Home › Forums › Open Discussion › Merging/cutting off
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January 7, 2011 at 8:59 pm #713315
FranciParticipantOn the S99 issue, the only reason traffic is going so slow.. is because of all the folks jumping in at the last minute as we approach the WS Bridge exit. There are times when I have witnessed multiple cars merging in at or near the last few seconds before they would be past the exit. That causes a chain reaction of breaking. And NO I don’t think I should have to leave room for multiple cars to merge in front of me.
Too many evenings I watch as cars pass me in the right lane, sometimes going twice the rate of speed with their blinkers on. New flash if you really want to get over you need to be going close the rate of speed in the lane you want into.
By all means if there is someone lollygagging along, pass them. But if its a solid line of traffic, get in line, play nice. We all want to get home in a reasonable amount of time.
January 7, 2011 at 10:39 pm #713316
SmittyParticipantOn 99 the busses always cut in last minute too, so why can’t I? Even if every single car “got in line” the busses would created the old “slinky effect” anyway.
January 7, 2011 at 10:48 pm #713317
hoffanimalParticipantIn my mind an exception is made for buses since they carry 50+ people. It’s one of benefits of riding the bus. On the days when I am sitting alone in my car I feel I owe the bus and it riders a free ride to the front. That’s how I roll.
January 8, 2011 at 3:48 am #713318
me on 28th Ave SWParticipantre: lane configuration in front of Chelan; I break into a sweat everytime I am down there. I have lived in WS my entire life.
@hoffanimal: complete agreement with you on this.
January 8, 2011 at 4:07 am #713319
AKParticipanti’ve been the jerk at that section once or twice. it’s confusing. don’t worry, it won’t happen again.
i’m used to driving in ny where there is no such thing as cutting someone off. it’s called merging. no one lets you in and no one gets offended. you nose the front of your car in an open space and make room. i realize this is not ny and so i’m reverting back to polite driving etiquitte. i’ve been working very hard on this (seriously, not a sarcastic comment) and apologize for upsetting my fellow seattlites.
however, there should be a one-by-one rule. one car merges, one car advances. being a jerk and blocking someone from merging only causes more problems (traffic jams, accidents, anxiety).
everyone is important and late for work. give and take, seattle.
January 8, 2011 at 5:43 am #713320
elikapekaParticipantAK, if it’s merging, I agree with you. But this intersecton isn’t a merge. It’s people that are in the wrong lane, most of them intentionally, and then trying to cut in.
In the morning on the high bridge when people are coming down from Admiral or Fauntleroy and need to get over to get off on the exit to 99, that’s a merge (unless you run the whole line of traffic and try and cut in at the very end.)
At least that’s how I see it. Two different things. The high bridge in the morning – I agree, one by one and I play nice. The low bridge coming home in the evening – I give no quarter.
January 9, 2011 at 5:36 pm #713321
redblackParticipantyeah, AK, here in the PNW “following distance” and “leaving room to merge” are not the same thing, and there is actually such a thing as tailgating here.
i’m trying to recall that soft right from chelan to WB spokane street. is there an island there that prevents both lanes on chelan street from turning onto spokane street?
it seems to me that if both lanes could turn right, traffic would improve immensely. might involve reconfiguring the traffic light supports and removing the island, but it would be a big help.
you folks who live in the real west seattle could take the left lane up admiral hill, and we foreign southerners can take the right lane to the avalon exit.
hooper, drop what you’re doing and fix this. and, yes, i’ll pay a little extra on my car tabs to help pay for it.
January 9, 2011 at 6:06 pm #713322
hooper1961Memberredblack – i will inquire with sdot again on this. the last time i inquired i tried to get them to send me a copy of the signal plans and i got caught in a bureaucratic web.
