In the usa at least..

[u/Yamaben]

[u/jlindley1991]

Yeah the amount of people that don't realize the freeway on ramp is for getting up to freeway speed before you have to merge is wild to me.

My car is not the fastest by no means and I can get up to speed just fine.

[u/Seicair → u/jlindley1991]

“Bumper to bumper traffic going 75? I’ll accelerate to 45 and hold, it’ll be easier if I’m going slower.”

— Me, behind them on a VERY short on-ramp, white-knuckling the steering wheel.

“AAAHHHHH, ACCELERATE YOU BLITHERING IDIOT, WE’RE GOING TO DIIIEEEEE!!!”

[u/Friendlyvoid → u/Seicair]

In those situations I usually will slow way down to give myself space and then gun it once they're at the end of the on ramp. That way I still have most of the ramp to get up to speed. Doesn't always work but usually I'm able to merge without fucking up the flow of traffic that way

[u/icouldntdecide → u/Friendlyvoid]

Yeah I have learned that if the car in front of me is too slow, I'll hang back a bit and then gun it when I have enough space

[u/XxFezzgigxX → u/icouldntdecide]

Then they guy behind you cusses you out and hangs back because you’re going slow. Repeat until nobody moves.

[u/amodestmeerkat → u/Friendlyvoid]

That's what I do too, although once when I did that, the car that stopped at the end of the merge lane saw me merge into traffic and decide if I could merge (doing 72 in a 65), they could too and pulled onto the highway from a dead stop. I had enough room to stop, but with traffic behind me, I tried to apply just enough brake to avoid running into them. The car behind me however locked up their brakes, and the sound of tires squealing must have startled the merging car and, they must've noticed I was coming up on them much faster than they were probably expecting, so to avoid me... they continued over to the left lane, which also had heavy traffic, forcing several of those cars off into the left shoulder and bringing that lane to a stop.

As soon as they cleared my lane, I floored it back to highway speed (and learned my car can, briefly, do 53 in first gear), but traffic behind took their time coming back up to speed, so their failed merge brought the highway to a stop, and could've caused some accidents.

[u/undecimbre → u/amodestmeerkat]

And the worst part is, they were going slow and being safe - in their head - and did nothing wrong

[u/Hidesuru → u/Friendlyvoid]

It's the best you can do but you still deal with the fact that they just fucked up traffic merging slow.

[u/AwsmDevil → u/Seicair]

Oh hey are you me on my morning commute? Every single fucking day.

[u/spamjavelin → u/Seicair]

“AAAHHHHH, ACCELERATE YOU BLITHERING IDIOT, WE’RE GOING TO DIIIEEEEE!!!”

I distinctly read that in Jeremy Clarkson's voice.

[u/fried_green_baloney → u/Seicair]

I like to leave space between the lead car and myself so I can have a little room to accelerate. So I don't blunder on the freeway at 45 myself. Unless it's evening commute and then everyone is going 5 MPH instead.

[u/digibucc → u/fried_green_baloney]

exactly. if i can tell they are going way under with no intention of getting to highway speed, i'll slow down to create the gap i need to accelerate before merging.

[u/zaphodava → u/Seicair]

This is when the lines on the road become suggestions, and I will take appropriate measures to ensure my safety. That generally means watching for a traffic opening and crossing a solid line to get in traffic and gun it past the person putting me in danger.

[u/Undeclared_Mustard → u/jlindley1991]

Big problem in Ontario. I moved here from Massachusetts, and Ontario drivers are the worst.

[u/SpaceLemming → u/Undeclared_Mustard]

Did you ever drive through Jersey, worst drivers I’ve ever seen. The longer I’m here the more I’m convinced that like 80% of the shit drivers I saw growing up in Florida were just these fucking New Jersey snow birds

[u/some_random_noob → u/SpaceLemming]

nah, mass and jersey drivers are just a product of their environment, if everyone drives like that it actually kinda works. its when only 1 person drives like them that you start having problems.

There are two states in the north east that have objectively bad drivers, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. I dont know what the deal is with RI but they are all wierd, PA just doesnt have roads for their drivers to learn on as all they have are large potholes in the shapes of roads.

[u/Melarsa → u/some_random_noob]

I learned to drive in MA and have lived in the midwest and the south and everybody's always like "har har MA drivers" but they don't understand that at least in MA, the native drivers have somewhere to be and there's a lot of traffic, so when they make a mistake at least they tend to do it quickly, and more importantly they COMMIT to it. Once you can see some bullshit happening in front of you, you can account for it and be on your way. You know where the slowdowns and accidents are most likely to happen and you can work around it. It's the scared out of state tourists who have never driven in traffic before that cause most of the problems.

I never got into a single accident in MA and I lived there the longest, but some slow-moving wishy washy IL driver smashed the shit out of me in the most bizarre circumstances and I can't believe the types of accidents I've seen where I live now in GA. People get upset when there's 35 seconds of traffic backed up because they don't know what to do because 10 years ago this was all trees and now it's "basically a big city!" (It is not.) The amount of people touching cars when there's literally never anybody on the roads is confounding. You happened to find the only other person driving in bumblefuck nowhere today AND hit them? Impressive.

People love to come to a full stop before taking any kind of turn, then decide it wasn't actually the correct turn after all, or pull out in front of you and then immediately hit the brakes, or wander over the lines slowly figuring out which lane they want to be in.

Nobody ever just makes a decision and sticks with it, they just drive like "Oh am I getting off at this exit? Maybe. Oh it's too late now, or is it? Better try to make my way over now, but not too quickly."

