Yes, another driving rant. If you would just like to add your own, feel free to skip this tedious analysis and proceed to the reply button or quick reply box.
Interstate 85 is a major interstate that connects Greenville, SC to Charlotte NC and Atlanta GA and cities beyond. In order to reach downtown Greenville or to head toward Columbia, one must get on 385. Most commuters in the Greenville area, including myself, must pass through this intersection on the way to and from work everyday.
It is here where the madness happens.
Let’s start in the morning. There are only 2 lanes to be shared with the folks merging onto 385 from 85 from both directions as well as the people who are already on 385. The polite thing that most civil commuters do is to stay in the left lane to allow the mergers a clear shot at getting on. This results in a very long back-up in the left lane which, you guessed it, invites people to get out of line in the left lane and speed past all the other drivers who are patiently waiting. They rush down to the merge where there is an equally long line of cars waiting to get on. And everybody just stops. Yes, I realize it takes patience to stay in the left lane but trust me, 40 mph is better than 0. Unless you’re rushing to the hospital, wait your god damned turn.
And now to the afternoon, which has a strikingly similar problem. At this point there are many folks like myself, trying to get on 385 south from 85. If you are going south, there is very long stretch of road with no exits for everyone to get in a nice orderly line in anticipation of the exit. This, like the morning line is sometimes slow, but if everyone was patient, we’d get there. This is simply too much for some assholes. They just have to get out of line and drive right up to the exit bypassing hundreds of cars and then forcing their way into the sluggish line. This causes everyone to slam on their brakes, the chain reaction lasting for at least a mile.
People, unless there is an emergency, just stay in fucking line with everybody else. You have no right to break in line causing safety issues not to mention road rage. It’s the South, we’re supposed to be nice around here. Thank you.