Merging onto an Interstate

[sidney]

What method do you use to enter an interstate from the on ramp to merge with traffic when towing?

[gitane59]

john&bet wrote:
I have yet to see a yield sign on an on ramp.

I was thinking this but was not confident to say anything. I will now be looking for yield signs at the end of freeway on-ramps, but I too don't think I will see many.

[Water-Bug]

On east bound I-94 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the freway goes into a fairly stiff right curve. At the same time an acceleration strip blends with the freeway. Traffic on that on-ramp comes at the freeway and does a sharp right curve at the last 30 yards. The first sighting of the freeway traffic that the on-ramp traffic has is of vehicles moving left to right at a 90 degree angle directly in front of it. Because of the curve of the freeway, the freeway traffic doesn't see the merging on-ramp traffic until it makes that last minute right turn. It is a bunch of accidents just waiting to happen.

[john_bet]

Water-Bug wrote:
The thing that really irks me on freeway on-ramps is "WEAVE" signs. Engineers that design on-ramps that require those signs should be shot. You end up with vehicles that are attempting to accelerate to highway speeds trying to merge with vehicles trying to deceletate to 25 mph ramp speeds. Merging accelerating vehicles with decelerating vehicles defies the laws of physics.

That is what happens at the loop/pig tail dec/acceleration lanes. I also hate the straight acceleration lanes that are not completely straight causing you to not to be able to get up to speed. We have both here at the US-50/I-65 junction. Earlier today I saw a southbound 5th doing about 75+ in the left lane at this junction, you would have had to fall in behind him, way behind. He continued with that speed for over 30 miles before he slowed down a little. I was in my car not the rv.

[john_bet]

NHIrish wrote:
Actually, the key word is yield. That's the law in most states...and most drivers fail to yield when they enter the highway.

I have yet to see a yield sign on an on ramp.

[goducks10]

Roll some coal:) Not really, it;s still stock, so I guess it's the pedal to the metal time.

[oldtrojan66]

Water-Bug wrote:
The thing that really irks me on freeway on-ramps is "WEAVE" signs. Engineers that design on-ramps that require those signs should be shot. You end up with vehicles that are attempting to accelerate to highway speeds trying to merge with vehicles trying to deceletate to 25 mph ramp speeds. Merging accelerating vehicles with decelerating vehicles defies the laws of physics.

Yep, I agree 100%. You don't see them all over, probably because they are so dangerous. You are right, what were they thinking? Another, slightly off-topic area of concern that they are rapidly expanding here in central Indiana is the traffic circle (or as the Brits say, "round-about). I an unnerved in an auto, and I would hate to have to maneuver my 57' RV/TV around one without killing anyone!

[Water-Bug]

The thing that really irks me on freeway on-ramps is "WEAVE" signs. Engineers that design on-ramps that require those signs should be shot. You end up with vehicles that are attempting to accelerate to highway speeds trying to merge with vehicles trying to deceletate to 25 mph ramp speeds. Merging accelerating vehicles with decelerating vehicles defies the laws of physics.

[Coyotecprs]

In Illinois the merge means:
Merging Lanes
This sign tells you that two lanes of traffic going the same direction will soon merge into one lane. Be ready to either change
lanes or allow other traffic to merge into your lane. Merge signs
appear on expressways just before expressway ramps. The driver on the expressway slows down to let the driver on the ramp
merge.

Both drivers have responsibility. You have to make room. This is important in high traffic areas because most everyone except truckers follow to close to each other to allow save merging. All said I would rather not have to deal with Chicago expressways while towing in rush hour

[et2]

I start out by putting the hammer down at the appropriate time to do so. No Need to do a 4g banking turn. I then adjust by trying to look for a spot (timing) and either keep the hammer down or back off for the sweet spot. Of course there are always those willing to screw with you by taking your available target area through a demonstration of how fast they can accelerate. If there are no other choices for me after their move besides wrecking or causing a accident behind me - they better be ready to choose the next lane or give me the space back.

