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Agreed. Well, not the boyfriend part. Drive in Houston for a few months of training. You learn to GO.
Oh and I lived in Houston, recent, 6 months...with my sister. Actually Katy Tx, but on occasion did need to take off into Houston to the medical facilities. Before that Houston experience, experience in 1982 taking my dad to the same...I remember at age 18 crying... my mother was with me and I said, get me off this interstate, I was in tears. She said, here...take this exit, I think I can get us the rest of the way. I won't tell you where we ended up, but there has been many a movie made that depicts the experience.
After having to make the drive many times over the year of 82, I did get use to the madness and became mad! myself. Crazy drivers, they've seen nothing yet!
Twice this has happened and both times it is the same driver same vehicle, same time on a Sunday.
For my work I drive between accounts and I take the same route. At this one particular intersection is a yield, merge to the right at a light.
I pause and wait for on coming traffic to finish out and there is a guy in a jeep who honks at me to go but I can't because there are cars in those lanes in front of me.
Of course I do not merge on out into on coming traffic, because of his honking at me. However, this is getting to be annoying.
I don't know what I can do about him and I've thought of taking an alternate route, but there isn't one. I'm thinking of a bumper sticker slogan..."Mr Honker, I will not merge into oncoming traffic". Is there anything to do about him?
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated
Thanks,
I am trying to visuallize what is going on here. Do you have your own lane to merge into or does it merge into lanes where there is traffic? What intersection is this? I can look at it on google earth or maps to see what is going on.
Most people can not go the few months you suggested without having some one slam into them.
Many of us, perhaps even yourself, who spent months or years honing our driving skills (including defensive driving) in large cities believe it helped. You learn 1)Not to piddle around, 2)The infrastructure is often your enemy: slalom on-ramps, little-to-no acceleration lane, ect...and 3)Other drivers really don't care about your safety or their own. Sometimes a small-town person or a skiddish driver needs to get over their fear...and that's the answer: get accostomed to it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by actonbell
This is a red light, green light intersection where people with the green light have the right of way and those turning right must stop & yield right of way. Get off the interstate this is not interstate driving 101.
Thank you for clarifying. In your original post, you mentioned nothing about you stopping for the red light. Some intersections are configured to where vehicles wanting to turn right are simply permitted to yield or are given an acceleration/merge lane. Also from your original post, you said: "Of course I do not merge on out into on coming traffic, because of his honking at me." That makes me think that the signage indicates you are to merge...but you don't do so to irritate the other driver.
Quote:
Originally Posted by actonbell
For the sake of those around me, I take offense. I have a cell phone and I do know how to call the police. He is harassing me and is back seat driving me to try and make me jump into an accident. I won't go. I wait for cars to clear before I proceed. He either doesn't see this, or he doesn't care.
It sounds like he is harrassing other drivers, not just you. It was really bad coincidence that he has been right behind you in traffic two times. He is probably just an aggressive driver who honks at anyone who isn't driving the way he would like them to. I agree that he should be reported. You do have a cell phone, and according to you, you do know how to use it. Please do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by actonbell
The on ramp to interstate driving that is not what the shoulder is far. I'm sorry, I don't think so...to many behind you on the shoulder doing the same thing, what do you got. No, a person merging into on coming interstate is to judge the speed of the oncoming traffic and is to merge (like a weave) into them, between 'em at the adjusted speed they have set. I never did like the people that used that shoulder like you are talking about, because I never could tell just what they were going to do.
So is this Interstate Driving 101 or not? The Texas Transportation Code states that the shoulder can be used in that manner. Yes, you should adjust to the speed other cars are going and merge, but sometimes other drivers don't allow you to do so...therefore you may need an extra 5 yards of on-ramp and/or acceleration lane in order to adjust speed and merge.
I am trying to visuallize what is going on here. Do you have your own lane to merge into or does it merge into lanes where there is traffic? What intersection is this? I can look at it on google earth or maps to see what is going on.
It merges into the two lanes of hwy 80 and there is a traffic light at that intersection. The merge is there so as to not have to go up to the light and turn right.
I thought about google maps and I thought about anonymity and well screw it.
Intersection is Longview TX, Hwy 80 & loop 281 towards WhiteOak/Gladewater TX. I'd do this myself but I'm on dial up. It can be done on dial up, but would take me forever.
At that intersection is a light (and coming into there from the loop 281 to turn right onto hwy 80) there is a merge lane with yield sign it goes off to the right that takes us into WhiteOak. (hwy 80 is the old I20 and will take a person all the way to Dallas)
If the light is green for the hwy 80 travelers those coming from the loop should yield to those proceeding through the light. If there are no cars, California stop and go. That way you don't have to stop at the light. However, if there are cars (I don't care if they are in the left hand lane when they come through that light) coming through the light, stop and wait for them. duh...
Both times there has been cars and both times I'm told to go, by this yahoo.
Many of us, perhaps even yourself, who spent months or years honing our driving skills (including defensive driving) in large cities believe it helped. You learn 1)Not to piddle around, 2)The infrastructure is often your enemy: slalom on-ramps, little-to-no acceleration lane, ect...and 3)Other drivers really don't care about your safety or their own. Sometimes a small-town person or a skiddish driver needs to get over their fear...and that's the answer: get accostomed to it.
Thank you for clarifying. In your original post, you mentioned nothing about you stopping for the red light. Some intersections are configured to where vehicles wanting to turn right are simply permitted to yield or are given an acceleration/merge lane. Also from your original post, you said: "Of course I do not merge on out into on coming traffic, because of his honking at me." That makes me think that the signage indicates you are to merge...but you don't do so to irritate the other driver.
