Who is the asshole quiz

[INXS83]

Cite?

Iowa DOT Highway Enforcement Officer during the Q & A part of his highway safety presentation to commercial drivers (CDL) at one of our safety meetings.

It's also common sense and a courtesy to move over and let some enter the right lane if there is no other traffic around you.

I'm a Safety Leader for a Commercial Motor Carrier.

 

[hwk23]

Driver B is clearly the asshole. Now if you add bumper to bumper traffic, he might not be an asshole but with nobody around he could have easily slowed down or speeded up. Driver A has the right of way. Driver B has no right to swerve into Driver A. Driver A did not change speeds.

 

[billanole]

I'm really sorry I didn't see you trying to get onto the interstate. I was too busy reading and responding to a text message. Also I had just spilled my beer so i was looking for some napkins to soak it up.....

That’s our man.

 

[billanole]

What's interesting is that a few years ago I came on here and told about driving on a long straight stretch of Interstate late at night with no other cars anywhere. This was in Texas where you could see for miles, and where they have extremely long merge lanes. I could see way in the distance a car starting to enter the merge ramp, and I thought little of it. However, he was on target to merge just as I was passing by, and though he had at least ten or twenty seconds to adjust, he didn't adjust his speed until the last moment - and proceeded to lay on his horn because I didn't move over for him.

At the time HORT was about 10-1 against me, saying it was expected that I should change lanes to accommodate someone merging.

EDIT
I just searched for my post, and you were one of them saying I was an asshole for not moving over!

Whoopsy daisy.

 

[naturalbornhawk]

Driver A is driving in the right lane of the Interstate. Driver A is going 63 in a 55.

Driver B is merging onto the same interstate.

It is not congested. Driver A could slow down or speed up. Driver B could slow down or speed up and merge with no problem. Basically, there were no other cars around either driver.

Driver B merges into Driver A. Driver A swerves to avoid Driver B honking at him in the process. Both drivers flip each other off, believing the other was an asshole who should have yielded. Who was right?*

*edited version below to provide a complete scenario:

Driver A is driving in the right lane of the Interstate in a white BMW X3. Driver A is going 63 in a 55, locked in using cruise control.

Driver B is merging onto the same interstate, in a black F-150 with extended mirrors and punisher bumperstickers, at a rate of at least 70 mph.

On this particular morning, it was not congested, as it was early before the main commute in DSM. This was in the middle of summer, when there are not large numbers of clueless drivers on the road, such as during the state wrestling tournament. In heavy traffic, Driver A usually will preemptively move into the middle lane of I-235, despite his exit coming up which he takes to get to his job. On this day, it was just Driver A and Driver B over a span of 100 yards. Basically, there were no other cars around either driver. Driver A could slow down or speed up. Driver B could slow down or speed up and merge with no problem.

By all accounts Driver B buried the accelerator and merged without looking at what traffic was in the right lane he was merging into. While Driver A typically preemptively avoids idiot/self-absorbed drivers, and slows down or moves over, on this particular morning, given there was no one around he maintained speed. Just before impact, Driver A swerved and slowed to avoid Driver B, honking at Driver B to let him know Driver B just pulled an illegal and moronic maneuver. Driver B swerves around Driver A, pulls up to him, and gives him vigorous double birds while staring at Driver A. Driver A looks over to Driver B, and returns a single bird.

Both drivers believe the other was an asshole who should have yielded. Who was right?

Which one's the asshole?

 

[ft254]

Iowa DOT Highway Enforcement Officer during the Q & A part of his highway safety presentation to commercial drivers (CDL) at one of our safety meetings.

It's also common sense and a courtesy to move over and let some enter the right lane if there is no other traffic around you.

I'm a Safety Leader for a Commercial Motor Carrier.

It is not common sense to create hazards by the lane accepting the merge to force a second merge into the left-hand most lane. The initial merging vehicle is responsible to adjust its speed to traffic flow. If it means coming to a complete stop, so be it.

It does not have priority, as many people believe similar to ending lanes not having priority if so marked.