[tucaz]

This is the one thing that really pisses me off. It gets worse when the lane that you are merging into has a line of cars going back almost a kilometer.

Doing this is like saying "Hey you idiots, look how smart I am" to everyone waiting for their way in the right lane.

[HelloMcFly]

I don't know why people get so mad about this. You use the term "right lane", but what does that mean? It only means what you want it to mean in a given situation.

The lane is open until it is not, and as long as both lanes are open they are both "right" (in the non-directional sense, obviously). Why rely on clearly nebulous (sometimes variable, sometimes non-existent) social norms rather than concrete traffic norms? Use the open lane, or don't complain when others do. It's not asshole behavior, it's common sense driving.

There is no reason to take offense while driving so long as people 1) follow the rules of the road and 2) do not endanger others with reckless driving. Using open lanes does neither, and it only inconveniences the people that refuse to use the roads as they are intended to be used.

[dvanduzer]

There are known choke points where traffic is forced to merge. There is the occasional tourist, but rush hour happens every weekday. People know about these merge points, see traffic backing up in all lanes, and will still jump into the lane about to end trying to rush around a few extra cars.

It's rude, and it demonstrably increases traffic.

[HelloMcFly]

Okay, when do you think people should start merging? Thirty feet before the "choke point"? One hundred feet? One mile? Three miles?

It's an arbitrary game, and everyone makes up their own "rules of decency" and gets mad when someone follows the rules of the road rather than the rules of their head. Yes, people "know" about choke points, but that doesn't mean it's wrong (or rude) to use open lanes. So long as those lanes are open, they are going to be used, so everyone may as well make use of the space.

Is it my fault that others choose not to use those lanes? No. Is it your fault that it upsets you? Yes. It's not rude. I'm not being impolite. I wish everyone would just follow the same set of rules so we could stop being mad at each other. Which set of rules should we follow? I vote against the ones that change in with the person you're asking.

Having said that, I don't really like when people change lanes just to jump ahead of one or two cars. It doesn't upset me and I think it's fair game so long as it's done safely, but I empathize with the distaste for that a little more.

[tucaz]

During "normal" periods where there are no choke points because there is no traffic these "smart" people do not have a problem staying in the "right" lane. However, when the traffic starts growing up almost everybody, except them, go into what looks like a queue, one car at a time, waiting for their turn to move forward/leave the road they start passing everybody on the "wrong" lane and merging at the end.

This is not only rude, but also blocks the other(s) lane(s) bringing traffic to where it wasn't before.

Its almost like say it's ok to pass in front of other people in the theater line.

[steamer25]

Using the available lane-age/real-estate to attempt negotiating a merge at speed and minimize the problems caused by inertia is a good thing. This works in at least two ways: 1) The backup is less likely to extend past an off-ramp as pointed out. 2) Human-nature. If everyone in the backed up lane were paying attention and trying to get off the road as soon as possible, this benefit wouldn't exist. However, some people use the opportunity afforded by the congestion to check their email or a map or adjust their hair/makeup or turn around to yell at the kids or just day-dream. When the car in front of them moves, it takes them several seconds to snap out of whatever is distracting them. In these cases, it's possible to slip in front of them without adding to the number of inert vehicles.

This is true of unstopped vehicles as well. Not everyone is comfortable driving at the maximum safe speed. In fact, where I live, fines are enforced on all state roads from 6 to 13 MPH below engineering guidelines. Even so, many people choose to travel even slower than allowed by graceless statute. While these patient souls approach the bottleneck, several of the swift may de-queue themselves to the benefit of everyone who would otherwise wait behind them.

Oftentimes, the road hasn't actually reached saturation--it's just a compound case of live-lock and if people use the full measure of available lanes (instead of stopping at the first sign that says "Road Work Five Miles Ahead"), they have a greater opportunity of resolving the contention without promoting a cascaded slow down.

Of course, all of this is an edge-case. As the OP alludes, when the road is actually saturated, the real solution involves either decreasing demand for or increasing the supply of throughput at the chokepoint. Mere bickering and maneuvering will not avail anyone.

[cecilpl]

What pisses me off is having to wait in a kilometer-long line of people merging when what I really want to do is turn right down a side street.

Please keep that line as short as possible by using all the lanes available.

[jessaustin]

I thought we were talking about freeway/tollway/highway traffic? If there are side streets, that's a different situation.

[bryanlarsen]

What pisses me off is having to wait in a kilometer-long line of people blocking all available lanes when what I really want to do is turn right down a side street.

Please leave exit lanes open by merging as soon as possible.

[j-kidd]

If HelloMcFly originates from the "open lane", I am indifferent to where he decides to merge into the "right lane", as long as he doesn't force anyone to unnecessary slam their brake.

What really piss me off are drivers who move from the "right lane" into the "open lane", and then merge back after cutting perhaps 5, 6 cars.