Everyone has an opinion when learning to drive. Some people are afraid of going higher (forward), others have difficulty parking, but there are many people who find parallel traffic the biggest challenge.
from one lane to another
Parallel traffic is when you can drive in the same direction on several lanes. These road sections can be found in cities, and of course highways and motorways are considered as well. Where there are two or more lanes, in the rarest of cases we have the opportunity to drive in the same lane from the entrance to the exit. In such cases, you have to switch, but this is not always the easiest maneuver for everyone.
The worst thing about the whole thing is that we have to give way when changing lanes. There is no stopping or slowing down like at intersections, here everything has to be done on the go.
The intention and its significance: the index
Let’s review a lane change route made on an ordinary parallel road segment. The first is the birth of intention. If we realize we need to change lanes, we hope we already know whether we want to move to our right or our left. Our first task is to inform other road users of our intentions, and this is what the turn signal is for, which, contrary to urban legends, can even be found on BMW models.
What is happening around us?
So we have finished turning on the turn signal in the right direction, now we can assess the traffic situation. Anyone who has not yet properly observed what is happening on the road is at a disadvantage, because he must evaluate all directions now. A good driver scans traffic all the way and, perhaps we can say, starts the maneuver himself when he shows the best possible attitude.
It is very important that we not only have to accurately assess the traffic in the lane we want to turn the car into, but we also have to monitor the traffic behind us, in case a car zigzags towards us before passing, and it is also important to watch the people in front of us, so that the line does not stop while we are looking in the mirror. It is worth adding here that you should look not only specifically at the driver in front, but also at the expected traffic flow in the next 10-20 seconds: the light changes, or what is happening 30-50 meters ahead. The same is important for the other lane, which we’re trying to get to, because if we had to hit the vice brake there after a lane change, we’d easily ruin our day, because the lane version can take a long time.
dead space
Unfortunately, you can’t see everything from a car’s mirrors. There are areas around the vehicle that can only be properly inspected by turning your head and looking there. We can not be lazy to check this, but drivers with a blind spot monitoring system have some advantages here.
Before you start changing lanes, be very careful not to move the steering wheel while searching and cataloging, because that only comes after you are convinced of the right conditions: now.
carefully but firmly
If everything is given, then there is nothing left but to move our car from one lane to another. You should not rush or make sudden movements here either, but prolonged maneuvers should also be avoided. The lane change should be completed within 3-5 seconds.
So, if the conditions are right, let’s start maneuvering right away. Avoid a long trickle on the dotted line, if possible, get exactly in the middle of the other track!
Don’t change lanes if you don’t have to
Everyone has seen zigzagging drivers on multi-lane roads. How often are they willing to change lanes just to get ahead a few feet. On the one hand, this feature does not work in most cases, and on the other hand, KRESZ specifically prohibits this behavior: “However, it is forbidden to change lanes of traffic frequently within a short distance – in order to move forward faster, thereby inconveniencing road users.”
A change of lanes is often necessary when it is not possible to go in the direction we want from the lane we are on. Another typical case is, for example, if we are faster in our lane than the one in front of us, or if we have to avoid a car with a technical malfunction, our lane simply disappears, or becomes a bus lane, for example.
You can prepare for it
I don’t mean that you have to practice, but if you have to change lanes because of an unexpected obstacle, in the vast majority of cases you can tell in advance, based on road signs, that this is coming. Of course, this is only true if you are driving at or below the speed limit for a section of road, as the distance to warning signs is determined based on this.
Signs indicating the classification order and warning of lane closures (eg lane closures) as well as warning arrows painted on the road surface notify drivers in good time that a lane change will be necessary.
And finally, some etiquette
As a lane changer, in addition to following the rules, it is important that if someone facilitates our maneuver, we thank them in some form. We can flash the emergency flash two or three times, and if it’s also visible from behind, we can raise our hand, and if the window is closed, we can wave ‘thank you’ there too.
And if we see that they are trying to enter our lane, we must help our fellow drivers by slowing down a bit, and provide him with the right conditions for manoeuvring. According to applicable customs, entry is indicated by a short blink of the main beam, but be careful, this is true in Hungary, but elsewhere it can mean the exact opposite.
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