Weaving in and out of traffic while driving – just how bad is it?

Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 5:36 pm

This seems to be a universally accepted truth on driving and automotive forums. Whenever people admit they were driving higher than speed limit, they almost inevitably rush to inform everybody that at least they did not weave in and out of traffic. If some driver is reckless enough to admit he changed lanes during his street race, he gets bashed really hard by those same people who would praise him otherwise for a “nice kill”. This makes the act of changing lanes several times in a row looking like the horrendous misdeed that even such habitual traffic law breakers as chronic speeders and street racers strive to avoid.

This really puzzled me, when I started to read automotive forums. Why? Because I ALWAYS do this. When I'm driving, I always constantly change lanes, striving to occupy the best possible position on the road for the current moment. And you know what? I do not have many driving accidents. In fact, I do not have at fault accidents at all for many years, and I really cannot remember when I had the last accident (if any) related to me changing lanes.

Stop, I think I recalled one. This was probably 1994 or 1995 in Moscow. I was driving behind some old dude in the left lane a few miles below the speed limit for quite some time (a couple of minutes may be? Wink

) without any opportunity to pass on the right. I was quite impatient back then. When the window opened finally, I was soooo annoyed already, and in turn I wanted to piss the dude off really bad by cutting in front of him. I miscalculated and hit the corner of his front bumper with my rear blinker.

Well, I got a scratch on my blinker, his bumper was intact I think, and this was the latest of my driving accidents at least remotely related to the matter. I wouldn’t really say that this accident happened because of me weaving in and out of traffic while driving, I think it happened because of me getting unjustifiably angry of this old man and demanding revenge and miscalculating my moves as a result.

So, what is the deal with lane changing? I really do not see any problem with this whatsoever when done properly, and my experience supports this point of view. I tried to find any statistical data on accidents related to lane changing, and failed. Would someone be so kind as to open my eyes on the matter, if at all possible?

New member Joined: Dec 26, 2006 Posts: 2

Ive heard of accidents from switching lanes due to people not paying attention. There was a video of it somewhere actually where a car was merging from an on ramp to the freeway, and another car slammed the side of it causing it to go off the highway and flip. The car that hit the merging car kept going. To the best of my knowledge they never caught the guy.

But when it comes to switching lanes at high speeds, its a matter of experience. You dont get in a car and do 95 automatically. You work your way up to it. Driving is about instinct, and if something feels right go with it. The second you get that feeling in your gut like, 'im not gonna make this' or 'this isnt right' slow down til it feels right then proceed. in 2004 i had 2 license suspensions for points, one for a reckless driving(resulting in an at fault accident). In the last 2 years i havent had one ticket, although ive been pulled over for minor things(im used to driving used cars, so when i got my 06 sierra, the fog lights were on, and headlights automatically come on but i had shut them off and forgot to turn them back on) just simple stuff not resulting in tickets. Anyway back on topic, safe lane changing is a mandatory at any rate of speed. The faster you go the more you have to calculate the distance between you and the car in front of you and time of passing and distance between you and the car your merging in front of. If this is done correctly, youll be fine. Dont EVER cut it close, because all it takes is for the guy in front of you to tap his brakes and it all over for you, the car that tapped his brakes, and the guy right behind you.

Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 12:43 am

While I mostly agree to you, I still do not see why "weaving in and out of traffic" is such a scarecrow on forums. Changing lanes does not really stand out for me from other components of driving.

BTW, in the accident you described, escaped driver was technically innocent, because the vehicle entering a road from ramp has to yield to the traffic. You know, I got an impression that many drivers in US think they have a right of way in this situation, when in reality this is just a courtesy of other drivers. I do not think it is a good idea to count on courtesy when highway speeds are involved.

New member Joined: Apr 07, 2009 Posts: 8

'Undertaking' is illegal here in the UK (passing a car on the left - so in the right for you guys)

That said I see no inherent reason for it being dangerous, although it requires you to be more aware of what is going on around you, and the evidence I see every day is that people are less aware!

So if it is done properly, it is safe. If it is done without paying proper attention, or when sharing the road with idiots, then it might be a problem.

Unfortunately it seems a lot of people I share the road with are idiots, and a lot of them don't pay attention, so I'm happy you can't do it here legally - although I do it sometimes as we have an awful lot of drivers here who stick to the middle lane on a three lane motorway (highway.) If you are leaving the motorway naturally you need to be in the left lane (right for you) so if you come across someone ambling along in the middle lane you can choose to either undertake, slow down, or pull across three lanes, overtake them, and pull back across three lanes. Depending on my mood, the traffic and our relative speeds I use all three methods - although as I say strictly the first option (undertake) in not legal here.

Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 8:24 am

I think we are on the same page with you here IB Smile

And yes, passing on the right(UK left) is illegal here too - and in fact it is illegal in every country I happened to drive, probably exactly because it does require a bit more awareness than average driver can manage Smile

New member Joined: Apr 07, 2009 Posts: 8

I didn't realise it was illegal in the US too - is that everywhere, or just some states?

Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 1:46 pm

I believe it is all over the place - but don't take my word for it, cause every state has its own legislation. It is not a total prohibition, like you can pass to the right the car that makes a left turn, but the laws are worded like - it is prohibited except for such and such cases...