🚀 go-pugleaf

Rahul Dhesi wrote:
> 
> I agree that there are two types of lane changes:
> 
> E. Lane changes made by slower vehicles so they may stay to the right.
> 
> F. Lane changes made by faster vehicles so they may get ahead of slower
> vehicles.
> 
> The place where I disagree with you is that you believe that type E lane
> changes are safer than type F lane changes.  I have no reason to believe
> this is so.

I do not believe that type E lane changes are safer than type F lane
changes, although I think I see how you might have assumed that from
what I said.  

> My perspective is that decreasing the total number of lane changes, no
> matter of what type, will decrease accident rate.  

From this I sense that we may not be that far apart in our opinions. 
The key words here, for me, are "total number of lane changes."  If I,
as an individual driver, minimize the number of lane changes I make, I
will almost certainy spend a lot of my time in a lane other than the one
I should be in.  This will result in other drivers changing lanes more
often than they otherwise would.  The most effective thing I can do is
practice good lane discipline.  For many people, that means changing
lanes more often than they do now.  That will result in simpler traffic
situations, which will result in fewer accidents.  

I comes down to whether you're talking about an abstract concept, or
whether you're recommending specific practices on the part of
individuals.  If I were to give specific advice to most individuals
about lane changes, this is what it would be.

(1)  Don't be afraid to change lanes.  When it's time to change lanes,
do it.  But follow the next steps when you do.

(2)  Try to know what's going on all around you, all the time.  Driving
schools teach the shoulder check, but all good driving instructors know
that the shoulder check is like a belt when you're already wearing
suspenders.  If you're paying adequate attention, you already know if
there's someone there or not.  

(3)  Plan your lane changes.  To plan your lane changes, you need to
anticipate traffic situations before they develop.  Am I closing on that
slow truck ahead faster than that guy behind me in the Corvette is
closing on me, or is he closing on me faster?  You need to know, in
order to know when and how you're going to get past that slow truck
ahead.  Face it, you _are_ going to pass it eventually, so you might as
well plan it out now, so that you can do it as smoothly as possible,
with no disruption to anyone else's plans.

(4)  Practice good lane discipline.  

(a)	Drive in the right lane and pass in the left lane.  

(b)	When there are three lanes going the same way, drive in the right
lane, pass in the center lane and, if necessary, pass in the left lane.  

(c)	After you pass, move back to the right lane as soon as it is safe to
do so.  

(d)	If you need to turn left, or exit on the left, move over soon enough
to be safe, but not sooner than is necessary (10 seconds before the exit
should be plenty, in most circumstances).  When exiting on the left,
there is almost always plenty of distance in the deceleration lane to
decelerate (if it's required at all); don't decelerate in the left lane!

(e)	Ask youself, "Was I passed on the right today?"  If the answer is
yes, try to understand why.  Chances are you were not in the lane you
should have been in.

> On the ideal highway,
> vehicles will enter the highway and move into some lane that is going at
> a speed preferred by the driver.  Then the vehicle will stay in that
> lane until it is ready to leave the highway.  The only exception would
> be in the case of lane changes made to move around an unexpected hazard,
> such as an accident or debris on the highway.

Rahul, that would only allow two speeds on a highway with two lanes
going the same direction!  How would that work?  Not only that but,
since we almost always enter the highway from the right, no one would
ever use the left lane unless there was an "unexpected hazard."  (As an
aside, there should never be "unexpected" hazards.)  This is not a
workable system.  I encourage you to research this a little, Rahul.  You
won't find any credible traffic engineer or driving instructor promoting
what you suggest.

On the ideal highway, drivers will enter the highway from the right and
stay there, until they approach a slower vehicle.  They will then pass
that vehicle by safely changing lanes to the left, moving promplty past
the slower vehicle, and safely changing lanes back to the right.  By
being aware of the traffic around them, they will do this in a
predictable manner, without inconveniencing other drivers.  This is the
technique taught by all good defensive driving schools, and it is the
technique promoted by law in most jurisdictions.  Unfortunately, many
people follow your approach, Rahul, which is one of the main reasons we
have as many accidents as we do.

Tedd

Tedd