Like Jesus just cut me off already it's less likely to kill us both and potentially a few others as you cause a 6 car pileup with your indecision. Do or do not, there is no try.

There's also SO MANY more drunk drivers on the road in the Midwest than I've seen anywhere else. A shocking amount of completely blitzed people just zigzagging all over the road at all times.

[u/AwsmDevil → u/Melarsa]

This man lady speaks the true true.

Edit: corrected

[u/Melarsa → u/AwsmDevil]

This ma'am.😘 Now that I've lived in various regions and seen what passes for acceptable driving in some foreign countries I will not tolerate the "MA drivers are the worst in the whole world" slander anyone. The traffic there sucks ass and I don't miss it at all, but I do miss quick decision makers who can see things through on the road. JUST DO THE DAMN THING ALREADY WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH DON'T YOU HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GET TO?

I have also learned that other areas of the country do not take kindly to the "Boston hello" (flipping the bird when somebody pulls something stupid on the road.) Now I just give a sarcastic thumbs up with a stupid face because I don't want any MORE screaming men to follow me in their cars and then threaten to shoot me when I pull over because THEY almost ran me off the road or blew a stop sign, but they still felt need to let me know how I'm actually more at fault for being "rude" and giving them a hand gesture in return.

Because politeness and being demure should come first when someone's trying to kill your family with a 2 ton vehicle, FYI.

[u/QueenRotidder → u/Melarsa]

phew try making the “tiny dick” gesture to a man in traffic. i’ve been followed twice for doing this. Once in Mass and once in NH. not my proudest moment but now I just stick to the old flying phalanges or a thumbs down LOL

everything you’ve said about Massachusetts driving is correct. The thing about the one person being slow and indecisive. and it’s worse nowadays. Just this week I had the pleasure of being behind someone at the surface street end of a 93S off ramp, who couldn’t decide where he wanted to go so he just moved into both lanes at the same time and kind of rolled to a stop while he decided. At 6:45 am. He got the horn.

[u/OuG_proooj → u/some_random_noob]

Connecticut is BY FAR the worst pool of drivers, many places in CT don't have drivers ed in school and it really shows

[u/Mullethunt → u/SpaceLemming]

Jersey drivers know exactly how to drive in Jersey. Get with the program or get out of the left lane.

People downvoting are the same people that call the passing lane the "fast" lane. Uneducated drivers are a plague on the roads.

[u/Bluevette1437 → u/jlindley1991]

The on ramp should be treated like a drag strip. If you’re going under 70 by the time it merges, you’re too slow

[u/Princess_Slagathor → u/Bluevette1437]

I used to drive fast cars as daily drivers, and every once in a while, I'd be doing 120+ by the end of the ramp.

Edit, accidentally

[u/Bluevette1437 → u/Princess_Slagathor]

Give me no other traffic to block me and guaranteed no cops, I could probably hit similar speeds.

[u/FangioV → u/jlindley1991]

A lot of people are just afraid of flooring it or accelerating rapidly, they think the engine is gonna explode or that they are gonna lose control of their 170hp CRV.

[u/Zardif → u/FangioV]

It's amusing they think that because the opposite is true, flooring it once in a while helps the engine. It burns off carbon deposits extending its' life.

[u/TomatoCo → u/Zardif]

Also known as the Italian tune-up.

[u/ad5316 → u/jlindley1991]

In PA there are so many on ramps that are only like 30 yards long - it’s basically impossible to get up to speed in such a short distance. I’ve seen quite a few on ramps as well that end with a stop sign requiring you to enter the highway from 0 mph

[u/Furiousmoe → u/jlindley1991]

I mean they're called acceleration lanes for a reason

[u/way2lazy2care → u/jlindley1991]

It's actually supposed to merge from a faster speed than the thing you're merging onto, so ideally you should be getting up to a speed faster than freeway speed on the on ramp.

[u/TreesACrowd → u/way2lazy2care]

What am I supposed to do on Friday though?

[u/Philippe23 → u/TreesACrowd]

Thursday, never looking back
It's Friday, I'm in love
  -- The Cure

[u/Maliquis → u/jlindley1991]

Especially when the on ramp is downhill

[u/the_TAOest → u/jlindley1991]

The number of people in the right lane because everyone else is traveling 85 is too darn high. If the other lanes slowed down and the right lane was used for exiting and merging onto the highway, then there would be fewer problems.

It's the speeders who are making this dangerous. The roads were not engineered for the on ramp Op is asking for.

[u/bigboi2115]

Every fucking day. I'm trying to merge on the highway to get to work and mfs are going 40 down the ramp...

GET UP TO SPEED SO WE CAN MERGE SAFELY. YOU ARE A HAZARD.

[u/immortalyossarian → u/bigboi2115]

My commute includes merging onto a highway with a 70mph speed limit. Every day there is someone that refuses to go faster than 35-40mph smdh

[u/Alwaysafk → u/bigboi2115]

Where do you live that highway speeds are achieved during rush hour? I live near ATL and 40 would be amazing.

[u/CharlesIngalls_Pubes]

I've had an asshole both go faster and slower to match my speed as I'm trying to merge.

[u/DigNitty → u/CharlesIngalls_Pubes]

Yesterday I saw a van was on the highway as I came to merge in my long on-ramp.

I saw her and she was going fast enough so I tapped the brakes to merge behind her. Suddenly I couldn’t see her, looked in my mirrors and ahead. I kept slowing down because this van just disappeared. This all took like two seconds but I just didn’t see her. I checked my blind spot as normal and she had slowed down to 30mph with me, in my blind spot, enthusiastically waving me in.

