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Originally Posted by WesternCanadaKing
All this info on the proper way to merge is pretty helpful. It still scares the hell out of me because I haven't got a clue how to time it correctly and I'm pretty clueless what to do in certain situations. Like it seems that slowing down in a merge lane or entering traffic before going the correct speed is a big faux pas. What about in situations like when merging from 14th St. onto Memorial when its busy, its tough to see the cars that are coming (theres a huge support for the bridge that blocks the view significantly) and the merge lane is very short? My mom makes me stop completely... I'm pretty sure this is not the right course of action (it never seems like I get into this stupid situations with anyone else but her). I'll be taking a drivers course later this summer, but still, it's good to get as much info as possible.
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In addition to what I said, notice, learn and pick where you are going to merge early. Usually for me, I identify a good 500m where I am going to merge and I do it there. No 2nd guessing myself. Consider the speed of the cars in front of you, observe what the right lane you are merging into is doing (who is going fast? slow? if they are speeding up, they are probably looking to exit and will create a hole for you) then pick your spot you are going to merge, speed up accordingly to merge into that hole and just do it. Don't 2nd guess yourself (or as 4x4 says, don't be deer in the headlights when you merge). I'm not even a old driver (I'm 24, but since I had no car in university, I probably have the equiv of 3 years driving experience) and I have no problem driving highways, I merge/exit highways probably 10x's a day.
Also note, pick your spot to get out of the right lane early if you can too. Down here, there is a merge/exit every 200m and traffic just gets really choppy in the right lane, so I usually try and get a middle lane ASAP. If I don't have to exit for 5km, I pick the 2nd farthest left lane so I don't have to deal with with mergers and right hand lane drivers trying to change into my lane at 80% of the speed.
I'll take driving anywhere in Europe over Alberta as well. I'll take higher speeds with drivers that know how to handle it and handle driving highways, over Alberta any day.