Q: I was traveling south on Interstate 580 in Oakland one evening about 8 p.m., just past the Highway 13 intersection, when three cars passed at a very high speed. They were loud, and blurs as they sped by. The drivers were shifting lanes quickly and coming dangerously close to other cars. There seems to be an escalation of risk-taking on the open roads.
Keith Scott, Milpitas
A: I agree with you about the increase in risky behavior on roads. In addition, after three people were killed earlier this week on 101 in Sunnyvale as they stood alongside the road following the first of several crashes, I must point out the dangers for people who are in a collision. Try to get off the freeway entirely while still in your vehicle. Stay in your car while waiting for help to arrive.
Q: I work in Milpitas and take the 680 exit on Landess Avenue. Many times on a ramp, you can be looking for cars merging from the left and find that drivers ahead of you have just STOPPED in the merge lane, waiting for traffic to pass before they will move on. I was getting off 880 one day to go west at Tennyson and there is a sharp curve in the ramp. I was looking left and a driver had STOPPED in front of me.
What should I have done?
Devinder Shoker
A: Expect the unexpected when merging. The DMV Drivers Handbook is one resource that provides good merging guidance. Highway traffic has the right-of-way when merging.
When you are entering a highway:
- Make sure you’re in the proper on-ramp lane.
- Get up to or near the speed of the traffic you are merging into.
- Do not stop on the ramp unless absolutely necessary.
- Merge into highway traffic when safe to do so.
- Turn your head quickly to look over your shoulder before merging into traffic.
- Leave three seconds of space between you and the vehicle in front of you so that you can stop safely.
- Do not cross solid lines when merging.
- If you need to cross several lanes, signal and cross each lane, one at a time.
- Check your blind spots for vehicles, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
When you are exiting a highway:
- Know your exit and be aware of when you’re near it.
- If you plan to change lanes to get to the exit lane, change lanes one at a time.
- Signal and look over your shoulder to check your blind spots.
- When in the proper lane, signal five seconds, or approximately 400 feet, before you exit.
- Make sure you are driving at a safe speed to exit.
- Do not cross any solid lines when exiting.
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