Like, wat?

Just GO. Just maintain your speed. Why are you doing this it’s so unpredictable.

[u/Nanoo_1972 → u/DigNitty]

I checked my blind spot as normal and she had slowed down to 30mph with me, in my blind spot, enthusiastically waving me in.

Oh, you're in Oklahoma. My fellow inmates of this state claim that maneuver is just part of the "Oklahoma Standard," aka, "look, we're superficially friendly to your face but we privately hate you and vote for policies that fuck you over!" They pull the same shit at 4-way stops: it's their turn to go, they stare vacantly at you for a few seconds, then put on a big fake smile and wildly gesture for you to go ahead.

[u/Cowpunk21 → u/Nanoo_1972]

Rage inducing. Utah is similar.

[u/Arminius80 → u/CharlesIngalls_Pubes]

My favorite is the guy in the middle lane who changes into the right lane right where people are trying to merge. Why here of all places?

[u/Fluid-Produce808 → u/Arminius80]

My work site has an absolutely brutal merge. The onramp before it is maybe 3 seconds long, and my exit for work is 0.5 miles ahead. I have a window of maybe 10 seconds to get into the right lane from the middle, but everyone in the right lane is going slow because the onramp is so short. I have to go from 70mph down to 40mph and merge through traffic with almost no gap. I try to watch the onramp and merge before it if I feel like the oncoming traffic is spaced out enough, but I probably look like a dick to those drivers

[u/thatissomeBS → u/Fluid-Produce808]

Zipper merging through a cloverleaf is an art form. Just pick a spot, match speed however possible, and get in there. It's the people that have to get ahead of all the people merging on that ruin it for everyone. I promise slowing down a bit to get over isn't going to cost you more than 3 seconds.

[u/Raguleader → u/Arminius80]

Depending on the highway design, they are trying to get to the exit lane, which is the same lane you are trying to merge from. It's not my favorite example of lane design.

[u/sandybuttcheekss → u/CharlesIngalls_Pubes]

I have just passed that person, and the one in front of them, on the shoulder, using the person in front as a buffer.

[u/Gdigger13 → u/CharlesIngalls_Pubes]

That’s why I (and everyone else should) stay out of the right lane to begin with, except for if you’re getting off in less than a mile.

[u/DeadlyYellow → u/CharlesIngalls_Pubes]

Very fun on a cloverleaf.

[u/Dawn36]

The merge I use daily joins the freeway at 75mph. The amount of snowbirds doing 45mph going on is terrifying.

[u/halfasmuchastwice → u/Dawn36]

Mine is "only" 60, but almost everyone goes 70+ and often 80+. Almost every day I'm behind someone doing 40 mph on the ramp and they only start to half-assedly accelerate once the merge lane starts. It's infuriating and I feel in danger of some distracted driver slamming into me from behind because I'm stuck behind a dipshit.

[u/jamesbecker211]

I like all the people outing themselves in the comments that are clearly the ones merging at 30mph. You can try to spin it all you want, you're a bad driver and you're in everyone else's way. You're going to get someone killed when they're stuck behind you merging at residential speeds and the semi-truck doing 75 can't slow down in time. No one is saying you have to merge at 90mph every time no matter what, but you do have to match the flow of traffic that is doing interstate speeds.

[u/cpencis]

Favorite El Arroyo sign “I need you to drive with the same energy you pulled out in front of me with”. https://www.instagram.com/p/DLnwIjbot0Z/

(Edit hat tip to u/awsmdevil who guided me to scrub the tracking cookie)

[u/Melarsa → u/cpencis]

If they wanted to go that slow they could have just waited half a second and done it behind the faster flow of traffic. Instead they see a car or cars, blast out to get ahead of them, and then decide it's time to relax, search for their chapstick, etc.

I think a lot of people have a TERRIBLE sense of how fast the flow of speed is going. They just see a car coming and think "I DON'T WANT TO WAIT FOR THAT GUY" but you have to SEE how fast they are already going and then if you want to get in front of them YOU NEED TO GET OUT IN FRONT IN TIME AND ALSO AT LEAST MAINTAIN THAT SPEED.

The amount of people who will see a car humming along and think waiting until the last second to pop in front of them and then trundle along like it's a stroll in the woods is crazy.

I can see it happening so I slow down or switch lanes to avoid them in time but how have they managed to avoid dying thus far if this is how they regularly drive? You gotta get up to speed or else the cars are going to touch. We don't want the cars to touch, especially if one of them is going at a decent speed. Physics can be your friend but only if you understand how to use it to avoid making the cars touch. Once the cars touch, physics is usually not on your side.

[u/AwsmDevil → u/cpencis]

Hey bud, looks like you left a tracking cookie on your link. If you delete everything after the ? it will prevent meta from getting free data on your other web habits, and can avoid doxxing yourself if you're still logged into a Facebook account since their services will broadcast that information to anyone who clicks the link.

I've taken the liberty to clip this one for you. Have a nice day! https://www.instagram.com/p/DLnwIjbot0Z/

[u/Nanoo_1972 → u/cpencis]

OMG WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THOSE PEOPLE? They come flying out of their residential neighborhood at 45 MPH, slam on their brakes, do a rolling stop so they can pull out in front of you, then just take their foot off the accelerator and let the idle do the work for 3/4 mile.

[u/Chumpybump]

I'm convinced people are too dumb and are incapable of making a decision then sticking with it. They are too timid and scared to commit and the rest have to pay the price

[u/DigNitty → u/Chumpybump]

Slower is always safer right?????