It sounds like he is harrassing other drivers, not just you. It was really bad coincidence that he has been right behind you in traffic two times. He is probably just an aggressive driver who honks at anyone who isn't driving the way he would like them to. I agree that he should be reported. You do have a cell phone, and according to you, you do know how to use it. Please do.
So is this Interstate Driving 101 or not? The Texas Transportation Code states that the shoulder can be used in that manner. Yes, you should adjust to the speed other cars are going and merge, but sometimes other drivers don't allow you to do so...therefore you may need an extra 5 yards of on-ramp and/or acceleration lane in order to adjust speed and merge.
Thank you for your understanding. Yes, I do believe this is a practice for this guy and it is not personal.
I remember once, ah I will never forget. I'm in a beat up old station wagon and I had to merge off onto the should of I75 south bound just before (this is dallas) the lanes merge into downtown freeways I30, I45 and I think one other is represented there & there are five lanes downtown Dallas is to the right...but anyway for the sake of story.
I had to pull over because my eyes had watered up and I couldn't see. I wiped my eyes and this was 5 o'clock traffic. After having seen to myself, rear view mirror check, I merge back off into fast traffic easy and smooth as a babies bottom. A white Mustang GTO passed by me with his hand out the window and a thumbs up. Apparently he had been watching me from the lanes behind. I thought, yes, I do pit stops well.
Last edited by Ellis Bell; 07-22-2010 at 12:10 PM..
Reason: insert tense verb; clarifying should use
It merges into the two lanes of hwy 80 and there is a traffic light at that intersection. The merge is there so as to not have to go up to the light and turn right.
I thought about google maps and I thought about anonymity and well screw it.
Intersection is Longview TX, Hwy 80 & loop 281 towards WhiteOak/Gladewater TX. I'd do this myself but I'm on dial up. It can be done on dial up, but would take me forever.
At that intersection is a light (and coming into there from the loop 281 to turn right onto hwy 80) there is a merge lane with yield sign it goes off to the right that takes us into WhiteOak. (hwy 80 is the old I20 and will take a person all the way to Dallas)
If the light is green for the hwy 80 travelers those coming from the loop should yield to those proceeding through the light. If there are no cars, California stop and go. That way you don't have to stop at the light. However, if there are cars (I don't care if they are in the left hand lane when they come through that light) coming through the light, stop and wait for them. duh...
Both times there has been cars and both times I'm told to go, by this yahoo.
I feel your pain about dial-up, I finally stepped up to cable about 6 months ago, so don't worry about that. I found the intersection. It is on the west side of Longview, and very different than the intersection on the east side. I suppose you are driving south and turning west. Here it is:
Now I can see what you are talking about. I am all for expediting the flow of traffic, but this is a horrible intersection. That is one of the shortest "merge" lanes I have seen. I wouldn't even call it a merge lane, it is just a turn lane. You just wait until both lanes are clear enough to merge, as you do NOT have your own protected lane. Pulling out on that road with traffic on the (not so) far left lane is way too risky, even for me. That guy is just a nut. People are changing lanes at any moment while talking on their phone, too unpredicatable. Maybe he will go a different route to avoid you if he keeps coming up behind you and has to wait. You are doing right.
I feel your pain about dial-up, I finally stepped up to cable about 6 months ago, so don't worry about that. I found the intersection. It is on the west side of Longview, and very different than the intersection on the east side. Here is is:
Now I can see what you are talking about. I am all for expediting the flow of traffic, but this is a horrible intersection. That is one of the shortest "merge" lanes I have seen. I wouldn't even call it a merge lane, it is just a turn lane. You just wait until both lanes are clear enough to merge, as you do NOT have your own protected lane. Pulling out on that road with traffic on the (not so) far left lane is way too risky, even for me. That guy is just a nut. People are changing lanes just from talking on their phone at any moment, too unpredicatable. Maybe he will go a different route to avoid you if he keeps coming up behind you and has to wait. You are doing right.
You got it, yeah. 80 is running east and west and that merge in on the north side, looking down at it I see it. I see no one in the merge. But if one is there and the light changes they must wait on 10 cars before they can proceed.
Thank you! I hope I don't ever need this in traffic court.
PS: I'm calling the lane wrong, turn lane not merge lane.
Last edited by Ellis Bell; 07-22-2010 at 12:35 PM..
Reason: ps
You got it, yeah. 80 is running east and west and that merge in on the north side, looking down at it I see it. I see no one in the merge. But if one is there and the light changes they must wait on 10 cars before they can proceed.
Thank you! I hope I don't ever need this in traffic court.
It is just badly engineered. The guy behind is the one that would not want to need this in traffic court. If he gets behind you just start bobbing your head like you are lost in your car radio's really loud music, oblivious to his honking. That will really frustrate him, lol.
It is just badly engineered. The guy behind is the one that would not want to need this in traffic court. If he gets behind you just start bobbing your head like you are lost in your car radio's really loud music, oblivious to his honking. That will really frustrate him, lol.
Oh, I sat there last Sunday. That didn't go very well. He went around me and since there was only the one car to wait on, he was clear for take off. He never got it he never understand I suspect in the future he will never get it, no matter what I or any one else tries.
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I take offense. I have a cell phone and I do know how to call the police. He is harassing me and is back seat driving me to try and make me jump into an accident. I won't go. I wait for cars to clear before I proceed. He either doesn't see this, or he doesn't care.
