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Re: lack of courtesy Re: A Left Lane Laggard Wants to Know



In article <nukeDC7CJu.6qH@netcom.com> nuke@netcom.com (Bill Newcomb) writes:
>In article <timleeDC76nG.8Av@netcom.com>,
>Yeah, that's me. Generally it's because traffic is heavy, and I,
>having seen the merge half a mile back, dutifully got in the
>non-disappearing lane while the traffic would still permit it. Why
>should I let someone who isn't paying attention in front of me?
>ESPECIALLY when they've hurtled down the disappearing lane, often
>passing me in the process. Who's being more of a jerk?

I used to think kind of like this too.  There are several big problems.  First
is the unaware driver (ie. all the regular drivers know that you have to 
merge in, but the occasional driver does not until he actually sees the sign,
by which time people like you will make things very difficult for him).
   Another more important reason is traffic flow.  What is the way to maximize
traffic through-put?  Your method of merging in early only really works
with light traffic (and than you hardly need worry about how people merge).
Once the traffic gets heavy, you [and people like you] are the reason that
the "disappearing" lane is moving faster.  The most efficent way to handle 
it is a smooth merge at an efficent point.  In other words, you are actually
making matter worse, both by merging early, and than by refusing to merge
smoothly.  That's my answer about "jerk'ness".  -mjm-


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