Anonymous
12/02/2021 23:36
Subject: Pro tip for merging onto a highway
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It is polite to move over or make space if possible, but PP is right, the merging car must yield. But I would not teach my teen to get up to highway speed on the on ramp. It’s often not possible to see oncoming traffic until you’re nearly at the merge point. Make sure there’s an opening, and then get up to speed as quickly as possible.
OP here. I also taught my teen driver to pick a spot to merge into and to accelerate (or decelerate, if need be) accordingly. This skill is also in short supply.
The fact that no one here seems to know this drives me crazy. Look over your shoulder and pick an open spot, then accelerate and move into it.
Its even more important with a short ramp with no merge lane. I used to merge from the GW Parkway onto Memorial Bridge every day, and soooo many people would run up to the front of the ramp and then slam on their brakes, leaving themselves no room to accelerate when an open spot does come. Look back, and if there’s no opening, stop at the back of the ramp, find a spot, and then accelerate into it. You don’t need as big of an opening if you’re at speed when you get there. People used to honk at me if I didn’t go all the way to the front to stop or slow.
Anonymous
12/02/2021 23:27
Subject: Re:Pro tip for merging onto a highway
Just slam the pedal to the floor and pray to someone that you align with a gap....or force your way in.
Anonymous
12/02/2021 23:22
Subject: Re:Pro tip for merging onto a highway
Here is my slight variation to the advice provided so far. As I enter the on ramp, I make a mental estimate of the speed of the cars already on the highway. Factor in day of week, time of day, speed limits, weather conditions, etc. If I can, I accelerate to 5 mph more than my estimate. I figure most cars can slow by 5 mph much faster than they can speed up by 5 mph.
Anonymous
12/02/2021 20:20
Subject: Pro tip for merging onto a highway
The highway car should move one lane to the left before every on-ramp, just to be safe.
Of course, in the DMV that's a pipedream.
Of course, in the DMV that's a pipedream.
Anonymous
12/02/2021 20:03
Subject: Re:Pro tip for merging onto a highway
Anonymous wrote:May I add to your advice?
If you’re the one entering a highway via an on ramp, you are supposed to take some responsibility for merging. You are not supposed to just drive as though you are oblivious to the fact that your merge lane is ending. If you’re the one driving in the rightmost lane on a highway and you come to an on ramp where there is a car approaching that will need to merge into your lane at the time you will reach the merge point, you are supposed to yield to that car. Drivers who are merging from on ramps and drivers in the rightmost lane should be cooperating with each other to keep traffic moving smoothly.
You are a bad driver. The car on the ramp must yield to the bar on the highway. Should the highway car not be a dirk and let the ramp car in if possible? Yes. But the highway car has the right of way
Anonymous
12/02/2021 19:39
Subject: Pro tip for merging onto a highway
Anonymous wrote:Every morning, I take Georgetown Pike (from outside the beltway) to 495 to go to Maryland. And every morning, I encounter people who don't know how to merge onto a highway.
Here's how it usually goes: The drivers turning left onto the on ramp maintain a speed of 35-45 MPH until they hit the Beltway. Sometimes they accelerate at this point, but sometimes they maintain this speed even after merging onto the highway.
Don't do this. After getting onto the on ramp, you should be accelerating such that you're going at least 55 MPH when you reach the highway. This makes for a smother and safer transition because you don't have people in the right lane of 495 hitting their brakes because you're not at speed.
This is an important skill that I made sure my teen driver knew before venturing out onto a busy highway.
Thank you for reading and have a great day.
+1 It’s not called the acceleration lane for nothing.
Anonymous
12/02/2021 09:10
Subject: Pro tip for merging onto a highway
Anonymous wrote:It is polite to move over or make space if possible, but PP is right, the merging car must yield. But I would not teach my teen to get up to highway speed on the on ramp. It’s often not possible to see oncoming traffic until you’re nearly at the merge point. Make sure there’s an opening, and then get up to speed as quickly as possible.
Yep. What I have taught my teen driver is: don't go anywhere unless you can see that it's safe to go.
Anonymous
12/02/2021 09:10
Subject: Pro tip for merging onto a highway
Anonymous wrote:It is polite to move over or make space if possible, but PP is right, the merging car must yield. But I would not teach my teen to get up to highway speed on the on ramp. It’s often not possible to see oncoming traffic until you’re nearly at the merge point. Make sure there’s an opening, and then get up to speed as quickly as possible.
This is the legal way. Speeding on the on ramp is still speeding.
Anonymous
12/02/2021 09:07
Subject: Pro tip for merging onto a highway
Anonymous wrote:It is polite to move over or make space if possible, but PP is right, the merging car must yield. But I would not teach my teen to get up to highway speed on the on ramp. It’s often not possible to see oncoming traffic until you’re nearly at the merge point. Make sure there’s an opening, and then get up to speed as quickly as possible.
