Etiquette of letting someone in

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

Alright, so you're in a bumper-to-bumper, merging lanes, traffic jam type situation. Maybe you're on the highway and there's an accident or road construction or you live in Southern California, maybe you're leaving a sporting event or concert. Someone lets you into their lane and you're now in the lane that's moving. You come to a point where another guy wants in and you could let him in. What's the play, assuming you're motivated by more than selfishness and aren't going to just not let the guy in because you want to get through asap?

Do you:
a) Let the guy in? Someone was nice enough to let you in and it's your turn to return the favor for someone else who's in your same position.

or

b) Don't let the guy in. The guy behind you just let you in and now you're going to go on letting everyone in ahead of you? He did you a favor and now you're [censored] him over?

[Matty]

Depends on the driver, car and my mood. SUVs never get in.

Overall I'd say I let the guy in about 40% of the time. Limited to one or maybe two cars though.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

Also, I missed a poll question, but didn't want to go back and do it over again. If you let the guy in, do you only let him in, or do you let more in? Is it one every once in a while, or is it pretty much everyone?

[[censored]]

I will let one in, and one only. The exception is if it's one those deals where a lane is ending that has been advertised well in advance and some yahoo decides he is too cool for school and drives all the way to where the lane ends instead of getting over earlier like everyone else. I will get in an accident before he/she gets in.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

[ QUOTE ]
I will let one in, and one only. The exception is if it's one those deals where a lane is ending that has been advertised well in advance and some yahoo decides he is too cool for school and drives all the way to where the lane ends instead of getting over earlier like everyone else. I will get in an accident before he/she gets in.

[/ QUOTE ]
Exactly. I hate those fuckers. I'll usually cut them off by hanging out half in my lane and half in the other one. You have to be careful about that one, though, because if there's another lane on the other side, you could be leaving an in for someone to come wedge you out. I don't even know how many times I wished I was driving my old shitass car so that I could just hold my ground sometimes and let the assholes hit me (in these and other situations).

[jdl22]

I agree with censored here.

While we disagree on a lot of things, such as the entertainment value of cow tipping, since we both possess an Oregon drivers license our opinion on matters of driving should be given higher weight than those unfortunate enough to be from states whose drivers are less informed.

[Jakesta]

[ QUOTE ]
SUVs never get in.
.

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you let Caddys in?

[jason_t]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree with censored here.

While we disagree on a lot of things, such as the entertainment value of cow tipping, since we both possess an Oregon drivers license our opinion on matters of driving should be given higher weight than those unfortunate enough to be from states whose drivers are less informed.

[/ QUOTE ]

You can't pump your own gas. You don't deserve our respect on driving matters.

[Matty]

Yes, it's not a matter of how expensive a car is- just a matter of how obnoxious it is.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

SUVs also have a lower chance of getting in ahead of me than the average car.

[Los Feliz Slim]

[ QUOTE ]
The exception is if it's one those deals where a lane is ending that has been advertised well in advance

[/ QUOTE ]

This is perhaps my #1 pet peeve, and that is saying something. It goes double for the people who swing into the right lane every chance they get, despite the fact there might be cars parked a block ahead. I generally try to stick exactly next to them, so they can't decide whether to speed up and pass me or slow down and cut off the guy behind me. I've made a decision that if I ever REALLY confuse somone with this maneuver and they crash into the parked car and die, I won't lose any sleep. They deserved it.

However, this also got me chased by a psycho once. So while I used to stare at them with a big smile, now I just look forward or play with the radio and pretend I have no idea what's going on.

[Jakesta]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes, it's not a matter of how expensive a car is- just a matter of how obnoxious it is.

[/ QUOTE ]

I really don't understand why people own SUVs. My problem is not with the poor fuel economy(I drive a car with poor fuel economy), but with the fact that it really sucks parking between two of those monsters. It makes it really hard to pull out of a spot safely. And it's impossible to see over them in traffic. I also sometimes see just one person in them. That is ridiculous.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Yes, it's not a matter of how expensive a car is- just a matter of how obnoxious it is.

[/ QUOTE ]

I really don't understand why people own SUVs. My problem is not with the poor fuel economy(I drive a car with poor fuel economy), but with the fact that it really sucks parking between two of those monsters. It makes it really hard to pull out of a spot safely. And it's impossible to see over them in traffic. I also sometimes see just one person in them. That is ridiculous.

[/ QUOTE ]
But you can see so much better because you sit high up in the air!

[jdl22]

well played, however I live in Pennsylvania so I can pump my own gas. I'm obviously amazing when it come to driving matters, combining the book smarts of being from Oregon with the street smarts of living outside of Oregon and New Jersey.

[Jakesta]

You can sit up higher in a minivan, too. And it's not nearly as obnoxious. I don't think most SUV drivers take their babies off-road or anything. I think I agree with you though.

[[censored]]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Yes, it's not a matter of how expensive a car is- just a matter of how obnoxious it is.

[/ QUOTE ]

I really don't understand why people own SUVs. My problem is not with the poor fuel economy(I drive a car with poor fuel economy), but with the fact that it really sucks parking between two of those monsters. It makes it really hard to pull out of a spot safely. And it's impossible to see over them in traffic. I also sometimes see just one person in them. That is ridiculous.

[/ QUOTE ]

These don't seem to be problems with owning a SUV but with not owning one. I won't be losing any sleep over your obstructed view.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

[ QUOTE ]
You can sit up higher in a minivan, too. And it's not nearly as obnoxious. I don't think most SUV drivers take their babies off-road or anything. I think I agree with you though.

[/ QUOTE ]
No, they roll their SUVs going around any significant turn. It sucks when I'm driving my WRX on some twisty, fun to drive road in the mountains and get stuck behind some behemoth who can't go over 25mph without fear of rolling or just veering off the road. It's not that I've gotta be screaming through there like an [censored], but I would like to at least be able to enjoy the drive at more than 25mph.

[Jakesta]

Look, I'm not saying you shouldn't be allowed to own one, and I'm not saying that you should lose sleep over it. It is just my opinion that there is almost no point to owning an SUV, besides the fact that it is seen as a status symbol.

[Jakesta]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You can sit up higher in a minivan, too. And it's not nearly as obnoxious. I don't think most SUV drivers take their babies off-road or anything. I think I agree with you though.

[/ QUOTE ]
No, they roll their SUVs going around any significant turn. It sucks when I'm driving my WRX on some twisty, fun to drive road in the mountains and get stuck behind some behemoth who can't go over 25mph without fear of rolling or just veering off the road.

[/ QUOTE ]

My dad drives an WRX. He bought the 2004 wagon stick and he absolutely loves it. He hates SUVs as well. It is a great car. I will probably buy one when I get out of college. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

FYI, I always let one car in in front of me, regardless of the type(SUV, sedan, etc.). But not more than one, or else they'll all want to go.