Home › Forums › Open Discussion › Merging onto 99N from West Seattle Bridge
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June 7, 2013 at 5:23 pm #607808
bswans11MemberFor those of you who travel this route in the morning and may not be aware, here’s a little tip:
Merriam-Webster definition of MERGE: Blend or fade gradually into something else so as to become indistinguishable from it.
Please note the “blend gradually” and “become indistinguishable” portions of that definition.
That does not mean “stop and put your blinker on until someone lets you in”. It means keep the pace with traffic, put on your signal, and merge over when you see an opening. Or, if you feel that a turn signal means that the other driver will be an a$$ and will make sure you don’t get in (which can be the case), then speed up or slow down until you can snake into an opening that fits your car. However, this does NOT meaning cut people off or slamming on your brakes in front of a semi! If you are going with the flow of the traffic, and “merge”, good things will happen.
I realize that it becomes a Bus Lane fairly soon after that initial quarter mile, however, let me assure you that your car WILL NOT blow up if you go a little further than immediately getting onto Highway 99. Don’t putz along but, keep that car moving and BLEND GRADUALLY.
Following this little rule would certainly make our commute a bit smoother.
Public Safety Message brought to you by “roughly 1/4 of the West Seattle commuters that already know this rule”.
June 7, 2013 at 5:42 pm #791365
BofusMemberMerging works best when completed in a “zipper” fashion. Vehicles should enter the through lane at the end of the merge lane. Not before. In this instance the beginning of the bus only lane should function as the end of the merge lane. This works at all speeds and provides the necessary predictability that will mitigate congestion.
June 7, 2013 at 5:45 pm #791366
RainierMemberYes, thank you! Drives me crazy when people stop as soon as they get on 99 and try to wedge themselves in.
June 7, 2013 at 5:56 pm #791367
CMPParticipantAmen! That’s a generous estimate of 1/4 of West Seattleites knowing how to merge. I’m going with 1/8 based on our consistently awful traffic. I’m glad I’m riding the bus to work again so I won’t have a heart attack every day driving to my office!
June 7, 2013 at 6:14 pm #791368
bswans11MemberCMP – Ya, I’m in a good mood and being generous. Probably because I didn’t go into work until after 10 so didn’t have to deal with that daily phenomenon today!! :)
June 7, 2013 at 10:22 pm #791369
HalynParticipantThis is one of my biggest pet peeves about driving in this area. A: It’s a ZIPPER, people, come on! B: YOU HAVE A THOUSAND FEET OF LANE TO USE FOR THE MERGE. USE IT. C: It is technically illegal to change lanes immediately at that point. A solid white line means “stay in your own lane.”
/rant
June 8, 2013 at 7:06 am #791370
StringCheeseParticipantExcellent instructions bswans11! Let’s hope a lot of people read this post…
June 10, 2013 at 4:03 pm #791371
ElizagraceParticipantBUUUUMMMMPPPPP!! :) I sometimes feel badly when I skirt around someone who is crossing the solid white line so that I can get over seamlessly rather than squeezing in.
June 10, 2013 at 4:44 pm #791372
JoBParticipanti try never to feel guilty for going around idiots
when i can.. i educate them.
the rest of the time you just have to work around them
June 10, 2013 at 4:59 pm #791373
schwaggyParticipantIf folks merging would go a little farther up the merge lane and use the zipper system, the backup up the on-ramp curve and possibly even up the WSB wouldn’t back up so far or so badly.
You have over 1000 feet people! Use it.
June 10, 2013 at 5:11 pm #791374
SmittyParticipantA similar situation occurs on 99SB at the Columbia street on-ramp. People need to use the entire length of that lane to merge. Everyone merges in right away and it creates a bottleneck. It “feels” like you are cheating by passing everyone, but that is how it is supposed to work.
June 10, 2013 at 7:31 pm #791375
KimberleyParticipantThat merge from Columbia Street drives me insane. I have skirted around other vehicles that have been at a standstill only to then have vehicles attempt to block me out when trying to zipper merge.
June 10, 2013 at 8:35 pm #791376
SmittyParticipantI’ll let you in Kimberly!
Also, it’s actually nice when you get behind a bus because those drivers typically do it right. If you time it right you can use them as kind of a blocker.
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