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Thread: Paranoia or What?

  1. #21

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    On my way through Illinois headed back to Texas, I had this very event happen. I was driving on the inside lane, a motorcycle wanted to merge from the on ramp, and I had a vehicle to my right that made it impossible for me to do anything except keep moving forward. The motorcycle rider became infuriated and made sure to speed up and give me the finger as soon as he could get in front of me. He did all of this in order to exit the freeway at the next exit. The thought of a "speed bump" crossed my mind, but like most things that cross my mind, it faded quickly.

    I know many of you are bike riders and would think that due to the extra danger involved that bikers in general would be more careful and more courteous than most. It just seems that there are more members of our society that have the "its all about me" complex and it carries to all aspects of their life and unfortunately that includes driving.
    Tony and Jenny Conder
    Abilene, Texas
    - - - - - - - - - - -
    2008 Marathon D/S XLII
    2017 RAM 1500 4x4

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Brooksville, Fl
    Posts
    229

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Wehrenberg View Post
    Sounds like you are willing to work with merging traffic. I'm not. Let me make that real clear so there is no misunderstanding. If I have room to move over without having to accelerate, brake or take it from cruise control I will. But if moving over is not an option. I am not braking, accelerating or taking it out of cruise control. Paint me as discourteous if you like, but I have reasons for my position on this.
    Well, I also have the "three-blink-rule". When I hit my turn signals I give you three blinks to get out of the way and then I'm coming over.

    But perhaps you misunderstood me. I am not talking about standing on my brakes when people merge, but someone in a small car may need a few miles an hour off my speed to be safe. That I will do, if unable to move over or accelerate at all ('cause I would rather have them behind me).

    Just for interest though, I will paste here from the Florida's Driver's Manual (because that's where I live):
    5.12 - Right-of-Way
    Who has the right-of-way in Florida? The answer is no one! The law only says who must yield (give up) the right-of-way. Every driver,
    motorcyclist, moped rider, bicyclist and pedestrian must do everything possible to avoid a crash.

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    507

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    Karl, North Carolina has the same rule on it's books, as do most states. You'll notice that the yield signs on merge ramps have largely been taken down. If there's an aggressive semi storming down a ramp, I am afraid we have no choice but to work with him.

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    anytown
    Posts
    8,908

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    Maybe its my age or that I am just plain mean, but if I see someone on the on-ramp and I sense a conflict, I also expect to see them (not me) making the adjustment. Forget the physics associated with attempting to adjust the speed of 53,000 pounds. The person merging has two options, both of which will allow a merge without impacting the traffic on the highway. They can step down on the accelerator pedal, or they can ease off the pedal to allow me to advance ahead of them. It isn't rocket science.

    But I have had a belly full of people who are afraid to stand on the accelerator pedal in their Subaru or Prius and expect me to slow down or move over so they can do all their acceleration on the highway right of way. In the meantime so they can save a gram of gasoline I am going to take a minute to gain back the speed I had to lose to accomodate these idiots.

    I just love the fools that are along side of me and matching my speed exactly, and then have to spike the brakes because they ran out of acceleration lane. Their IQ must match the city speed limit.

    We all have been in the situation Tony describes. When traffic is heavy, you cannot move over and you have a string of cars behind you the entire burden for merging has to rest with the on-coming traffic. If I can mange to get a 45 foot bus with a toad onto the highways without and excitement, surely a person driving a car that has 3 or 4 times my acceleration can figure out how to do it.

    As to David's comments about trucks, read my previous post. I make every atempt to work with the merging truck. I know they are in the same situation we are with respect to speed changes, up or down, so we all benefit if adjustments can be made. Most truckers however know how to merge unlike a lot of the car drivers.

    And Karl, I read your three blink comment and I am taking that as a joke.

    As to the Florida and NC laws I would want to read and parse the exact words carefully before I accept the fact that the lwmakers intend for merging traffic to just drive onto the traffic lanes expecting the traffic already there to yield. That is contrary to every other law of the road that I have read. Even in a tie a car involved in an accident with a truck or bus loses.

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Santa Barbara
    Posts
    3,177

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    If there are 3 lanes, I try to stay in the middle lane, with two lanes, merging traffic is going to determine the speed of that lane. Some of the on ramps around here are so short there is no way a car can come up to speed. I used to try to maintain speed but you just piss people off, so if I can't change lanes, I slow down.
    Gary & Lise Deinhard, 2003 Elegant Lady Liberty, Dbl slide

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Brooksville, Fl
    Posts
    229

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    Jon,

    Joke....well, mostly.

    I noticed you said you weigh 53000 pounds, which I found interesting. Our is just under that with two slides. I thought the non-slide buses were supposed to be lighter?

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Monroe
    Posts
    221

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    Ok, first I want 4 of the new 2011 merginators. That's right 4, one on each corner of the bus so I don't miss an opportunity to ruin some mergers day. Second, I guess all the Shelby GT500 decals I have all over my bus leads people to believe I can accelerate from 70 to 120 in under 6 seconds to get out of their way or the 36" ceramic brake calipers I have on every wheel will allow me to stop from 70 to 0 in the length of my bus (40').
    And third, I am 62 and every driving test I ever took (which is one and in most cases that's part of the problem) says to merge with traffic u get up to the speed of the traffic and blend in, not cause a 10 car pileup or come to a complete stop then take off and try to merge, which I have seen attempted many times. LOL drivers.

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    ON THE ROAD IN THE SOUTH
    Posts
    2,825

    Cool

    PETER SAYS, "everyone performs to their highest level of incompetence", witness congress.

    JIM

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    anytown
    Posts
    8,908

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    Coach, 46,600 plus H2 Hummer, 6,700. Total weight 53,300. More if I have eaten oysters.

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Brooksville, Fl
    Posts
    229

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    Oh, I see. Mine was 53k coach only. No oysters.

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