Reply to: Motorway Queue Jumping

[NickFitz]

It may also be worthy of note that amongst the self-confessed queue-jumpers are three people who have chosen to present themselves to the World of CUK under the names "Money Money Money", "NotAllThere" and "Recruitment Agent".

The first implies an obsession with self-indulgence, the second implies pride in a lack of awareness, and the third...

[NickFitz]

It's strange but intriguing to see how people get so het up about anything to do with driving. When witnessing shoddy behaviour on the road I always assumed it was due to the exigencies of the situation provoking people into doing things that they would not do in a calmer frame of mind. This thread and others on similar concerns make it clear that there are many people who not only drive badly, but can also rationalise their bad driving to the degree that they will assert that their anti-social attitudes are, in fact, sensible and justifiable.

I try to avoid getting het up when on the road. The Highway Code recommends this, and I've found that following the Highway Code is the safest way to drive. After all, we taxpayers have paid experts to create this advice for us. To ignore it would not only be stupid (in that the experts have presumably analysed the possible situations and created appropriate advice from the position of knowing more than you) but also foolhardy (in that if you think you know better than the experts and it turns out you are wrong, you either die or kill somebody else).

Unfortunately the bozos who put the Highway Code on the web have done an appallingly bad job of it, so it's impossible to construct a link to the relevant rule - one can only link to a page. (Fail on the Information Superhighway )

Still, here are the parts that seem relevant to the broader tone of this discussion if you scroll down to Rule 147. I'll also quote what I think are the relevant bits, with my own sanctimonious highlighting:

You should

• try to be understanding if other road users cause problems; they may be inexperienced or not know the area well
• be patient; remember that anyone can make a mistake
• not allow yourself to become agitated or involved if someone is behaving badly on the road. This will only make the situation worse.

HTH, YMMV, HAND

[blacjac]

I tend to get in the lane early so that I don't miss my exit. I can't see the point of trying to barge in at the last minute, possibly causing a crash and risk missing the junction.

In cases where 2 lanes merge into 1 I'll usually go to the end of it. I can't see the point of everybody sitting in 2 lanes of stationary traffic when there is still half a mile of unused 3rd lane next to them.

I tend to get in the lane early so that I don't miss my exit. I can't see the point of trying to barge in at the last minute, possibly causing a crash and risk missing the junction.

In cases where 2 lanes merge into 1 I'll usually go to the end of it. I can't see the point of everybody sitting in 2 lanes of stationary traffic when there is still half a mile of unused 3rd lane next to them.

It's BECAUSE people barge to the front of the queue by using the third lane that the other two lanes are stationary! In any other scenario, this would just be pushing in! Would you do it in a shop or when you're waiting to buy a ticket somewhere? Then why do it in a car? I see the same thing everyday and am almost at the point of "if you can't beat them, join them".

Dozens of cars every morning taking the wrong lane at a roundabout and smugly barging in at the last second. They're all thinking "gosh, aren't we clever, why are these numpties waiting in a queue", and we're all thinking you're a prize nugget!!!

There endeth the rant.

Bollocks.

Show me one shop that has 3 'lanes' that merge into 2 and I'll show you 3 lines of people merging into 2.

Interesting analogy. So that happens a lot where you shop then does it? One of the tills at the supermarket closes, so numpties who've just finished grabbinging their pot noodles, baked beans and special brew run at full speed with their trolleys to barge in at the front of the queue for the one functioning checkout?

We're not talking about 3 lanes of traffic merging into 2 in a civilised manner, we're talking about people barging into the head of a queue, often in totally the wrong lane, risking the lives and wasting the time of everyone else who's had the sense to wait!

.....and don't get me started on people who do 450 degrees at the roundabouts at the end of slip roads so they can dodge the queue and turn left ....

Sorry, I seem to have had to quote the above becuase you are too stupid to remember what you posted.

BTW it was your analogy, not mine....

[tim123]

Interesting analogy. So that happens a lot where you shop then does it? One of the tills at the supermarket closes, so numpties who've just finished grabbinging their pot noodles, baked beans and special brew run at full speed with their trolleys to barge in at the front of the queue for the one functioning checkout?

