If all drivers simply merged to the correct lane when they reached the signs that indicated the need to merge, traffic would still slow down, but 20 mph (half the minimum speed limit) would be the absolute slowest we would go. We would be able to travel faster if there was less than complete congestion on the road. Instead, I often find myself at a dead stop, often for minutes, and then a slow crawl until I finally get to the single lane, where I finally get to the above mentioned minimum speed or more.
The culprit? A lack of courtesy and general self-absorption of most drivers. These are the drivers who wait until the last possible moment to merge with traffic. Somehow, they believe that I, who have already merged, don’t want to get to my job or loved ones as much as they do. Instead of all of us getting to our destinations with relatively little hassle, all of us end up at a hostile dead stop. Because of this stopped traffic, what would have been a minor inconvenience has become several miles of gridlock.
Blessed are the semi-truck drivers who pull into the passing lane and pace the merged line, assuring that the egocentric drivers can’t keep the merged cars stuck in limbo forever. Without them, I might never get home. Instead, I can leave a comfortable distance between myself and the car in front of me, knowing that these sheparding semis will keep the people merging in front of me down to only a car or two.
It is the mentality of these passing lane morons that keeps screwing up economies around the world. In an ideal world, we would all act responsibly and co-exist peacefully in a free market. Unfortunately, the truth is that the moment there is a mild tightening in the economy (or even disasters, either natural or financial), people try to gun past as many others as they can. Instead of working together and moving forward until we pass the crisis, we are brought to a full and complete stop, making an already irritating situation downright infuriating. If it weren’t for government agencies and altruistic companies who can act as those semi-trucks and reign in some of the more aggressive drivers, we would never get anywhere. Yes, I would be happier if they didn’t have to be there, but I’m glad that someone is able and willing to stand up for principles beyond the get-rich-quick scheme.
I’ve been told that my belief is naively optimistic, that it’s a dog-eat-dog world, and that it is better to take than be taken advantage of. There might be some truth there. However, foolish or not, I will continue to merge at the signs and give plenty of space for others to do the same. Perhaps, if we can spread the word far enough, we will all move forward together.