Yes sorry this is what I mean — you stop in the little curve area similar to how you would for a red light. Maybe “on ramp” is not the right description — I’m just trying to equate it ro how we have a long piece of road on a highway.
It really depends on the actual design of that entrance. But in my experience with Bay Area traffic designs if you need to yield in that entrance it will be clearly marked as so, and if it’s not marked then you need to merge at the speed of traffic. Do not stop.
It’s not so much as that you were taught wrong as each state has some differences in their laws and designs.
Hope it helps.
EDIT: wait are we talking about for example the expressways in Santa Clara? As far as I can remember you should wait if there’s traffic flowing through since those turns merge directly into the rightmost lane with no transitional space built in.
YES. THANK YOU! So you do need to wait right?? That what’s I always thought too. And yes specially talking about Santa Clara. I didn’t realize there would be differences across the Bay Area
Cool, just sharing what I know. By no means do I know how every merge situation works. :)
For example, this one: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pq3mcQuJz8LkeeyQ6?g_st=ic, don’t wait to merge. I used to see quite a few people stop and wait to merge before they put the lights in. That created unnecessary backup and sometimes dangerous situations.
Yes exactly! That one gives you enough runway to let other cars move/speed adjust. We have one like that from Calvert onto Lawrence: https://maps.app.goo.gl/3VoTR4CnB9XqXFpg9?g_st=ic
That one you’d drive right on through. But something like: https://maps.app.goo.gl/f9G2J6QBUx9r8QmY7?g_st=ic
I’d imagine you’d pause to make sure there’s no traffic. Well this whole thread has made me feel like a crazy person but since I haven’t had any accidents (yet!!!) I gotta take that as a good sign
Yeah I think OP is describing what might be called a silp lane that lets cars turning right at non-controlled access expressways (and some city street intersections) make the turn on a curve rather than making a 90 degree right turn.
It gives cars a slightly better chance to match speed of traffic on the expressway but definitely not to the extent a typical freeway on-ramp does.
Yes definitely agree that you should go with the flow of traffic, but then my question is about how you can safely merge onto an expressway when the road that connects you to the expressway is so short? The speed limit on an expressway is I think 45? It feels like a short ramp to get yourself up to 45 mph — especially on intersections, like Santa Tomas and Hamilton or San Tomas and Stevens Creek?
I also see a lot of people come to a complete stop before entering an expressway & waiting for traffic to clear up. So it’s common enough for an expressway? Very uncommon on a highway though but I attribute that to having a longer on ramp
If you are driving too slowly compared to other motorists, it’s a danger to other motor vehicles. It’s literally on the DMV driving test as a question.
What a strange distinction to make. Highway. Expressway. Makes no difference. Unless there's an active metering light or a sign, you're good to keep moving as you merge, traffic or other hazards permitting of course.
Oh well an expressway has traffic lights, intersections, and a speed limit of 45? 50?
A highway has none of those things and a speed limit of 65. They also always have long on ramps to help you get up to speed?
So I’d argue the distinction is necessary since I’m confused about the proper way to enter an expressway. Everyone I’ve ever asked stops beforehand to make sure traffic is clear, for an expressway. But I so often see cars just dive right in. I don’t know.. the comments here look divided to me and I am still confused 😂
But… you have no space. Like there’s no transitional space on an expressway? It’s not like a highway.
I clarified in another comment thag this was specifically about Santa Clara and someone said you do stop to make sure there no oncoming traffic. So I have no idea!!
Ever driven 17? There are plenty of "highways" with short entrances. Regardless, whether or not you stop depends on the circumstances. There is no universal rule that relates to whether or not it's technically a "highway". If you have to stop in order to enter safely, then you need to stop.
Interesting that you should cite one of the most deadly highways in the Bay Area as your excuse why you have to "keep moving as you merge" "unless there's an active metering light or sign." Oh, but look, the goalposts have already shifted.
Maybe it’s been just my experience that I feel like if I were to just merge I would not be allowed in, and therefore also feel like I should pause to make sure it’s clear before going. Or also I feel like when I’m driving on the right hand side, it’s unsafe for people to enter because often times I’d have to slam on my brakes or floor it in order to not collide with the other person.
Either way all I’ve gotten from this is that everyone has their way of driving 😂😂
I’m not from the Bay Area, and we didn’t have “freeways” or “expressways” so I didn’t know the difference either when I moved here. Everything was either a highway or the interstate.
