Re: On Topic? Cars, anyway: 55 MPH speed limit...

On 2008-07-24, =?iso-2022-jp?q?Hachiroku_=1B$B%O%A%m%=2F=1B=28B?=
<Trueno@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> On Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:57:25 -0500, Brent P wrote:
>
>> On 2008-07-24, =?iso-2022-jp?q?Hachiroku_=1B$B%O%A%m%=2F=1B=28B?=
<Trueno@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> 
>>> I live in a rural area, but there are a few 'population centers' where
the
>>> ramps have been set up less than ideal, and the rub is there's only 2
>>> lanes. One of these ramps is almost straight, so people are doing ~60
mph
>>> when they get to the end; the problem is, *THEY* think they have the
right
>>> of way. 
>> 
>> The fact merge impaired drivers exist does not justify poor lane usage.
>
> 2 lanes, a stream of cars on my left, and an idiot charging up the lane
> full bore: who's supposed to do what?

The fact that merge impaired drivers exist does not mean you can cruise
in the left lane.  I drive in the right lane, I deal with all sorts of
merge impaired drivers and guess what? I deal with it. The thing is,
people who don't know how to merge properly are rarely coming down the
ramp fast. Usually they are crawling and then pull out at a low speed.
Those who actually come down the ramp fast at 'full bore' usually know
how to merge. It is generally advisible to come down the ramp such that
one is going *FASTER* than the speed of traffic in the right lane to
merge. The reason for this is that a car's brakes are more powerful than
its engine. It's easier to slow down to match a gap than to speed up to
match one. My guess is that you're mostly panicing needlessly or
stretching for an excuse for left-lane-crusing.