My nominated idiots of the day

[Eater Sundae]

Okay, so which is the best use of road then

 

ONE: Politely queuing blocking up everything else on other roads and leaving yards of unused tarmac

http://i67.tinypic.com/2ezhf6q.jpg

 

TWO: Utilising the road and merging where directed, fitting in MORE vehicles in the queue and leaving the roundabout clear

http://i66.tinypic.com/n54y2p.jpg

 

Two however leads to road-vigilantes trying to block lanes and getting themselves all upset for no reason other than they don't know how to use a road.

 

Where a single lane of traffic would back up to another junction then using two lanes up to the pinch point is correct. However, if not, then traffic will flow better in a single lane all the way through the pinch point. The pinch point controls the throughput. Vehicles in a single line can maintain a constant speed and constant gap to the vehicle in front.

 

Merging in turn means that vehicles need to adjust their speed, and there is always the risk of an error of judgement. The detrimental effects of merging in turn are minimal, and its probably not worth worrying about, but using 2 lanes and merging in turn is certainly no better than single file and is probably a little worse to overall journey times.

 

If there's no benefit, then why do it?

[Cyclone]

Who is kidding who here.

There is ample warning that the two lanes merge into one,the first at 300 yards and the second at 150 yards.

The white arrows indicating that traffic should move over to the left start around the 150 yard marker.

So do the majority of the RH lane drivers indicate and start to move over at a slow speed and merge as intended.

No they don't.They belt up the outside at 50mph and make no move until the last minute.

That's what causes the snarl up and resentment.

If the rule concerns slow moving traffic this is applicable to both lanes.

 

And what those warnings tell you is that you will have to merge in 300 yards and then 150 yards.

If they wanted the lane to end there and then, they would have painted chevrons on the floor at that point.

 

If as many people were queueing in the right hand lane as the left, then you would just join the queue alternatively and leave it alternatively at the top.

 

---------- Post added 10-03-2016 at 15:42 ----------

 

Where a single lane of traffic would back up to another junction then using two lanes up to the pinch point is correct. However, if not, then traffic will flow better in a single lane all the way through the pinch point. The pinch point controls the throughput. Vehicles in a single line can maintain a constant speed and constant gap to the vehicle in front.

Merging in turn doesn't reduce the capacity of the pinch (which is not what restricts the flow, it's the junction after the pinch that does that).

Merging in turn means that vehicles need to adjust their speed,

It shouldn't.

and there is always the risk of an error of judgement. The detrimental effects of merging in turn are minimal, and its probably not worth worrying about, but using 2 lanes and merging in turn is certainly no better than single file and is probably a little worse to overall journey times.

 

If there's no benefit, then why do it?

 

There is a clear benefit, it stops the queue extending so far that it impacts other routes and junctions.

[geared]

Who is kidding who here.

There is ample warning that the two lanes merge into one,the first at 300 yards and the second at 150 yards.

The white arrows indicating that traffic should move over to the left start around the 150 yard marker.

So do the majority of the RH lane drivers indicate and start to move over at a slow speed and merge as intended.

No they don't.They belt up the outside at 50mph and make no move until the last minute.

That's what causes the snarl up and resentment.

If the rule concerns slow moving traffic this is applicable to both lanes.

 

Where's this??

 

Often the only sign is this.

 

 

Although this one is on Mosborough parkway because it's not a dual carriageway

 

Edited March 10, 2016 by geared

[Eater Sundae]

And what those warnings tell you is that you will have to merge in 300 yards and then 150 yards.

If they wanted the lane to end there and then, they would have painted chevrons on the floor at that point.

 

If as many people were queueing in the right hand lane as the left, then you would just join the queue alternatively and leave it alternatively at the top.

 

---------- Post added 10-03-2016 at 15:42 ----------

 

Merging in turn doesn't reduce the capacity of the pinch (which is not what restricts the flow, it's the junction after the pinch that does that).

It shouldn't.

 

There is a clear benefit, it stops the queue extending so far that it impacts other routes and junctions.

 

Re bib. Which was the very first point of my post that you quoted. If it doesn't otherwise back up to a junction, then there's no benefit at all in using 2 lanes.

 

---------- Post added 10-03-2016 at 15:52 ----------

 

Where's this??

 

Often the only sign is this.

 

 

Although this one is on Mosborough parkway because it's not a dual carriageway

 

 

The first one only relates to the end of a dual carriageway, it's nothing to do with the number of lanes or the width of the road.

[Cyclone]

Unless you can see the future then assuming it won't back up would be an unwarranted assumption.

[sgtkate]

Where's this??

 

Often the only sign is this.

 

 

Although this one is on Mosborough parkway because it's not a dual carriageway

 

 

He's right on this, there are 'get over' arrows starting at 300yds from the lane merge and then another set at 150yds. However, it doesn't mean you HAVE to merge at that point, just that you should start thinking about it, so a half decent driver would start looking for a gap to pull into that would minimise any impact to traffic flow on the inside lane regardless of whether that lane is queuing or flowing freely.

[Eater Sundae]

Unless you can see the future then assuming it won't back up would be an unwarranted assumption.

 

Well, one option would be:

 

if it wasn't already backed up close to the junction, then you can join at the back. if its at the junction, then use the other lane.

[geared]

He's right on this, there are 'get over' arrows starting at 300yds from the lane merge and then another set at 150yds. However, it doesn't mean you HAVE to merge at that point, just that you should start thinking about it, so a half decent driver would start looking for a gap to pull into that would minimise any impact to traffic flow on the inside lane regardless of whether that lane is queuing or flowing freely.

 

Where??

on the Mosborough parkway???

 

because I was saying you don't always see those signs on merge places.

 

---------- Post added 10-03-2016 at 16:06 ----------

 

Well, one option would be:

 

if it wasn't already backed up close to the junction, then you can join at the back. if its at the junction, then use the other lane.

 

Why, because thats what you want people to do??

 

Is that in the Highway code somewhere??

[sgtkate]

Where??

on the Mosborough parkway???

 

because I was saying you don't always see those signs on merge places.

 

---------- Post added 10-03-2016 at 16:06 ----------

 

 

Why, because thats what you want people to do??

 

Is that in the Highway code somewhere??

 

Yep both ways on the Mosborough Parkway from and to the A57/Sheffield Parkway.

[max]

If people drove correctly and used both lanes, merging as they approached the pinch point not 300 yards before, then there would be no clear lane for drivers to belt along.

 

Problem solved.