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Old 08-06-2013, 10:02 PM   #116 (permalink)
elhigh
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SE USA - East Tennessee
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Josie - '87 Toyota Pickup
90 day: 40.02 mpg (US)

Felicia - '09 Toyota Prius Base
90 day: 49.01 mpg (US)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by XYZ View Post

No, there IS a way to change that, by changing your driving strategy. You will be able to merge into the lane if you assess the situation, and bide your time before merging responsibly and courteously. It does not require charity from others. It does require the exercise of your own good judgment.

BTW, I hope your geriatric truck is roadworthy and not overloaded beyond its weight capacity.
I have the advantage of knowing the example I have in mind, a climbing sweeping merge, separated from traffic by a mid-height barrier so I can see trucks but not cars, and is itself crowded by a no-shoulder barrier as it skirts the neighborhood it was built in just a few years ago. Highway planners did the best they could, and it did indeed get rid of the disastrous left lane entry that used to cause so many headaches, but it's not great.

What makes it a lot less stressful is when drivers already on the interstate see the situation and open a gap or move over. Then, even though my truck is well within its load limit at only 1000lbs of firewood, the 106 horsepower is perfectly adequate.

I'm not abdicating my responsibility. The Driver's Handbook - and when did that thing break 100 pages? - states that right of way is never granted by state law, but state law does indeed define when right of way must be yielded. I like to think that common sense and mutual respect between persons would also suggest when right of way should be yielded.

I'm pretty good at this driving stuff. No one's ever run into me because I didn't know my vehicle's limitations. Please don't imply that.
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