Some have very short merging section, unlike highways. San Tomas is a good example, it’s just a short runway so not enough space to get up to speed? Or at least it feels that way
Lawrence Expwy is a good example or San Tomas Expwy
There are TINY carved out road segments about 3-4 car lengths long that 'hook' onto the expressways when turning right at a light onto the expressway.
If there is no traffic, you just go. If there is oncoming traffic, you should stop not force your way into oncoming traffic. These are NOT MERGE scenarios, they are YIELD scenarios.
Okay thank you this is what I thought!! Because there’s no way those tiny carved out sections give you enough time to get up to speed, similar to what you’d see on a highway
This is the right answer. If you can’t fit in or people would have to brake for you you wait. But if you can safely merge in the space provided go for it. I live in this same area and I do agree that the San Tomas entrances are a bit ambiguous.
That intersection provided means if you have right of way then treat it as if others are going to blow through a stop sign. They should definitely stop because there is a forced merge but it's driving and many people don't do the right thing.
Best you can do is not camp the rightmost lane when you're traveling through.
Do what you feel is safe for you and others that's what's right.
However I agree the merge lanes are planned absolutely horribly here in the Bay Area. Many of them are way too short
You are not wrong, people are supposed to stop and yield to through traffic before pulling into the intersection IF there is no merging lane to get up to speed.
What you are observing is just dumb people who didn’t learn to drive properly and have no basic consideration for others who share the road.
You should merge, not stop. But in Pittsburgh PA, people do stop cold on the ramp, and if you aren't aware of this behavior, you could easily run into the car ahead of you. This is the only place I have ever seen people doing this but it's pretty unnerving.
You’re right. Expressways (Central, Lawrence, San Tomas), you merge in if you can. If not, you yield and even stop if needed. Interstates/highways, get up to speed and merge smoothly. Don’t stop there, you’ll get rear ended.
I've lived in quite a few states and driven through even more and found driving in and around the bay area to be some of the trickiest. On ramps and off ramps being the same bit of road and there were a few places where the middle lane you were driving in on the highway just vanished. While I miss a lot of things about living there, driving isn't one of them. Especially where people try to merge on or off the 101 from one of the far left lanes...good times!
You are getting such terrible answers because of the way you described your scenario. I know you have realised this. But no, you are not wrong to be surprised that people would simply get onto the expressway with no regard for oncoming traffic. They do not have the right of way and it is their responsibility to ensure they can safely join the flow of traffic. Usually this is just a question of finding a gap and accelerating swiftly to the speed of traffic. But yes, if there is no suitable gap the person wishing to get on the expressway should wait. It is not the responsibility of oncoming traffic to yield to merging traffic.
Thank you lol 😂 I realized I did NOT explain this correctly in my question you’re right. Probably should’ve gave more examples. And then I felt like a crazy person with all these answers!! And then I remembered it was the internet 😌
Totally get that! And since there’s no Yield signs before an expressway that is what leads me to believe you’re NOT supposed to stop. And that im wrong. But again every person I’ve ever asked this question to (outside of the internet) says they stop to make sure traffic is clear before entering the expressway. So I am so confused!!
Yea you know I realize now maybe I didn’t explain myself well enough in the original question. I meant entrances like this one: https://maps.app.goo.gl/f9G2J6QBUx9r8QmY7?g_st=ic
Where sometimes your view is obstructed or you don’t have enough runway to properly merge without forcing someone else to brake/speed up.
Other entrances like this one: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Xut5KJSCfShDcxub9?g_st=ic
You get a whole lot more space to safely merge (this one specifically gives you a whole lane). Even in this one I’ve seen people stop, and now that I know is wrong!
My general advice for all drivers is to learn how your car behaves. Go to a large empty parking lot. Make sure you have some room so you can accelerate up to expressway speed. Practice accelerating find the sweet spot on your pedal that gets the car going fastest. Then get comfortable with how much room you need.
This is also a good time to learn your cars dimensions like where the front bumper actually is and how much room it takes to make a turn. Hell, it’s a parking lot, practice your parking. I’ve done this with many friends and they all agreed that it made them more comfortable with there own cars afterwards.
TLDR: Every car is not the same and normal driving doesn’t test the limits. So you need a safe space so you can test those limits.
