# Block a merge? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 29, 2011, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178 "2011-10-29T13:31:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178/21 "2011-10-31T19:49:48Z")
Note that perception, even _inaccurate_ perception, plays a big part in how the parties understand what happened. My state’s driving rules say that drivers on the road MUST (not optional) _maintain their speed_ as the approach traffic trying to merge, so that the merging traffic can judge the speed necessary to merge safely. This does nothing to prevent people from freaking out with rage from their perception that the through traffic “deliberately did not slow down and let me in, Goddamit!” I’ve seen many people appear to misunderstand the _legal, correct behavior_ (which was explained to them when they were taught driving, but maybe they’ve forgotten, assuming they were _ever_ paying any attention) as an insult or road rage incident. Similarly, I once was crossing a four-way intersection and the guy at the stop sign to my right (on the road crossing mine) pulled out suddenly, angrily screaming at me for not stopping at the four-way stop sign, _as required by law!_ Trouble was, only his street had stop signs – it wasn’t a four-way stop. he just fantasized that it was, then got mad when I violated his imaginary traffic pattern. He’s probably still mad about stop-sign runners, blissfully unaware that the incident didn’t actually happen. So your merging person might, possibly, not have been blocked at all, by a person who did not, actually, speed up. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178/22 "2011-10-31T20:23:19Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > If R is deliberately speeding up to try to block the merger, I would call that a form of road rage that is not taken lightly by the police. If someone I was riding with did that I would never ride with them again. As it has been said, it’s a completely dick move and more than likely a tictable offence. Reckless driving for one. Road Rage for another. I think it’s also called Obstructionist driving, and it is illegal here, too. There is an onus on both drivers when merging to stay alert and do what it takes to do a safe merge - the driver getting on the highway needs to get up to speed, pick their spot and make it happen, and the drivers on the highway need to maintain their speed and be aware of someone trying to merge (and sometimes make room). There’s a thing going on here in Calgary that I’ve seen a couple of times now - people seem to be approaching merging with the expectation that traffic on the highway will get out of their way, rather than the person merging in moving into the flow of traffic safely. If this continues, it’s going to get really hairy trying to drive here. And, in closing, one of my basic rules for good driving is that your driving should never cause another driver to do something. Sooner or later, the other driver won’t see you and a collision will ensue. ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178/23 "2011-10-31T20:53:02Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > There’s a thing going on here in Calgary that I’ve seen a couple of times now - people seem to be approaching merging with the expectation that traffic on the highway will get out of their way, rather than the person merging in moving into the flow of traffic safely. If this continues, it’s going to get really hairy trying to drive here. Yeah, that happens a lot in DC too. But to be fair, what are you supposed to do? Sometimes you have cars all around you and nobody will let you in. I can choose among ramming my car into a concrete wall, slamming on the brakes and getting rear-ended, or forcing someone to let me in. Granted, there are a lot of people who could merge safely and still casually drift over expecting everyone else to move, and I don’t support that. But a lot of times it’s a necessary game of chicken. I hate driving in DC. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178/24 "2011-11-01T00:32:06Z")
> [@R\_s\_passenger](#): > > There are quite a few comments on the definition of “getting cut off”. My question is related to that. If you see someone accelerating to merge, is it ok for you to try to accelerate to block their merge? If they’re still in front of you and manage to pull in, does it still count as cutting you off? It’s ok if you want someone to follow you for 60 miles and then beat you up in front of your family. Because that’s what you would deserve. ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178/25 "2011-11-01T01:14:00Z")
I’m pretty sure R is my dad - it’s even the first letter of his name! He expects every car on the road to yield to him. If he’s the one trying to merge he’ll complain if somebody won’t let him in “don’t they know how to merge!?”, and if he’s on the main road he’ll speed up just to get cut off, honk obnoxiously, and complain about how nobody knows how to merge. Every action he takes when driving is designed to force somebody to do something to piss him off. I really do believe that we need an asshole test for drivers, and if your score exceeds a certain amount you can’t ever drive. Will make the roads much safer and driving much more pleasant for everybody else. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178/26 "2011-11-01T04:44:31Z")
You shouldn’t endanger your car or passengers to cut off another merging car. That’s what bazookas are for. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178/27 "2011-11-01T13:40:40Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > I really do believe that we need an asshole test for drivers, and if your score exceeds a certain amount you can’t ever drive. Will make the roads much safer and driving much more pleasant for everybody else. Some comedian (it might have been Robin Williams? EDIT: Maybe Dave Barry? I’m not sure) said all cars should have a dartgun that fires adhesive darts saying “STUPID” with a unique identifier of some sort. The police could then just drive around and arrest anyone sporting STUPID darts from _three different_ drivers, on the grounds that three random people agreeing “you’re the problem” is as accurate as any other method. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178/28 "2011-11-01T19:32:22Z")