OP here. I also taught my teen driver to pick a spot to merge into and to accelerate (or decelerate, if need be) accordingly. This skill is also in short supply.
Anonymous
12/02/2021 09:00
Subject: Pro tip for merging onto a highway
It is polite to move over or make space if possible, but PP is right, the merging car must yield. But I would not teach my teen to get up to highway speed on the on ramp. It’s often not possible to see oncoming traffic until you’re nearly at the merge point. Make sure there’s an opening, and then get up to speed as quickly as possible.
Anonymous
12/02/2021 08:54
Subject: Re:Pro tip for merging onto a highway
If you’re the one driving in the rightmost lane on a highway and you come to an on ramp where there is a car approaching that will need to merge into your lane at the time you will reach the merge point, you are supposed to yield to that car.
Um, what?!?!? Who on earth taught you to drive? And have you remained functionally illiterate ever since?
The car traveling on the highway has the right of way. The car merging on to the highway must yield to the cars already in the lane. That’s what that big red and white triangular sign means. Having a highway car dramatically slow or stop to allow an entering car to merge into the lane is a good way for everyone to get rear-ended.
Anonymous
12/02/2021 08:46
Subject: Re:Pro tip for merging onto a highway
Anonymous wrote:May I add to your advice?
If you’re the one entering a highway via an on ramp, you are supposed to take some responsibility for merging. You are not supposed to just drive as though you are oblivious to the fact that your merge lane is ending. If you’re the one driving in the rightmost lane on a highway and you come to an on ramp where there is a car approaching that will need to merge into your lane at the time you will reach the merge point, you are supposed to yield to that car. Drivers who are merging from on ramps and drivers in the rightmost lane should be cooperating with each other to keep traffic moving smoothly.
Actually, the driver in the right lane is supposed to move left--that is the safest way. If that driver cannot, then yes, yield to car entering the highway. I cannot believe how many drivers just move along in the right lane not moving or yielding to incoming traffic.
Anonymous
12/02/2021 08:42
Subject: Re:Pro tip for merging onto a highway
May I add to your advice?
If you’re the one entering a highway via an on ramp, you are supposed to take some responsibility for merging. You are not supposed to just drive as though you are oblivious to the fact that your merge lane is ending. If you’re the one driving in the rightmost lane on a highway and you come to an on ramp where there is a car approaching that will need to merge into your lane at the time you will reach the merge point, you are supposed to yield to that car. Drivers who are merging from on ramps and drivers in the rightmost lane should be cooperating with each other to keep traffic moving smoothly.
If you’re the one entering a highway via an on ramp, you are supposed to take some responsibility for merging. You are not supposed to just drive as though you are oblivious to the fact that your merge lane is ending. If you’re the one driving in the rightmost lane on a highway and you come to an on ramp where there is a car approaching that will need to merge into your lane at the time you will reach the merge point, you are supposed to yield to that car. Drivers who are merging from on ramps and drivers in the rightmost lane should be cooperating with each other to keep traffic moving smoothly.
Anonymous
12/02/2021 08:29
Subject: Pro tip for merging onto a highway
Unfortunately the on ramps in this area are ridiculously short, giving little time to get up to speed.
Anonymous
12/02/2021 08:16
Subject: Pro tip for merging onto a highway
Every morning, I take Georgetown Pike (from outside the beltway) to 495 to go to Maryland. And every morning, I encounter people who don't know how to merge onto a highway.
Here's how it usually goes: The drivers turning left onto the on ramp maintain a speed of 35-45 MPH until they hit the Beltway. Sometimes they accelerate at this point, but sometimes they maintain this speed even after merging onto the highway.
Don't do this. After getting onto the on ramp, you should be accelerating such that you're going at least 55 MPH when you reach the highway. This makes for a smother and safer transition because you don't have people in the right lane of 495 hitting their brakes because you're not at speed.
This is an important skill that I made sure my teen driver knew before venturing out onto a busy highway.
Thank you for reading and have a great day.
Here's how it usually goes: The drivers turning left onto the on ramp maintain a speed of 35-45 MPH until they hit the Beltway. Sometimes they accelerate at this point, but sometimes they maintain this speed even after merging onto the highway.
Don't do this. After getting onto the on ramp, you should be accelerating such that you're going at least 55 MPH when you reach the highway. This makes for a smother and safer transition because you don't have people in the right lane of 495 hitting their brakes because you're not at speed.
This is an important skill that I made sure my teen driver knew before venturing out onto a busy highway.
Thank you for reading and have a great day.