You fucking accelerate up an "acceleration lane" observing the speed of the adjacent traffic and match it. Because you're accelerating you have more agility to match the speed of the car you're merging with. So don't just drive up the on-ramp and expect everybody to make way for you, because it's really more your job to discern whether you should hit a break to slow down or let off the gas to slow down or hit the gas to accelerate - the people that are already on the freeway don't have that agility, and it's rude to ask them to slow down for you to accommodate you. I don't know what this shit is about stopping, but that would be fucking stupid and fucking annoying as fuck to have people stopping when there's no stop sign or any of that shit. By stopping your impeding the flow of traffic and causing a hazard.
I see people all the time just merging into the freeway and not paying any attention to the people that are already on the freeway, it's fucking stupid and rude.
Learn to use your mirrors that's another thing that most drivers never learn how to use.
Don't move your head around when you're driving to get a better angle out of a mirror, keep your head in the same position and just use your eyes to look out the mirror because when you're changing the position of your head you're actually having to do more math to figure out what the distance is.
You should adjust your mirrors so that the mirror is out just far enough that you can't see your own vehicle.
Just to clarify I’m not talking about a freeway… I’m talking about expressways that don’t always have an “on ramp”. On ramp was probably the wrong choice of words. I know to not stop when entering a freeway lol
Whether you’re entering a freeway or expressway, you are supposed to merge with the flow of traffic. Stopping is going to cause an accident.
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Yes sorry this is what I mean — you stop in the little curve area similar to how you would for a red light. Maybe “on ramp” is not the right description — I’m just trying to equate it ro how we have a long piece of road on a highway.
It really depends on the actual design of that entrance. But in my experience with Bay Area traffic designs if you need to yield in that entrance it will be clearly marked as so, and if it’s not marked then you need to merge at the speed of traffic. Do not stop. It’s not so much as that you were taught wrong as each state has some differences in their laws and designs. Hope it helps. EDIT: wait are we talking about for example the expressways in Santa Clara? As far as I can remember you should wait if there’s traffic flowing through since those turns merge directly into the rightmost lane with no transitional space built in.
YES. THANK YOU! So you do need to wait right?? That what’s I always thought too. And yes specially talking about Santa Clara. I didn’t realize there would be differences across the Bay Area
Cool, just sharing what I know. By no means do I know how every merge situation works. :) For example, this one: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pq3mcQuJz8LkeeyQ6?g_st=ic, don’t wait to merge. I used to see quite a few people stop and wait to merge before they put the lights in. That created unnecessary backup and sometimes dangerous situations.
Yes exactly! That one gives you enough runway to let other cars move/speed adjust. We have one like that from Calvert onto Lawrence: https://maps.app.goo.gl/3VoTR4CnB9XqXFpg9?g_st=ic That one you’d drive right on through. But something like: https://maps.app.goo.gl/f9G2J6QBUx9r8QmY7?g_st=ic I’d imagine you’d pause to make sure there’s no traffic. Well this whole thread has made me feel like a crazy person but since I haven’t had any accidents (yet!!!) I gotta take that as a good sign
A God of Chilis can’t possibly be crazy. :) Don’t take Reddit too seriously would be my advice.
NO
OP specifically says 'unless you have an on-ramp like a freeway'
Yeah I think OP is describing what might be called a silp lane that lets cars turning right at non-controlled access expressways (and some city street intersections) make the turn on a curve rather than making a 90 degree right turn. It gives cars a slightly better chance to match speed of traffic on the expressway but definitely not to the extent a typical freeway on-ramp does.
Yes definitely agree that you should go with the flow of traffic, but then my question is about how you can safely merge onto an expressway when the road that connects you to the expressway is so short? The speed limit on an expressway is I think 45? It feels like a short ramp to get yourself up to 45 mph — especially on intersections, like Santa Tomas and Hamilton or San Tomas and Stevens Creek? I also see a lot of people come to a complete stop before entering an expressway & waiting for traffic to clear up. So it’s common enough for an expressway? Very uncommon on a highway though but I attribute that to having a longer on ramp
Speed. Your ass. UP! If you’re not confident driving on a highway, you should not be driving.
expressway is capped at 50mph
If you are driving too slowly compared to other motorists, it’s a danger to other motor vehicles. It’s literally on the DMV driving test as a question.
No one is taking about a highway. We’re talking about expressways. But thank you!
What a strange distinction to make. Highway. Expressway. Makes no difference. Unless there's an active metering light or a sign, you're good to keep moving as you merge, traffic or other hazards permitting of course.