[jjj]

The problem now a days is there is no consideration on the road. I drive a semi and it is impossible to get up to speed before you enter and have people from behind me pass in the gore point and take my lane out from under me when you have no choice but to push them for being rude. I just try to get up to speed as much as possible and merge in. you are always going to get that one person who has no idea what you have to do to get these beasts rolling. If they flip me off, I just wave and think out loud to them, Thank you for letting me know that I am number 1. Just got to love the rude and ignorant drivers.

[southernsky]

Get it up to hwy speed as quickly as possible, pay close attention to the traffic in the lane you are pulling into, blinkers on and pull into the lane. Most traffic will move over if not they'll just have to slow down, but then "Fat Betty" gets an attitude and takes the lane anyway....

[FoCoNoCo]

[quotTheybe=restlesswind]

INBellbuoy wrote:

Dwight205 wrote:
Get a dodge with a 6.7 and take it.

X2

And I do not understand stoplights at the merge point nor people who decide to stop without the light.

Stoplights....They make it easier to merge into traffic.In CA,when they are turned on,traffic will be moving at a slow crawl on the freeway,and in most cases there will be two lanes merging onto the freeway.
Now, those folks that stop without the traffic light?
They may be stopped to dial the phone.Not safe to dial in traffic :W

They also have a number of controlled access ramps in Denver. I think it helps a bit with merging, but bottom line is these highways are simply too congested in the first place. I will say that the lights do break up the nonstop stream of vehicles trying to merge.

[restlesswind]

INBellbuoy wrote:

Dwight205 wrote:
Get a dodge with a 6.7 and take it.

X2

And I do not understand stoplights at the merge point nor people who decide to stop without the light.

Stoplights....They make it easier to merge into traffic.In CA,when they are turned on,traffic will be moving at a slow crawl on the freeway,and in most cases there will be two lanes merging onto the freeway.
Now, those folks that stop without the traffic light?
They may be stopped to dial the phone.Not safe to dial in traffic :W

[rhagfo]

Twomed wrote:

sunkatcher wrote:
Remember; “Education is Our Responsibility”, the key and I have done my share is that drivers will learn when I pull that left hand turn signal on it means I AM MOVING LEFT not I want to move left.

AND Remember the last sign you saw on the merge ramp said YIELD!!

If you ever just "punch it" and clobber someone while you are telling them "I am coming out" with your turn signal....and they can't move... you hit them... it will be on you. 🙂

Somewhere in the last twenty years of losing civility in this nation, folks seem to have forgotten that the established moving traffic lane has the right of way. I expect to see that from four wheelers, but not reflected here on the boards.

Just sayin' think about it. 🙂 🙂

When merging YOU ARE THE BURDENED vehicle!!

That said merging is a whole bunch easier if you are at or near highway speed.

[GMT830]

gitane59 wrote:

sleepyT wrote:

GMT830 wrote:
Remember the key word is merge. Spend some time watching, you will see most drivers don't know how to merge in a BMW, let alone a truck and camper.

I agree with GMT830

What I try to do is when I am comming up the ramp especially if it is a clover leaf, I will start looking for the oncomming traffic even before I get to the accelleration lane. Plus just like a car it is good to know how fast you CAN accellerate, which makes it easier to judge a safe merge.:h

Plan ahead, look for your opening well before you need to move into it and as others have said PUNCH IT.
I even look back up the expressway as I am coming up to a clover leaf before turing onto merge access road if sightlines allow to gauge traffic flow and my chance merging plans
Only problem is when you come up behind a driver that decides to come a full stop in the merge lane in a four-wheeler looking for a open aircraft carrier deck to merge onto. :M

I've actually passed stop vehicles on merge lanes when I have not been towing with a big chuckle.:B

So I'm not the only one that does that. We have some nice long ramps with great visibility of the highway. Guys are doing 40 the whole way. I let the gap widen then hammer it and blow by them when there's just enough room to get through 😄