-the driver in front of me ever time

[u/captainnowalk → u/DigNitty]

Remember, if you’re not sure where you need to turn or exit, it’s safest to come to a complete stop immediately, wherever you are, so you can figure it out lol

[u/JustAtelephonePole → u/Chumpybump]

I saw it stated in a meme that we need to be testing to see if a person is even capable of turning their head to do the motion of looking over their shoulder while walking 5 feet in the office before their license renewal is approved.

[u/Timothee_Chevrolett → u/Chumpybump]

They are probably busy posting in a subreddit asking if they should speed up or keep going the same speed.

[u/Eyeseeyou1313 → u/Chumpybump]

Yes, a lot of Americans suck at driving. They learned from other drivers who have terrible habits and are not licensed to teach how to drive properly.

[u/ididnot → u/Chumpybump]

The current state of how the general population drives is proof in the downfall of society.

[u/wutangclanthug9mm]

People wrongly conflate slow with safe all the time. One time I gave an uber a bad rating for going 20mph on the freeway. I thought I was gonna die

[u/OneEyedWeaner]

I've driven in close to half of the 50 states and so far Oklahoma is the worse about this. Motherfuckers got no where to be and all the time in the world to get there.

[u/The-Great-T → u/OneEyedWeaner]

Well yeah, they're in Oklahoma. I'd be dragging my feet to get anywhere except out of there.

[u/pbosh90 → u/OneEyedWeaner]

All the highways are 70+ except in downtown OKC or Tulsa and people try to merge on at 45-55mph. And then people in the right lane merge into the left lane suddenly, after braking down to 60. I hate it here.

[u/International-Ad7004 → u/OneEyedWeaner]

As an Okie, I believe this. Someone like this nearly causes an accident EVERY damn time I'm on the highway. It makes me wonder if our driver's education is as shit as our general education.

[u/microvan]

Getting stuck behind someone merging into 80 mph traffic going 40 or less drives me insane. You’re being dangerous sharon, push the fucking gas

[u/Penguinkeith]

Also contrary to popular belief the interstate driver doesn’t have a responsibility to yield to the on ramper

[u/Informal_Process2238 → u/Penguinkeith]

Correct
but they should be properly spaced behind the car in front of them and that’s where part of the problem comes from

[u/thatissomeBS → u/Penguinkeith]

Sure, but some people use that knowledge to change their speed to make sure nobody merged in front of them. If you're following at a safe distance at highway speeds then realistically you should have enough room for people to safely merge in front of you if they get to speed and know how to zipper.

But also, like, don't be a dick. If you can get over to let people merge, you absolutely should. Then, of course, get back over because we don't need left lane campers.

[u/Nanoo_1972 → u/thatissomeBS]

If you can get over to let people merge, you absolutely should.

I stopped doing this, because I got tired of someone flying up my ass in the left lane sitting 5 feet off my bumper, then the merger car matches my speed so I can't get back in the right lane.

[u/Penguinkeith → u/thatissomeBS]

Well that would result in tailgating which afaik is also illegal in every state you should always have room in front of you for another car to get over if they need to, I was taught the 3 second rule and that always leaves a big enough gap for another car.

[u/Lennette20th → u/Penguinkeith]

No, but they can use the passing lane to provide space if the lane is empty.

[u/StartTheMontage → u/Lennette20th]

Yeah I do this if it’s a line of cars entering the freeway. If there is space I’ll just jump over and let them all get on, then we can figure out me getting back over when there is space and everyone is spaced out.

[u/Long_Candle_5054 → u/Penguinkeith]

No, but they should facilitate the incorporation if possible..

[u/Midax → u/Penguinkeith]

I move to the left if there is open room because so many people try to merge at 40.

[u/Bowling4rhinos → u/Penguinkeith]

I always remember that. "You're not my responsibility" also... "Match the speed!" Is what I yell from my car.

[u/risunokairu]

Match speed of traffic as quickly as possible.

Prepare to zipper merge.

Remember that you are merging into an existing lane and the person there has the right of way, so you must yield. It doesn’t matter if they’re ignoring the rules of a merge. Don’t drive over the shoulder until you can finally cut someone off. Don’t cut across the gore and wish everyone else good luck. Properly adjust your speed and move in behind existing traffic if the zipper merge clearly shows signs of failing.

If you drive a truck, ignore all these rules, you’re the most important person on the road. In fact, make sure you roll coal on everyone and give them the finger.

[u/BsUeTxT]

And its YOUR job to merge, not the people on the highway to let you in. The amount of people I see staring blankly down the road doing 5 under and just lollygagging onto the highway is ridiculous. I do try to get over so people can merge on BTW.

[u/creampop_ → u/BsUeTxT]

people on the highway are still somewhat responsible, in that they should be leaving enough space ahead of them for a merger lane to filter in (yes, even in traffic), but people drive like maniacs and don't do that.

Instead they will drive half a carlength behind the guy ahead of them and then act all offended when someone needs to zipper into that spot like they're supposed to.

[u/exhentai_user → u/creampop_]

Driving distance (between cars) in the USA is basically never respected. I haven't driven in all the states the way some commenters have, but I have driven in several, and around both rural and metro areas, and the one through line I can find is that people don't leave several car lengths between them and the car in front of them, which seems to be the cause of about half of highway slowdown, as when people leave space, it not only means more time to react, but also means, if you leave ample space, that there is room for people to change lanes when needed without causing a three lane slowdown as they do so.

