What is so confusing about highway on ramps?

[SLT223]

I routinely see two types of merging failures using on ramps:

Type 1) Driver completely ignores the fact there is a on ramp that allows you to gain speed to merge. Driver makes a full stop at the beginning of the on ramp then tries to merge into highway speed traffic from zero MPH.

Type 2) Driver accelerates down the on ramp, but makes no effort to regulate speed to merge into traffic. Upon reaching the end of the ramp without merging, driver slams on brakes, then attempts to merge from zero MPH at end of ramp.

Both should be automatic four points in my opinion. Totally avoidable problems with potentially severe consequences. I just don't understand it.

 

[Protocall_Design]

The other one I see a lot is where there is a merging lane parallel to the oncoming traffic lanes. When coming down the on ramp, you are supposed to stay in the parallel lane till you can see if it's clear to move over into the highway lane. A lot of drivers just go out into the traffic lane right at the end of the ramp without ever looking to see if someone is already there. One person was killed about a mile from my house when they got in front of an 18 wheeler that couldn't slow down in time. The car was pretty mangled.

 

[nachogrande]

FEAR/IGNORANCE & LOATHING ON US HWY SYSTEMS

IDK, but it's likely the same culprit that causes some drivers to lose their brains when it comes to passing trucks.

 

[NYlakesider]

Old time gear head here. Most all vechicles I own/ever owned come with the big engine and I'm not loath to use it.

I drive a lot of limited access roads including a bunch of years driving large commercial trucks so I have seen just about everything possible on this subject.

I tend to accelerate rather briskly to the main road on the approach lane and if I have to get out in heavy traffic I step on it and am going faster than the traffic I need to merge into. That makes it a lot easier.

 

[armorer951]

The other issue is, you may do everything correctly on the ramp by bringing your vehicle up to the proper speed to merge, and then other drivers won't give you adequate space to merge into traffic....meanwhile, your merging lane comes to an end.

 

[Targets Guy]

Back in the day they were called acceleration ramps. I don't know when they changed to "on" ramps. Must have been the early stages of political correctness.

 

[NYlakesider]

The other issue is, you may do everything correctly on the ramp by bringing your vehicle up to the proper speed to merge, and then other drivers won't give you adequate space to merge into traffic....meanwhile, your merging lane comes to an end.

See my post 4 (above yours) that is how you handle that situation.

 

[Sevens]

Though I have traveled and driven a good bit across our great nation, I'm sure it pales in comparison to most of the more tenured folks around here, so let me ask you:

Is the "Ohio CROSS OF DEATH" a prevailing design across the nation, or only here where I live? I moved here as an 18yr old. The "on" ramps and the "off" ramps willfilly cross each other much or even most of the time.

If you are exiting the expressway, you are either slowing to hit a tight radius exit ramp while crossing traffic that desperately needs to speed up to join traffic, or the opposite-- and you are dodging folks leaving the expressway at exactly the time you should be taking yourself from 40 mph to 70 mph in a short stretch.

Did you ever see the ESPN2 School Bus races where they use a Figure-8 track?! Isn't exactly the same, but the maneuver is awfully similar.

Add in Ohio drivers and Ohio weather and fantastic Ohio pavement quality, add a smidge of Ohio road construction and it is... exhilarating.

 

[swsig]

Sometimes the on-ramp design contributes to this. One uphill on-ramp I use regularly is designed so it is impossible to see oncoming traffic until you are on to a very short acceleration lane at the top. Even then you have to swivel your head like an owl to see the traffic because the ramp's slope and approach angle combine to make your rearview mirrors useless. Knowing this, I still get caught once or twice a year when heavy, unavoidable traffic forces me to roll along the shoulder until I can merge. But I don't stop.

And don't get me started on merging drivers holding a cell phone up to their left ears.

 

[LVSteve]

The other issue is, you may do everything correctly on the ramp by bringing your vehicle up to the proper speed to merge, and then other drivers won't give you adequate space to merge into traffic....meanwhile, your merging lane comes to an end.

Well that's because "tailgater" is short for "standard American driver". Yes, I'll say it out loud, ALL US born drivers tailgate compared to the standard I was trained to in the UK. Applying the "2 second rule" at highway speed simply results in intense outbreaks of "asphalt agoraphobia" from other drivers and (in my experience) even US born passengers.

What is worse, if you ask many highway designers how they expect traffic to be spaced, it's tailgating!