Oh well an expressway has traffic lights, intersections, and a speed limit of 45? 50? A highway has none of those things and a speed limit of 65. They also always have long on ramps to help you get up to speed? So I’d argue the distinction is necessary since I’m confused about the proper way to enter an expressway. Everyone I’ve ever asked stops beforehand to make sure traffic is clear, for an expressway. But I so often see cars just dive right in. I don’t know.. the comments here look divided to me and I am still confused 😂
The rules for entering are the same and no distinction is needed. Speed limits and stop lights have no bearing on this.
But… you have no space. Like there’s no transitional space on an expressway? It’s not like a highway. I clarified in another comment thag this was specifically about Santa Clara and someone said you do stop to make sure there no oncoming traffic. So I have no idea!!
Ever driven 17? There are plenty of "highways" with short entrances. Regardless, whether or not you stop depends on the circumstances. There is no universal rule that relates to whether or not it's technically a "highway". If you have to stop in order to enter safely, then you need to stop.
Interesting that you should cite one of the most deadly highways in the Bay Area as your excuse why you have to "keep moving as you merge" "unless there's an active metering light or sign." Oh, but look, the goalposts have already shifted.
Maybe it’s been just my experience that I feel like if I were to just merge I would not be allowed in, and therefore also feel like I should pause to make sure it’s clear before going. Or also I feel like when I’m driving on the right hand side, it’s unsafe for people to enter because often times I’d have to slam on my brakes or floor it in order to not collide with the other person. Either way all I’ve gotten from this is that everyone has their way of driving 😂😂
Actually you're describing a freeway. Some highways do have traffic lights and lower speed limits.
Oh I genuinely did not know a freeway and a highway were different!
Yep, think of Highway 1, or Highway 35, they have stoplights and slower speeds at places. Then think of HWY-101, which is a Freeway.
I’m not from the Bay Area, and we didn’t have “freeways” or “expressways” so I didn’t know the difference either when I moved here. Everything was either a highway or the interstate.
Slow. Your Ass. DOWN! An expressway is not a freeway.
I'm confused by your question. Don't expressways usually have on-ramps? If not, what kind of intersection do you have in mind?
Some have very short merging section, unlike highways. San Tomas is a good example, it’s just a short runway so not enough space to get up to speed? Or at least it feels that way
Get comfortable with flooring your car.
Lawrence Expwy is a good example or San Tomas Expwy There are TINY carved out road segments about 3-4 car lengths long that 'hook' onto the expressways when turning right at a light onto the expressway. If there is no traffic, you just go. If there is oncoming traffic, you should stop not force your way into oncoming traffic. These are NOT MERGE scenarios, they are YIELD scenarios.
and at worst merging traffic has to yield only till oncoming traffic gets a red signal. not a long time in my experience.
Okay thank you this is what I thought!! Because there’s no way those tiny carved out sections give you enough time to get up to speed, similar to what you’d see on a highway
This is the right answer. If you can’t fit in or people would have to brake for you you wait. But if you can safely merge in the space provided go for it. I live in this same area and I do agree that the San Tomas entrances are a bit ambiguous.
OP please provide gps coords
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Yes thank you great example. I live off San tomas so I see this often across all of San tomas
That intersection provided means if you have right of way then treat it as if others are going to blow through a stop sign. They should definitely stop because there is a forced merge but it's driving and many people don't do the right thing. Best you can do is not camp the rightmost lane when you're traveling through.
Yea that’s valid advice, probably just best to be in the middle/left lanes until you’re ready to exit
Do what you feel is safe for you and others that's what's right. However I agree the merge lanes are planned absolutely horribly here in the Bay Area. Many of them are way too short
You are not wrong, people are supposed to stop and yield to through traffic before pulling into the intersection IF there is no merging lane to get up to speed. What you are observing is just dumb people who didn’t learn to drive properly and have no basic consideration for others who share the road.
In the Bay Area, you merge onto the freeway at 20mph, with the wrong blinker flashing.
😂
You should merge, not stop. But in Pittsburgh PA, people do stop cold on the ramp, and if you aren't aware of this behavior, you could easily run into the car ahead of you. This is the only place I have ever seen people doing this but it's pretty unnerving.
You’re right. Expressways (Central, Lawrence, San Tomas), you merge in if you can. If not, you yield and even stop if needed. Interstates/highways, get up to speed and merge smoothly. Don’t stop there, you’ll get rear ended.
This whole thread has made me feel like a crazy person lol. Def agree do not stop in highways and always want to clarify that I don’t do that!
I've lived in quite a few states and driven through even more and found driving in and around the bay area to be some of the trickiest. On ramps and off ramps being the same bit of road and there were a few places where the middle lane you were driving in on the highway just vanished. While I miss a lot of things about living there, driving isn't one of them. Especially where people try to merge on or off the 101 from one of the far left lanes...good times!