[u/creampop_ → u/exhentai_user]

Same, I've been around, and I usually aim for 3 seconds of distance (and at stoplights I was taught that you should always see their rear tires/leave room to pull out if needed).

People behind me lose their goddamn MINDS and do all sorts of insane shit to cut ahead or try and sneak in a 2-for-1 in the zipper, and end up like 1 car ahead of me by the time we get past the traffic.

[u/exhentai_user → u/creampop_]

Honestly, I try and leave more room than even that when I can on the highway - closer to 6-7 seconds, so that I have a LOT of reaction time, but I drive a heavy older car, so it takes a lot longer to stop, so I try my damndest to have more time to do so.

Zipper merging works well when people aren't selfish, but all it takes is one jackass not leaving a gap or going for a double, and bam, whole thing breaks down and becomes a traffic jam. People also are so used to others not leaving space etc. that when you do, they half the time don't know what to do.

The stoplight thing, I agree, but I have had someone literally get out of their car and hit my window to scream at me to pull closer to the next car for following that rule.

[u/creampop_ → u/exhentai_user]

sounds like an easy police report.

[u/Polyphiry → u/creampop_]

I drive a van around for work. This happens to me all the time. I physically cannot tailgate in my work vehicle or I will eventually get fired for it. The amount of people that think the small space I gave myself is somehow a personal affront to them in particular is wild.

Its especially funny when Im pacing a few seconds behind a semi, and the car behind me is riding my ass so hard they cant see shit and try to whip around me only to get stopped up by the semi thats directly in front of me. If I can see it coming, I will immediately move to pass them as they are forced to slow down behind the semi, and I will pass both that person and the semi for shits and giggles.

[u/thatissomeBS → u/exhentai_user]

Modern cars and modern safety features, automatic emergency braking, I hear people saying their car was auto braking and almost causing an accident on the highway. Like, bro, if your car is going into collision avoidance, you are following way too fucking close. Just turn on adaptive cruise control at the furthest follow distance and stop worrying about the 13 seconds you lose on the way to work.

My car doesn't have any of those features, so I actually have to pay attention. But my next car will...

[u/Nanoo_1972 → u/creampop_]

If there's 8 empty car lengths behind me, why are they still trying to force their way in front of me while nearly lopping off my front bumper, when I have the right-of-way?

[u/CanMaybeTouchThis → u/BsUeTxT]

Look to the left find a gap that logically works shoot for that gap. Then when merging check your mirrors and use a blinker BEFORE merging.

[u/KingslandGrange → u/CanMaybeTouchThis]

As a foreign who is driving in the US right now. We need to talk about those "blinkers".

Why the hell is it red? Red! The colour of the brake light. Seriously, they should be orenge!

The general standard of driving I've encountered is somewhere between OK and fairly poor. The amount of tailgating is really something, and (per OP) the lack of understanding how to join a freeway are the two standouts for me.

[u/AwsmDevil → u/BsUeTxT]

God I wish people in my area would get up to 5 under onto the freeway instead of 35-40. It's fucking cancer getting stuck behind these people. Not to mention how unsafe it is. They're causing massive traffic compression by going that slow. I find myself constantly shouting "FISH IN WATER! FISH IN WATER MOTHERFUCKER. MOVE WITH THE FUCKING STREAM."

[u/R79ism → u/BsUeTxT]

Yielding might be the least respected concept in driving.

[u/Blephotomy → u/BsUeTxT]

YOU merge onto the highway. The highway does not merge onto you.

[u/JoseyWa1es]

I merge onto I95 almost everyday where there is literally one mile maybe more to merge.  There's a huge ramp then when you hit the highway you also have a ton of room before the lane ends. People hit the end of the ramp doing 45 miles per hour and now I'm forced to make an unsafe merge too.  

[u/BrownSugarBare → u/JoseyWa1es]

The only time I'm white knuckling the wheel is when I'm merging behind a slow asshole. Constantly picturing we're gonna end up as paint on a truck. 

[u/letscallitanight]

YES. You have one job. GET UP TO SPEED and THEN merge.

[u/sloppy_1sts]

Louder for the people in Portland, please.

[u/barefootpanda]

"Acceleration Lane" it's for accelerating! SO do it.

[u/ledow]

The most dangerous thing in driving is a difference in velocity. It's more important than how fast you're going to know how fast you're going COMPARED TO EVERYTHING ELSE. Static objects. Obstacles. Other vehicles. Oncoming vehicles, etc.

And that is velocity deliberately because velocity includes direction. Coming over from your lane into mine while going 70mph going forward can either be a 1mph incursion on my lane (which I can deal with) or a 35+mph incursion if you just sling the car over (which I CANNOT deal with). It's why we indicate, it's why we GLIDE between lanes when we can, it's why we don't make snap decisions and ridiculous lane changes and cutting across to get to an exit you're missing.

That DIFFERENCE is what makes motorways perfectly fine most of the time (everyone's doing roughly the same speed) to the most dangerous, fast-changing situation ever (the traffic in front stops urgently, or something flies into your lane, or whatever).

When you merge - match your speed as best you can with the traffic. That means SLOWING DOWN sometimes. It means SPEEDING UP sometimes. That's why they give you slip-lanes to do just that. If a big slow lorry is in your way, likely he can't get out of the way. So either accelerate and get in front of him (if it's safe to do so) or drop back and pull in behind him (again, if it's safe to do so).

It's the DIFFERENCE that makes the difference. It's why you shouldn't be doing 40mph on a motorway. Why you shouldn't join at a snail's pace. Why you shouldn't just stop your car on them. Why you should slow down if there's traffic in front. Why you need to be VERY careful if you pull over because of a breakdown, etc. as you're now a stationary hazard on a 70mph road.