January 9, 2011 at 6:56 pm #713323
JanSParticipantI’ll jump in here with my 2 cents for that particular intersection. All it would take is a couple of signs. One over the turn lane that takes you to Spokane St that says “Spokane St.”, and one over the turn lane that takes you to Delridge that says “Delridge Way”. I think people simply get confused about what lane to go in to turn when approaching that light, since you used to also be able to go straight at that intersection. Now you can only turn. So..get some wood, some paint, make a cheap sign big enough for people to actually read…problem solved…except for the stupid a$$es who think they can do whatever they feel like..
January 9, 2011 at 7:08 pm #713324
hooper1961Memberjans signs might help a bit, but the real culprit is the lousy signal operation. a red signal for an add lane situation is simply not right!
January 9, 2011 at 9:09 pm #713325
JanSParticipantI don’t mean a sign where it turns onto Spokane St by the Chelan Cafe. I mean a sign before you turn at the 5 way intersection coming from the low bridge to in front of the Chelan. There is no signage there, so if you’re new to the area, or simply deficient in directions, you may get in the wrong turn lane, and therefore in the wrong lane approaching the turn onto Spokane Street.Can’t assume we all know where we’re going all the time.
I agree…the light for the lane that turns from in front of the Chelan onto Spokane St doesn’t inspire confidence, but it’s red at times for a reason…there is traffic turning onto Spokane St from the other direction…gotta give them a turn, too. I just always assume that I have a free right on red if coming from in front of the Chelan Cafe.
January 10, 2011 at 6:28 am #713326
hooper1961Memberturning into a separate inside lane, the curb lane is an add lane, no reason for red light.
January 10, 2011 at 8:25 am #713327
JanSParticipantoh, good grief…I’m not talking about the curb lane in front of the Chelan Cafe. I’m talking about the lane at the light before you turn into the curb lane in front of the Chelan Cafe. Capiche? Put a danged sign over that, and people will be in the correct lane to make that damned free right after the Chelan Cafe onto Spokane Street. Can I make that any clearer? And there is traffic turning onto Spokane St from the opposite direction going towards Admiral Way. If that “add lane” as you call it was always green, tell me how that opposite traffic would turn onto Spokane St. safely? Just put your big boy pants on and be patient. That “add lane” as you call it has been around for a long time. If that light turns red, check to see if there is any oncoming opposite traffic onto Spokane St. and, if not, make a damned turn. It only takes about 2 seconds. The culprits are those who turn left at the earlier light into the left lane (that goes straight) and then try to get over to make the turn onto Spokane St, bolluxing up everything. That’s what the OP was originally complaining about. People need to be aware of where they are and turn into the correct lane before they get to the Spokane St. turn.If that’s not clear to you, come get me, we’ll drive it, and I’ll show you :)
January 10, 2011 at 11:36 am #713328
miwsParticipantJanuary 10, 2011 at 3:25 pm #713329
redblackParticipantjan: the road you and the hoopster are referring to is chelan ave SW according to the signs (not chelan street – my bad.) maps tell another story.
[wandering thread alert!]
this city, in general, is horrible about informative, well-placed signage.
people and businesses are also deficient with visible street numbers on their homes and businesses.
i love the signs in portland telling you which street is at the next signal. there i don’t have to look like an idiot while slowing down to squint at a tiny 90-year-old weather-worn sign and its block number half-hidden behind a maple tree – unlike in seattle, where that happens quite often.
or “surprise! I-5! take a left in 2 feet! oops! hope you didn’t wreck!”
or signs that say “I-5 that way, some indeterminate distance.” then no more signs.
poor signage might explain some weird driving habits around here.
January 10, 2011 at 5:28 pm #713330
CMPParticipantJan, I swear there is signage at the 5 way intersection you’re referring to b/c I remember looking for it on my way home from work last Friday. The right lane says something about Harbor Island/Spokane in small print, middle lane is for eastbound West Seattle Bridge and the left lane is Delridge. (don’t hold me to this after a weekend has passed, but I think this is correct). It’s horrible signage and would not be clear to those unfamiliar with the area.
What I really like is once on westbound Spokane near the park and ride area, there are no signs for Harbor Ave or Admiral until you get right to where the lanes split off. Brilliant SDOT! Those signs should be about 200 yards further east.
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