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Old 22-05-2007, 03:40 PM
BALISTC BALISTC is offline
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Default Joe's Guide to Merging and Other Freeway Problems

Hi everyone,

Ok so I got bored at work when the server was down, so I decided to turn my pet traffic hates into a useable document.

Note: This is a work in progress and I'm hoping to have it up as a website shortly. Bumper stickers will follow

FEEL FREE TO ADD TO IT, EDIT IT OR SUGGEST ANY CHANGES THAT CAN I CAN MAKE!!!

Another note: What you are about to read is off the top off my head, and in no way did I use Google. Its 100% my opinion. I have further resources which I will be using to add to it, and they will be referenced accordingly, but as it is, its top of my head 1st draft!


JOE'S GUIDE TO MERGING AND OTHER FREEWAY PROBLEMS.


Okay, so we've all come to the conclusion that many Perth drivers cannot drive proficiently, and in particular, do not how to negotiate our freeways correctly. This means that the problems of our overcrowded roadways are exacerbated by issues such as tailgating, right lane hogging, and most frustrating of all, a lack of ability to merge.

To put it simply, when Perth drivers get their licenses, they become proficient in such skills as finding an address, how to set the correct seat height, and how to use the headlights. What they arent taught, are basic freeway courtesy and traffic management techniques. Yes, traffic management. I believe that traffic management is 90% road user, and 10% road designer/builder. Put simply, even a poorly designed road should be free flowing, if the user of the road has even a small amount of common sense.

I dont claim to be an expert, but my years of constant freeway driving, have meant that I've seen it all. In the hours and hours I've spent in traffic, I've constantly wondered how we can prevent traffic issues. From this, I've come up with a few solutions.

MERGING

The main problem you may have noticed on our roads, specifically our freeways, is that of merging. Bad merging causes frustration and left lane traffic jams. A poorly designed freeway with numerous merging zones, including on-ramps merging from two to one lane, then into another freeway lane, as well as two or three merges in the space of a kilometre, means that traffic is at a stand still every morning and afternoon. Its very easy to blame the people who designed the road, but as mentioned earlier, it also comes down to the common sense of the road user, and even a poorly designed road can be negotiated successfully.

Merging Problem Number 1 - No distance between vehicles.

When Perth drivers attempt to merge in amongst other vehicles on the freeway, either from an on-ramp, or from two lanes becoming one lane, its normally a pointless task. Put simply, no one allows enough room for other vehicles to merge in between them. This means that when two lanes merge into one, there is normally two or three vehicles right next to each other that have no room to go, and they all have no choice but to hit the brakes until they can work out what to do.

The rest of the vehicles behind them also have to brake, and this creates a huge bottleneck which can cause a chain reaction of vehicles all hitting the brakes. Of course, the extent of this chain reaction depends on the density of the traffic, but its not uncommon to see a 500m long line of vehicles all braking because of two vehicles that cant merge.

The way to solve this, is to keep a good distance between vehicles. At any given speed, you should be approximately two to three seconds from the vehicle in front of you. To determine this, start counting when the vehicle in front of you passes a landmark. You should pass this landmark two to three seconds later. Dont get too precious with the exact timing and distance, just use your common sense along with this rule, to keep a good gap between you and the car in front.

With this distance between vehicles, comes easy merging. I liken it to a zipper. If you look at an open zipper, you'll see that the teeth, in the two "lanes", merge into one as you pull the zipper up. They can only do this, because they slot in between each other perfectly. If there was no distance between the teeth i.e. two teeth were right next to each other, the zipper would jam, just like our roads do when people dont keep their distance, and two vehicles try to come into one lane at the same time next to each other. It really is as simple as that!


Merging Problem Number 2 - Schumacher syndrome.

Okay so now you've started keeping your distance between vehicles, and you've noticed how much easier it is to merge. The next problem you might encounter is the Michael Schumachers of our roads. These Michael Schumachers can be seen driving any vehicle, but I've noticed that a large number of them tend to drive large 4WDs.

So, you are driving along an on-ramp, and it merges with the left freeway lane, or you are driving down the freeway in a lane which is about to merge with another freeway lane. You've got your 2 seconds distance between the vehicle in front, and all is going well. As the lanes start to merge into one, you notice something in your right hand rear view mirror. A black BMW X5/Landcruiser/Patrol/Hummer H2 starts looming upon you, and grows larger and larger in your mirror. Before you can even blink, the vehicle is right next to you...yes, NEXT TO YOU in a single lane where only one car is supposed to be!

As the lane gets narrower and narrower, you have no choice but to hit your brakes, and let Schumacher win their "race". In the midst of your anger, you notice that the same 4WD does the same thing to two or three vehicles in front of you, and they all have to brake also. This Schumacher has won their own race, but pissed off a lot of people in the process. They obviously believe that by cutting off people who are attempting to merge correctly, they can win the race and reach their destination 5 seconds quicker. The fact is, you'll probably notice that 1-2km down the freeway, you'll actually be passing Schumacher in the middle lane, because they are stuck tailgating behind a truck in the left lane.

There is something you can do about this. When you are merging and two lanes becomes one, move as quickly as you can towards the centre of the newly created single lane, rather than sitting on the left of the newly created lane. In this way, any Schumachers are "blocked", and will become further blocked behind you as the lane gets narrower. Blocking is such a negative word though, so I like to say that you are using your god-given right to travel in the dead centre of the lane, which happens to mean that the space available to any Schumacher's, is greatly reduced and they cant pass you. Its not a problem for all the other road users, who (theoretically) are further behind you, and don't actually care which part of the lane you travel in, because the last thing on their mind is trying to beat you in the Freeway Grand Prix.

Also, if you are a Schumacher, please stop doing it. You're not winning anything, apart from a lot of enemies, and one day I might slash your tyres.


Merging Problem Number 3 - Who's who on the freeway?

When it comes to merging, who is responsible for facilitating a smooth merge? Those already on the freeway probably think that its not their problem and that the drivers merging onto the freeway should be taking extra care to ensure a smooth process. Those merging onto the freeway probably think that its up to the drivers already on the freeway to allow them to come into their lane once it merges. In reality, its actually the responsibility of those in both the lanes which are coming together, to ensure a smooth merge for all road users.

Its very simple. If you're an existing freeway user, you should keep your distance between the vehicle in front, and maintain your speed. Don't slow down for anyone merging unless you really have to i.e the person is travelling way too slowly and you will hit them if you don't slow down. In most circumstances, your space buffer should give them enough room to come onto the freeway without you having to slow down and disrupt the flow of traffic.

If you're merging onto the freeway via an on-ramp: As soon as the speed limit sign changes from on-ramp speed to freeway speed, accelerate smoothly and quickly to slot yourself into the space between vehicles on the freeway, at their speed. Regulate your speed by coming off the throttle to drop behind a car, or accelerate to get in front of a car, and only brake if you really have to (as braking will disrupt flow). The most important thing to remember is, get up to speed as quickly as you can. If you are travelling slower than the vehicles on the freeway, everyone will have to brake to let you in.

Of course this smooth process is easier on paper than in reality, because not everyone allows for perfect conditions. BUT, you can still use these techniques to facilitate a smooth merge, and continue the flow of traffic on the freeway, to the best of your ability. If you do the right thing, then it makes it harder for other road users to do the wrong thing. If everyone is doing the wrong thing, it causes all sorts of traffic havoc.
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