[u/superkp]

and people already on the highway should just maintain their speed.

Don't be nice, be predictable.

[u/snewchybewchies]

It's such a problem, every time I try to merge I get stuck behind somebody going 50 when the speed limit is 70 and most people are going 75 in the slow lane

[u/Existential_Delusion]

On ramps are also called acceleration ramps.

[u/jindofox]

I’m as skeptical of self-driving cars as anyone else, but this is one place where they’d be a clear improvement over the humans, particularly if their movement were coordinated with each other rather than a primate-like competition for dominance.

[u/bareback_cowboy]

Or slower, if necessary.

[u/dpcthpost]

I watched , and recorder, a really bad accident caused by a driver trying to merge at 20mph onto I95. Then chickened out and stopped partially into the right lane. He drove away safe and sound. But the 3 car pile up with a rollover weren’t as lucky.

[u/CarlosSpcyWenr]

I drive a pretty big truck (full-sized 2500 series pickup with 16' trailer), so I often can't do passenger vehicle maneuvers on highways.

The amount of people coming onto highways from on-ramps when I can't move over who just sit next to me instead of either hitting the gas or brakes is diabolical. They can speed up and slow down on a whim compared to me, and somehow manage to do neither while I go the speed limit.

[u/dutbruck]

Me every time: Road speed! Road speed!! ROAD SPEED!!!!

[u/JugOJar]

"No no. Its safest to merge at 35 on a 75" -everyone in front me.

[u/ziplex]

Saw some lady stoped half way through the on ramp yesterday waiting for the cars to go by like she was at an intersection 🤦‍♂️ Good way to cause an accident.

[u/MobiusF117]

Not just the USA.
Very common issue in the Netherlands as well. That, and people constantly sticking to the left lane.

[u/mdhunter99]

It happens elsewhere. There are more times than I can count where someone is in front of me on the ramp that goes 40 or 60 until it’s time to merge, highway speeds recently changed to 110. I stay around that 40 until I get past the bend, at which point I speed up, the on ramp is meant for people to safely get up to speed, if people don’t know that they need reeducation.

[u/an_agreeing_dothraki]

average Toyota: "35, take it or leave it"

[u/Risc_Terilia]

UK to, the point of the slip lane is to increase your speed to that of the main carriageway, stop merging at 30 then speeding up when you get on ffs

[u/MarvinStolehouse]

This is one of my biggest pet peeves. YOU HAVE A QUARTER MILE LONG ON RAMP WHY ARE YOU MERGING AT 40MPH!?

[u/taoistlumberjak]

I get stuck behind a lot of people going 55 or under trying to merge into 65. I feel this pain.

[u/StopThePresses]

My fave is when there's a red light letting just one or two cars onto the ramp at a time, and the ramp is like 100feet long. I promise you I'm trying lol

[u/Blueberry_Mancakes]

No no, slow down and then wait until the very end of the merge lane and then come to a complete stop. You should also become unreasonably angry at all the other drivers who you nearly kill.
That's the way we do it in Nashville.

[u/HunnaThaStunna]

They literally put a 65mph speed limit sign on the really long on ramp to GA-400 S I take going home from work, because idiots would enter the highway going 45mph. And yet people are still not getting up to speed to merge with flowing highway light “traffic”.

For those of you unaware, it’s entirely more dangerous to merge onto a highway going slower than the flowing traffic than it is going faster. You aren’t being “safe”, you’re endangering yourself and everyone stuck behind you merging at an unsafe speed. If you can’t merge with highway traffic at highway speeds, don’t get on the highway.

[u/sirhackenslash]

You mean it's wrong to try merging at 30mph while pumping the brakes and looking absolutely baffled at the whole situation?

[u/Higher-Frequencies]

Looking at you, Oregon.

The speed limit may still be 55 but everyone is going 70.

Merging at 35 is going to get you killed. Read the fucking room.

[u/hyperiongate]

I live in Marin county where the average age is 150. They all still drive and they merge onto the freeway at around 25 mph.

[u/aneomon]

Once tried to merge onto a 60mph freeway and the asshole in front of me never broke 25 on the on-ramp.

I made the mistake of honking at him to go faster, so he instead decided to merge at 30mph and come to a complete fucking stop.

Almost caused a four car pile-up.

[u/Mehnard]

There used to be signs around Atlanta that said, "Give gap, take gap".

Edit: They may still be there, but they used to be there.

[u/Several-Action-4043]

And as the merger it is YOUR responsibility to merge with traffic. No one should have to speed up, slow down, or dodge you when you merge.

[u/Nikiaf]

The ones that kill me are the people who get to the end of the onramp and then stop to wait for an opening (it's invariably someone in a minivan). Most cars will need at least 8 or 9 seconds (and many will need significantly more than that) to get back up to highway speeds, which requires a pretty substantial break in traffic to do safely.

[u/DaCrazyJamez]

Dear god why has this been such an issue recently!? I saw an olfer woman almost get killed by a semi because was going literally 35 pulling into traffic

[u/neoshadowdgm]

I swear the only time people aren’t going insanely fast around here is on the fucking on ramp that’s intended for speeding up

[u/UseDaSchwartz]

Every fucking day.

[u/Ok_Patience4789]

ALSO, while not ideal, if you've failed to pick up adequate speed, catching up to the requisite speed on the shoulder is preferable to just CUTTING IN FRONT OF SOMEONE while doing 20MPH under the limit.