That's how it works in Germany.

Flipping annoying it is too!

tim

[OwlHoot]

We had the very same discussion here a few years ago and there weren't many of us arguing that ordered "zipping" into a single lane before the queue started made the traffic flow through it much faster, instead of selfish stupid drivers trying to cut in at the last moment. As I recall, the consensus then was that it makes no difference.

[BrilloPad]

.....and don't get me started on people who do 450 degrees at the roundabouts at the end of slip roads so they can dodge the queue and turn left ....

I thought I was the only person who did that?

[landl]

Where the f*** do you shop?

Bollocks.

Show me one shop that has 3 'lanes' that merge into 2 and I'll show you 3 lines of people merging into 2.

Interesting analogy. So that happens a lot where you shop then does it? One of the tills at the supermarket closes, so numpties who've just finished grabbinging their pot noodles, baked beans and special brew run at full speed with their trolleys to barge in at the front of the queue for the one functioning checkout?

We're not talking about 3 lanes of traffic merging into 2 in a civilised manner, we're talking about people barging into the head of a queue, often in totally the wrong lane, risking the lives and wasting the time of everyone else who's had the sense to wait!

.....and don't get me started on people who do 450 degrees at the roundabouts at the end of slip roads so they can dodge the queue and turn left ....

[tim123]

The poll wasn't about 2 lanes going into 1 at road works or other motorway lane reduction.

Oh

Sorry for my numptieness


tim

[blacjac]

It's BECAUSE people barge to the front of the queue by using the third lane that the other two lanes are stationary! In any other scenario, this would just be pushing in! Would you do it in a shop or when you're waiting to buy a ticket somewhere? Then why do it in a car? I see the same thing everyday and am almost at the point of "if you can't beat them, join them".

Bollocks.

Show me one shop that has 3 'lanes' that merge into 2 and I'll show you 3 lines of people merging into 2.

[Cyberman]

I was queuing to get off the M5 this morning - slip reduced to one lane due to road works.

Some idiot tries to get down the hardshoulder/part of lane 1 which was coned off and then tries to push in front of me.

Perhaps he was just a busy man with a tough schedule.

[zara_backdog]

I was queuing to get off the M5 this morning - slip reduced to one lane due to road works.

Some idiot tries to get down the hardshoulder/part of lane 1 which was coned off and then tries to push in front of me.

[Jog On]

The poll wasn't about 2 lanes going into 1 at road works or other motorway lane reduction.

its regarding queueing to exit a motorway using a regular slip road.
Do you get into lane 1 in plenty of time (as the highway code recommends)
or wait in lane 2, 3 or 4 and then quickly move across lanes at the last minute to exit after passing the queue of traffic waiting to exit

Who wants an extra 5-10 minutes added to their journey because their lane is blocked by people who don't think they should have to wait in line like everyone else?

[gingerjedi]

All well and good but what happens when you pull in at the last minute to find both lanes full of traffic and noone prepared to let you in. I've seen this happen and the culprits sat waiting in the middle lane thus causing a serious hazzard. By all means pull in later if you can see, but IMHO the majority of drivers can't see and are risking their and other peoples lives.

It's happened once, I had to keep going and get off at the next junction, 10 miles between J21 & J22 on the M5.. I would never put anyone else in danger just so I could save a few minutes.

[Spacecadet]

I can't vote because I don't accept that "waiting until the last minute" is "jumping in".

Zip merge works best for EVERYONE and should be encouraged as the norm.

tim

The poll wasn't about 2 lanes going into 1 at road works or other motorway lane reduction.

its regarding queueing to exit a motorway using a regular slip road.
Do you get into lane 1 in plenty of time (as the highway code recommends)
or wait in lane 2, 3 or 4 and then quickly move across lanes at the last minute to exit after passing the queue of traffic waiting to exit

[tim123]

I can't vote because I don't accept that "waiting until the last minute" is "jumping in".

Zip merge works best for EVERYONE and should be encouraged as the norm.

tim