavy traffic pulling a long trailer. The ones that screw it up for all of us are those who speed up to keep in front of the traffic trying to merge, while the guy trying to merge is speeding up to try and merge, now you got two idiots doing 80 fighting over 1 lane.
I like to think of the merge lane like a zipper being closed, if everybody spaces well then it will all come together, if not, the frank will be below the beans...

"Drive Friendly, The Texas Way"

[Taranwanderer]

I'm not going to comment on the merging issue, because its obvious that people from different areas of the country do things differently. I wil say that you folks out West, where the DOTs had perfected the art of building Interstates (after making all their mistakes building the early ones in the East) have it made. "4 lane Interstates," what does that look like? No one East of the Mississippi knows!

As for frequent driver testing: 100% yes, it should be mandatory every 5 years, regardless of age. Now some people will shout "that's Age Discrimination," (capitalized on purpose) but as someone who works with the elderly population on a daily basis, I'm here to tell you: not every person on their 70s, 80s, 90s, and beyond are still capable of driving a car (much less an RV.) Don't get me wrong, some are, but many no longer possess the physical ability, agility, reflexes, etc to safely operate anything. You don't see 80 year-old commercial pilots, do you? If they made 5 year re-testing mandatory, several things would happen: it would remove many unsafe drivers from the roads (and not just the elderly, mind you,) there would be less traffic, fewer accidents, and insurance rates would drop. The problem with this plan is this: what politician is going to commit political suicide and suggest this or introduce this kind of bill? Most of the voters out there are retirees who can vote in every election without fail since they're not chained to a job, kids, etc, and will make any politician pay for such legislation. So that pretty much kills that idea. It's so laughably easy to get a driver's license, no wonder our insurance rates are what they are--a trained chimp could almost get a driver's license today.

[DXSMac]

Originally Posted by jk510

Now imagine my surprise/shock when I see there at the end off the on-ramp, a stop sign!
Needless to say I ran that sucker!

Don't do that in Portland, OR. THey have STOP LIGHTS at the end of the merge ramp, allowing ONE car at a time. Seattle, WA has a few of those, too. They operate during rush three hours.