[u/Not_Tom_Brady]

"speed up and look at the spaces between the cars." Is what my hush school physics teacher would always say

[u/yes_him]

The little road next to the big road is for getting to speed before throwing yourself in the way of people at speed

[u/Daxtatter]

There are places near me where you have to merge onto the highway essentially after a stop sign.

[u/PositivelyAwful → u/Daxtatter]

The Merritt Parkway in Connecticut literally requires you to merge after a stop sign. I don't understand it.

[u/Manpandas → u/PositivelyAwful]

The Merritt isn’t an Interstate highway and not built like one. For what it’s worth, the speed limit on the merritt where the stop signs are is 45.  Doesn’t mean people aren’t doing 70.  Just saying the stop signs “make sense” if people followed the posted speeds and didn’t treat it like an interstate.  But that’s just me shouting into the void…

[u/MentalErection → u/Daxtatter]

What’s your point? You’re still the responsible one to get into traffic without making disruptions. Modern cars are fast. There’s no reason it’s this difficult. The amount of times I nearly got into trouble because some asshole was merging 40 mph while traffic was moving 60+ is insane.

[u/rogueop → u/Daxtatter]

That doesn’t seem to contradict OP, you just have to accelerate more quickly.

[u/FrickinLazerBeams → u/Daxtatter]

Pennsylvania doesn't count.

[u/JoseyWa1es → u/Daxtatter]

And you think that's what he's taking about?, he literally said interstate

[u/Rombledore → u/JoseyWa1es]

its what this OP is talking about though

[u/Superlolz → u/JoseyWa1es]

There are interstates with on-ramps with stop signs before merging. 

[u/rogueop → u/Superlolz]

That’s what the ramp after the stop sign is for: accelerating to the speed of the existing traffic.

[u/glory_holelujah → u/rogueop]

That means you have to push on the gas pedal.l though. I only do that when someone is trying to pass me

[u/kellyj6 → u/rogueop]

Look at merrit in Connecticut. You have 20 feet from stop sign to expressway. Not all places have an actual ramp merge.

[u/Daxtatter → u/rogueop]

What I'm saying is there sometimes is maybe 2-3 car lengths of ramp at most.

[u/rogueop → u/Daxtatter]

That's a shitty ramp, but it means you need to prioritize getting up to speed and not impeding traffic even more.

[u/Daxtatter → u/rogueop]

No doubt, I'm not going to pretend I don't get mad at someone who does it getting up to speed on the highway but there are tons of places where expecting completely unimpeded flow with cars entering is just entirely unrealistic.

And while 2-3 car lengths are on the shitty side of what is near me you still have highways designed where the accelerating cars are negotiating cars that are decelerating getting off the highway in the same constrained space.

[u/beatdaddyo]

Every on-ramp to a major highway in America is designed for you to reach highway speeds before entering the highway. And if you want to learn to merge. for the love of God, please learn how to zipper merge.

[u/imuniqueaf]

You're actually supposed to slow down or speed up and fit into an opening.

[u/DPJazzy91]

It's not YOUR lane. It belongs to the cars currently driving in it. You need to make yourself fit and match THEIR speed.....NOT the other way around.....

[u/Slanderpanic]

"You'll never be ready! MERRRRGE!"

[u/Head5hot811]

When I went to Hawaii, we had a car take us from the airport to the hotel. As we were getting in the highway, the driver was only doing 35. I was about to say something until I saw the sign that said the speed limit was 45.

I had to remember I wasn’t in Texas anymore. Lol!

[u/Teddybearfish]

The on ramp is where my bikes stretch their legs. The 390 gets to 90 or so to clear the speeders, and the R6 gets to scream to redline in second, even then it's get arrested speed.

But like, it's the only place you can open your vehicle up and not get in trouble.

[u/lod254]

I love when the people ahead of me view the straight section as a stop sign.

[u/Killdozer54]

This worked for teaching my daughter. Get up to highway speed and while on the ramp, look at the traffic on the highway, identify a car and decide if you want to be ahead or behind it as you merge. Adjust your speed accordingly.

[u/SqBlkRndHole]

Unless your car has lots horse power, it's easier to brake into a merge than speed up. I say there is no posted speed limit on the on ramp, so go for it.

[u/cannabisized]

if youre not actively passing someone... GET TO THE RIGHT!!

[u/NoHorseNoMustache]

Difficulty: Entrance ramp is 40-50 feet long.

[u/Tastieshock]

When I lived in Portland, it was not uncommon for someone to go 35mpg all the way down the onramp only to stop when they get to the end, turn on their blinker and wait for an opening large enough you could land a plane in.

[u/dachloe]

The best practice is to try and match the speed of already existing traffic so that the merging vehicle does NOT impede the existing flow of traffic.

The exception to the "speed up" rule is when one has to adjust their speed while on the ramp to position themselves to merge into the only available free space in the traffic flow is behind them and not in front of them.

Don't treat the on ramp as a launching pad, drag strip, or any kind of racetrack. It's not a race.

Your job is to merge safety while not cutting anyone off, slowing anyone down, or otherwise disrupting the flow of traffic.

Merge smooth and politely.

[u/boarmrc]

They’re talking to you, fellow Minnesotans!

[u/baitmonkey]

Oh it's bad in Washington. People don't seem to realize or want to get off the phone to understand that the freeway traffic has the right of way, if you need to merge either speed up or slow down in correlation to the traffic next to you.

[u/upnorth77]

I'm from Michigan. When I moved to PA, driving-wise, the thing I couldn't get used to was the yield signs at the end of onramps to highways. Like...what?