 

[LVSteve]

Sometimes the on-ramp design contributes to this. One uphill on-ramp I use regularly is designed so it is impossible to see oncoming traffic until you are on to a very short acceleration lane at the top. Even then you have to swivel your head like an owl to see the traffic because the ramp's slope and approach angle combine to make your rearview mirrors useless. Knowing this, I still get caught once or twice a year when heavy, unavoidable traffic forces me to roll along the shoulder until I can merge. But I don't stop.

Don't get me started on poor ramp design. MANY of the ramps in Las Vegas are equipped what I now call the "screw LVSteve" kink. This kink is placed at the EXACT place I want to start looking over my shoulder at the freeway I'm about to merge with.

 

[LVSteve]

Is the "Ohio CROSS OF DEATH" a prevailing design across the nation, or only here where I live? I moved here as an 18yr old. The "on" ramps and the "off" ramps willfilly cross each other much or even most of the time.

No, they are alive and well in this state and rampant in SoCal. The situation is usually created by placing exits too close together because the local community started bleating about "access". Which part of "limited access" do these folk not understand?

They took away an exit here in Vegas to rebuild it further North because of space issues created by the existing neighborhoods. The wailing was such you would think NDoT was going to slaughter lambs live on children's TV.

 

[dswancutt]

Though I have traveled and driven a good bit across our great nation, I'm sure it pales in comparison to most of the more tenured folks around here, so let me ask you:

Is the "Ohio CROSS OF DEATH" a prevailing design across the nation, or only here where I live? I moved here as an 18yr old. The "on" ramps and the "off" ramps willfilly cross each other much or even most of the time.

If you are exiting the expressway, you are either slowing to hit a tight radius exit ramp while crossing traffic that desperately needs to speed up to join traffic, or the opposite-- and you are dodging folks leaving the expressway at exactly the time you should be taking yourself from 40 mph to 70 mph in a short stretch.

Did you ever see the ESPN2 School Bus races where they use a Figure-8 track?! Isn't exactly the same, but the maneuver is awfully similar.

Add in Ohio drivers and Ohio weather and fantastic Ohio pavement quality, add a smidge of Ohio road construction and it is... exhilarating.

You are not alone, Nebraska uses the same design.

 

[dougb1946]

Have you tried the modified round-about on a bridge. Fun enough when dry, but after a little ice or snow, they become a video game. We had 2 semis jack knifed on our bridge at the same time. Granted, they probably hit them a little fast. The bridge had to be sanded before the tow trucks could get to the semis.

 

[Texas40]

Ill just say the number of “driving challenged” drivers is huge.



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[nicky4968]

My pet peeve is people tailgating me on the on ramp. Have even been forced off highway while in acceleration lane. Usually man-small-in-many-ways driving enormous silly useless vehicle.

 

[STCM(SW)]

Try the round about's they have been putting here...
Most driver's don't know what "Yield" sign means!

 

[Climber]

Just when I thought that metro Denver had more bad drivers than anyone else. So, I guess we only have our share. Tailgating, no turn signals, being cut off in traffic, people that cannot, will not, do not know how to drive in snow/ice conditions, failure to yield especially in traffic circles, meandering in the fast lane on the interstate well below the speed limit just to name a few. Almost every time that I see some driver behaving in some fashion other than responsible, I look over at them and they are engaged in some activity with their cell phone. I almost forgot this one.....During a snow storm or when the streets are snow packed/icy there are some of those very special types that refuse to engage their four wheel drive in the vehicles that have it. They would rather sit and spin in the snow starting off at a red light, headed uphill. I asked a young woman one time why you do not ENGAGE THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL and I got half of a peace sign and a dumb look.

End of rant. Thanks for listening.

 

[Doug627]

Most drivers can only do one thing at a time. Getting onto the entrance ramp is one thing. After doing so, they can drive down the entrance ramp. Getting onto the highway is a third thing done in its proper order. Therefore, they come to a stop and work on that one thing. Doing all three together is mind boggling and cannot be done.

 

[walkinghorse]

See my post 4 (above yours) that is how you handle that situation.

Depends upon how big your trailer is, how many horses you have in the trailer, and how much of an upgrade the on ramp is as to how fast you can accelerate. Can be complicated by other factors also. As with much of life now, courtesy and awareness seem to be diminishing, even on interstates in the middle of nowhere.