Drivers entering on the ramp must maintain speed and merge into traffic. If the car behind this driver is tailgating then the car on the ramp must try to get ahead of the lead car, or else there will be a line of cars on the ramp unable to move because the lead car went to the end and stopped.
This driver either needs to gun the gas to get ahead of the car on the ramp, or to slow down (not “jam on the breaks) to let the car on the ramp go ahead.
This problem is not caused by the car(s) on the ramp, IMHO, it’s caused by the cars in the right line not leaving proper following distances, which makes it very difficult for cars entering the highway to merge, as they ought to be able to easily do. However, the lead car - the author in this case - can easily rectify that problem by slowing down. The tailgaters might get pissed off, but too bad for them, and that would be the right thing to do in that situation.
A lot of drivers are in an “entertainment bubble” - they are messing with the radio, or texting, etc. Some drivers tailgate even when there is plenty of room for the cars to be spread out. A lot of drivers don’t seem to look very far ahead at all. All they are aware of is the car immediately ahead of them that they are tailgating. Even if you drive fast (above the speed limit but still something safe) people will tailgate. Add to that oblivious people who drive slow in the left lane.
All this “speed up, slow down” stuff is great until my truck weighs 80,000# or 105,000# and the exit ramp speed is 25 mph with a stop in a few hundred feet. I do really appreciate folks who figure out what I have to do, but I have left many snowflakes stopped at the end of their on ramp wondering how they escaped death again. Politeness is sometimes limited by physics, there is only so much I can do. I really thank those who make life easier by being aware.
The worst ramps are the short ones that are both on and off at the same place, I think that’s what she is talking about in the OP. They do make it a little more thrilling.
And while I’m ranting... those cars that are the same color as the road, or darker, are hard to see on a nice day, add fog or rain and wet mirrors... you become invisible. Please drive with your lights on. It makes for a much more harmonious outcome.
Just one more thing. Fog/driving lights, in most states, are like high beams, to be off when approaching another car. They are painful after hours of night driving especially between one and five AM when most drivers are too dazed to dim the high beams. If you NEED fog lights on a beautiful moonlit night what are you going to need when it’s actually foggy?
Thanks, please share with your friends.
Here in the DC area there are two problems.
The first is what you described above. More times than not, I will match my speed to the traffic as I merge and find a safe opening. The vehicles in the travel lane will speed up and close off the opening where I was merging because they take offense at my merging in front of them.
The second is many merging vehicles will shoot all the way to the end of the ramp because they have to get ahead of as many cars as possible.
People around here all seem to have that Type A personality that makes them too competitive and makes them think their time and lives are more important than others so they refuse to merge properly. Yes, I spent my entire life planning to make that one merge that put me in front of them by one stinking car length. At least that is what they think.
You are correct.