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Motorist Convinced ‘90% Of Drivers’ Don’t Know What This Sign Means
A frustrated driver has sparked a heated debate about road awareness after claiming that ‘90%’ of motorists don’t understand a crucial traffic sign.
The exasperated motorist took to Reddit to vent about their daily commute, where they regularly encounter roadworks on a dual carriageway approaching a roundabout.
Despite numerous signs warning of the lane closure ahead, it seems many drivers simply don’t grasp the concept.
“I fly down the right-hand lane, counting cars to my left as I go. I got to 30 before I was stopped by a d***head in a flatbed straddling both lanes,” the frustrated driver wrote. “For the love of God, just get it… It’s not a difficult concept, people.”
The post struck a chord with fellow motorists, many of whom shared similar experiences of lane-straddling vigilantes and drivers who refuse to allow others to merge properly.
One commenter suggested: “There should probably be a public awareness campaign about it as it’s quite ridiculous.”
Another driver admitted to a dangerous encounter: “I’ve been on the bike and had a lane straddler swerve towards me to stop me overtaking. It’s a bike, some people have really warped ideas.”
Many Reddit users pointed to a fundamental misunderstanding of fairness on the roads.
“It’s because some idiots feel like they are being ‘cheated’ – even though if everyone used both lanes and merged in turn then the congestion would be far better contained,” one person explained.
The confusion may stem from outdated driving instruction.
“A while ago people were taught (rightly or wrongly) to get in lane early, and roadworks almost all had ‘get in lane’ signs long before a lane closure,” one person noted. “A lot of people, therefore, assume that is the correct way to handle a lane closure.”
Some drivers confessed they’ve simply given up trying to merge properly after experiencing aggressive behavior.
One user recounted being blocked by vehicles and even having abuse hurled at them for attempting to merge correctly, leading them to conclude: “I’ve now decided not to even bother. I can’t stand the not knowing what I’m going to get.”
Despite what some drivers seem to think, the ‘merge in turn’ sign doesn’t mean getting into the open lane as early as possible.
The concept, known as a ‘zipper merge’ in some countries, requires drivers to use both lanes right up to the point where one closes, then take turns merging in an alternating pattern, like the teeth of a zip fastening together.
This method is actually more efficient for traffic flow. By using both lanes fully, the queue is kept shorter and doesn’t block junctions further back. When drivers merge in turn at the closure point, traffic moves more smoothly for everyone.
The alternative (everyone cramming into one lane early) creates an unnecessarily long queue in a single lane whilst leaving the other empty, and often leads to aggressive driving from those who feel others are ‘queue jumping.’
As one commenter wisely put it: “If everyone used both lanes and merged in turn then the congestion would be far better contained.”
Merge in turn signs are there for a reason, and one dashcam-owning driver even suggested reporting lane-straddling obstructors to police, noting that officers can advise such drivers on the correct procedure.
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