[u/Uncreative-Name]

Generally true but there's one freeway merge around here where the on ramp is way too short for most cars to get up to speed in time.

[u/QueenRotidder]

I almost always have to slow wayyyy down when I’m behind a car that’s getting on the highway so I create enough space get up to a reasonable merging speed, instead of the speed the person in front of me always insists on going, which is usually like 30.

[u/BrokenPickle7]

Where I'm at they merge slow but if you're in a line of cars waiting to exit the highway and there is ANY space in front of any vehicle, some asshole will try to force his way in there to bypass the line. every god damn time.

[u/Sipikay]

Between the not speeding up on the on-ramp and then not using the expanded merge lane to merge properly…..

[u/KhingKholde]

PREACH!!!

[u/StaticSystemShock]

Everywhere. It pisses me so hard how people can't merge on highways. The merge lane is there so you SPEED UP TO THE SPEED OF THE HIGHWAY and then merge. And if you can't merge by the end of it, continue on the emergency lane and merge at the highway speed. People who stop at the end of it and then merge from stand still, what the fuck are you doing?!

Same for the highway departure lanes. The fuck are you braking on the highway, depart it and then start braking on the departure lane. It's there literally for that purpose.

Fuck me, it's because of these people that highways just stall and as things move on and just suddenly clear. Why? Because there was no issue at any point except these motherfuckers.

[u/FlanTamarind]

I bought an ev exclusively for this purpose.

[u/MaikeruGo]

Though still worse is when you're on the ramp, you're speeding up, and you're almost up to freeway speed, but the person exiting the freeway decides that they're going to speed up too so that they get can get in front of the whole pack of cars getting on the freeway since they absolutely need to be first. Then they're out of room to slow down so they have to stomp on their brakes and go from 75 down to 40 causing the whole line of cars trying to get on the freeway to have react to the sudden slow down.

[u/RogerSaysHi]

This is the rule in the Southeast, for sure. We don't do zipper merging very well outside of cities. You want on the interstate? Floor it and match speed to wedge yourself in, or get right behind someone or out in front of someone. People do not let you in, you are lucky if they get over.

I stick to surface roads most of the time. I can get pretty much anywhere I want in the state without having to touch the interstate, if I need to.

[u/Alienhaslanded]

What's an interstate? Not an American so please go easy on me.

[u/unknownphantom]

I was once behind a car going 20mph on merge ramp to a 65mph highway with people normally driving at +80mph.

I was the second car out of the 10 or so that formed a line behind so I was able to get around but whole situation was a recipe for a disaster.

[u/noncommonGoodsense]

Any merge. Fucking go!

[u/iamthecaptionnow]

If you see somebody speeding up to try to merge in front of you, don’t speed up and then close the gap they were aiming for so that they have to hard brake and swerve in behind you

[u/CatnipMousey]

Come to NJ were freeway speeds must be attained, on some entrance ramps, in dozens of feet. On those same ramps, notice that there's a bus stop in the triangle (on the "freeway" side) to where pedestrians have to cross the entrance/exit ramps to get to.

"Good times."

We also put gas stations on the sidewalks (forcing people to walk in the street to get around cars) so pedestrians have to do battle with traffic there, too.

NJ is MEAN.

[u/phallic-baldwin]

When merging on a highway, it's the on ramps responsibility to yield to traffic that may already be in the highways lanes.

[u/immortalsteve]

this is the opposite of what the cop told me when I went faster :(

[u/greensangre]

Yes, thank you

[u/davidkali]

Things like this is why I became interested in fluid dynamics as a layman.

[u/Kwik-E-Bart]

I despise when someone slinks into the lane like they own it.

[u/its_easy_mmmkay]

Not only get up to speed, BUT USE THE WHOLE FUCKING RAMP PEOPLE

SO MUCH traffic is caused simply because people cut over early and refuse to use the entire ramp. The worst traffic of my daily commute is always caused by idiots cutting over a solid line to merge as soon as is humanly possible, and it’s so avoidable.

[u/Dont_ban_me_bro_108]

Huh? Nah I’m gonna slow down and maybe come to a stop. It’s easier that way /s

[u/perringaiden]

*match speeds.

Slowly entering is almost as bad as those who seem like they're trying to launch themselves onto the highway from the onramp.

[u/ConstantUpstairs]

Omg.... This. Absolutely insane how many people try merging at 45mph or similar. Like you are the hazard

[u/ace2049ns]

Awhile back my brother tried the thing from his car insurance where they put the tracker in your car and see how "safe" you drive to see if you get a discount. Apparently they don't consider accelerating onto the freeway to be safe because you couldn't speed up fast enough without setting off the alarm.

[u/brooksact]

I need people in front of me to go faster because my car is slow and can't accelerate up to highway speeds quickly.

[u/MissNoTrax]

I can clearly remember when studying to get my permit or DL, the rule is that you should be at or near the speed limit when on the on ramp. 

[u/Gildian]

The amount of times ive been behind a 80 something year old on the on ramp barely breaking 40mph is too many.

[u/Emmiey]

The people who need to see this, won't. 😭

[u/iamthecaptionnow]

I dont have a problem getting up to speed but i usually have to slow down at the last moment because no one wants to let me in in front of them.

It is not a race. We are all on the same team and have the same goal.

[u/Kanthaka]

“Merge like a zipper”. Best road sign ever.

[u/Jwagner0850]

On the flip, if you are going into the offramp, slow the fuck down. This helps those getting on the main highway get some room to merge and you slow down like you're supposed to to off ramp.