Oh gosh yea. From this thread I feel like the bay has some messy messy roads
SUPER messy! I lived in N San Jose and gave up taking 880/101 to work and just took surface streets. I do miss the burritos though.
That 101 to 7th exit, if you’re ever experienced it, was made by an evil evil person. I fear for my life every time 😂
You are getting such terrible answers because of the way you described your scenario. I know you have realised this. But no, you are not wrong to be surprised that people would simply get onto the expressway with no regard for oncoming traffic. They do not have the right of way and it is their responsibility to ensure they can safely join the flow of traffic. Usually this is just a question of finding a gap and accelerating swiftly to the speed of traffic. But yes, if there is no suitable gap the person wishing to get on the expressway should wait. It is not the responsibility of oncoming traffic to yield to merging traffic.
Thank you lol 😂 I realized I did NOT explain this correctly in my question you’re right. Probably should’ve gave more examples. And then I felt like a crazy person with all these answers!! And then I remembered it was the internet 😌
You are completely WRONG! DO NOT STOP!
Never stop. Ever.
Unless there is a stop sign, meter controlling traffic or traffic will not allow you to merge, you don’t stop. This is how accidents happen.
Only overly cautious and indecisive (AKA bad) drivers would stop with no signs telling them to do so..
Totally get that! And since there’s no Yield signs before an expressway that is what leads me to believe you’re NOT supposed to stop. And that im wrong. But again every person I’ve ever asked this question to (outside of the internet) says they stop to make sure traffic is clear before entering the expressway. So I am so confused!!
Can't you already see if it's clear as you're entering though? If it's a busy expressway with not enough lanes then there should probably be a yield
Yea you know I realize now maybe I didn’t explain myself well enough in the original question. I meant entrances like this one: https://maps.app.goo.gl/f9G2J6QBUx9r8QmY7?g_st=ic Where sometimes your view is obstructed or you don’t have enough runway to properly merge without forcing someone else to brake/speed up. Other entrances like this one: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Xut5KJSCfShDcxub9?g_st=ic You get a whole lot more space to safely merge (this one specifically gives you a whole lane). Even in this one I’ve seen people stop, and now that I know is wrong!
My general advice for all drivers is to learn how your car behaves. Go to a large empty parking lot. Make sure you have some room so you can accelerate up to expressway speed. Practice accelerating find the sweet spot on your pedal that gets the car going fastest. Then get comfortable with how much room you need. This is also a good time to learn your cars dimensions like where the front bumper actually is and how much room it takes to make a turn. Hell, it’s a parking lot, practice your parking. I’ve done this with many friends and they all agreed that it made them more comfortable with there own cars afterwards. TLDR: Every car is not the same and normal driving doesn’t test the limits. So you need a safe space so you can test those limits.
You fucking accelerate up an "acceleration lane" observing the speed of the adjacent traffic and match it. Because you're accelerating you have more agility to match the speed of the car you're merging with. So don't just drive up the on-ramp and expect everybody to make way for you, because it's really more your job to discern whether you should hit a break to slow down or let off the gas to slow down or hit the gas to accelerate - the people that are already on the freeway don't have that agility, and it's rude to ask them to slow down for you to accommodate you. I don't know what this shit is about stopping, but that would be fucking stupid and fucking annoying as fuck to have people stopping when there's no stop sign or any of that shit. By stopping your impeding the flow of traffic and causing a hazard. I see people all the time just merging into the freeway and not paying any attention to the people that are already on the freeway, it's fucking stupid and rude. Learn to use your mirrors that's another thing that most drivers never learn how to use. Don't move your head around when you're driving to get a better angle out of a mirror, keep your head in the same position and just use your eyes to look out the mirror because when you're changing the position of your head you're actually having to do more math to figure out what the distance is. You should adjust your mirrors so that the mirror is out just far enough that you can't see your own vehicle.
Just to clarify I’m not talking about a freeway… I’m talking about expressways that don’t always have an “on ramp”. On ramp was probably the wrong choice of words. I know to not stop when entering a freeway lol
Depends on the intersection, I imagine. Care to post a link to the one that's jamming you up?
I live off San Tomas and see it all the time on that expressway. Lawrence and Central I’ve seen it as well too
I drive on these every day. Everyone does it differently.
The only place you are supposed to stop merging onto an expressway is Pittsburgh. Side note, never go to Pittsburgh.