It most definitely depends on why and when the merger was merging. If they just flew past a line of 50 cars waiting patiently to exit off a highway and try to bully their way over instead of waiting in line, I would rather let them hit my car than let them in. But if it’s someone merging from the tollbooth or onto one highway from another, I always accommodate. ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178/29 "2011-11-01T20:39:51Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Some comedian (it might have been Robin Williams? EDIT: Maybe Dave Barry? I’m not sure) said all cars should have a dartgun that fires adhesive darts saying “STUPID” with a unique identifier of some sort. The police could then just drive around and arrest anyone sporting STUPID darts from _three different_ drivers, on the grounds that three random people agreeing “you’re the problem” is as accurate as any other method. George Carlin ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178/30 "2011-11-03T19:13:31Z")
> [@R\_s\_passenger](#): > > There are quite a few comments on the definition of “getting cut off”. My question is related to that. If you see someone accelerating to merge, is it ok for you to try to accelerate to block their merge? If they’re still in front of you and manage to pull in, does it still count as cutting you off? Well, it sounds like the driver in question is the one who attempted to cut off the merging car, and sounds like a real jerkish move as well. Common courtesy suggest you do NOT attempt to block another car’s maneuver. The driver isn’t under any obligation to slow down / change lanes (though if those can be done safely, it’s a nice thing to do) but to deliberately try to BLOCK the merging vehicle? Pretty scummy. ---
**Author:** ![spankyass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@spankyass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spankyass)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178/31 "2015-09-06T18:18:09Z")
This thread is really old, but the exact same thing happened to me this morning and when I googled “people who won’t let other people merge in”, this thread came up. You guys rock! Thank you so much for all those who commented. I learned a lot, and I felt good because I was really, really upset at what happened to me this morning. I was like “was I wrong on what happened?” Anyway, I have a video of this selfish woman who speeded up on me when I tried to merge on a disappearing lane (if that’s what you call it) and I will just keep it to remind myself of dickhead drivers. And to think this woman had a huge space in front of her when I tried to merge in! I always let people in on a merging lane, and I don’t understand her selfishness on a sunday morning in a prairie land where there’s no need for a rush at all. Just plain act of selfishness. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178/32 "2015-09-06T22:09:52Z")
I’ve known myself to do it occasionally, if I thought the other driver was being a jerk. Gotta outjerk the jerk! Mostly, I try to be very considerate and helpful to other drivers, and [del]never[/del] _rarely_ pull shit like that. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178/33 "2015-09-07T02:28:53Z")
These days, I just yell at them to “get off my median strip!” While adjusting the onion tied on my belt. I miss the old days. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178/34 "2015-09-07T02:46:52Z")
Our main highway through town has a couple of terrifyingly short entrance ramps (gotta love mountain highways). You’ve got to accelerate fast when you get on these ramps if you want to be up to highway speed in time. We’ve also got a lot of tourists, and a lot of retirees. It’s not uncommon to get stuck behind someone who chickens out on the entrance ramp, slowing down to 20 mph or even a standstill as they hope they’ll be able to creep onto the highway. It’s pretty awful. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178/35 "2015-09-07T18:21:11Z")
How do you know they weren’t speeding up to let you in behind them? I try to follow the usual advice (and the law) and maintain a constant rate of speed, but occasionally someone will be right next to me and I won’t know which way they’re trying to merge. I should stick to my guns and maintain speed anyway, but I don’t like playing chicken, so i’ll slow down a little to let them in. If the other driver picks the same moment to realize that it’s their responsibility to adjust speed, then they’ll start slowing down as well, and maintaining pace with me. Obviously I can’t stop on the freeway, so if I see that, I’ll (probably foolishly) speed up to get the hell out of there and let the idiot other driver get on however he can. But it might look to him like I’m trying to block him. I’m not. Of course, if I choose the other option and try moving up first to make room behind me, the same thing happens, just like was described in this thread. It doesn’t help that there are a number of very short on-ramps with little visibility around here. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178/36 "2015-09-07T19:34:14Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2015, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178/37 "2015-09-08T16:08:10Z")
> [@R\_s\_passenger](#): > > There are quite a few comments on the definition of “getting cut off”. My question is related to that. If you see someone accelerating to merge, is it ok for you to try to accelerate to block their merge? No, most of the time. Yes, if they’ve been driving like a jackass. > [@R\_s\_passenger](#): > > If they’re still in front of you and manage to pull in, does it still count as cutting you off? No. It’s a dick move to speed up to block someone, regardless of whether they have it coming or not. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/block-a-merge/601178.md?page=1)