I don't know about anyone else, but I am sick & tired of all those people AND trucks flying off the 70 exit onto 81 at Halfway Blvd. They act like everyone traveling on 81 MUST move over for them whether or not we can! I always try to get over even though I am almost always getting off at Halfway Blvd. We get muscled over and then have to practically play bumper cars to get off the exit.

My question is this. Is it going to take a horrible accident to get the police to moniter this situation at least loccassionally??? You have traffic merging from 70 east & west and I never hard;y ever see anyone actually yeild, have you????

This is becoming worse everyday!!! Please someone do something about this before its too late!!

The problem isn't the trucks it's the inadequate merge lane. And the rude out of staters travelling north on I-81.

I don't know how many times I've nearly gotten sideswiped by out-of-state, redneck West Virginia hillbillies in their "beater cars" who would rather run me off the road than allow anyone to merge in front of them. One of these days I'll get me a beater car of my own to even the odds and then we can play bumper cars.

I would be one of them. People on I-81 have the right of way. I hate idiots that think they own the road and think people should stop for them to merge.

Correct, those on I-81 have the right of way. Those coming off of 70 have to slow down quite a bit in order to make sure the coast is clear to merge...and there isn't much of a merge area there, but you can't just fly off of 70 expecting someone on 81 to slow down or stop to let you in!

BMIC,

Why sooooo prejudice against what you call "hillbilies" and just to stay on topic, I'll add "drivers"!

Your posts seem to always target "hillbilies" and are soooooo mean spirited.
What's the chip on the shoulder (of the road!) from???

It makes him feel good about himself, checkingin.

Having the right of way doesn't give you an excuse for being an a**hole and assaulting people with your motor vehicle...

Don't even get me started on our unfriendly visitors from the hill country.

Yoss, just STFU I'm not talking to you.

But you are talking to me B. You forget? I'm a mod.

'sides, I was replying to checkingin's post....

Sorry BMIC, but I am one of those "hillbillies" you are referring to, and it is pretty insulting to say the least!
I live practically in MD myself, and believe me you have NO ROOM TO TALK about hillbillies, you have just as many over there!! I myself, am not a "hillbilly", and I always move to the left lane when I can, if for no other reason than than the fact that I know that I will be forced to whether or not I can.

You are probably one of those people who think you have the right of way to fly onto 81 from 70 without even a look!!!

Yes, the merge lanes are ridiculous, but that is no excuse!!! If you are coming off 70, you need to look and yield BEFORE entering. And NO its not only the trucks. It is almost like a race for some people and there is going to be a bad accident very soon. If you think I am an "a**hole and hillbilly", I couldn't care less, and I for one don't like being "assaulted" by you drivers acting like you are NASCAR drivers coming off 70!!!!!

B,
I AM picking on you this time - please clearly identify your beater car as being yours. If I happen to be coming up to that merge area (not likely, but it's nice to dream), I'd be glad to hold my ground and run your too-big-for-your-britches butt off of the road! I'll be the gray-haired gramma in the 1960's-era hunk of steel with a frame.

What would you like in the way of payment?

The problem is a design one. I-70 does not have an adequate merge lane onto I-81. The folks on I-81 have the ROW. What part of Yield do you not understand??? If it is safe to merge into traffic you can, if it is not, you may have to (horrors!) stop before you proceed.

Stopping on the interstate sounds like suicide to me.

It is not just 81 and 70 that have problems. But I will say the most aggravating problem are the people who do not know when they are getting on the highway that the "yield" sign mean just that. It is not meant as a decoration dumba$$ it means you do not have the right of way you must slow down or even stop if you have to.

I cannot count the number of times when I am getting off of 70 onto 40 that people just blow out on the highway and almost hit me. Then add to the fact most of the morons who usually can't walk and chew gum are also on their cell phones. GRRRRRR

That is my little rant for the day.

Tony

No, y'all are right - it's a design problem. Of course, when that interchange was designed, there weren't nearly as many cars/trucks on the road, and people were kinder, gentler, and much less harried.

It could be corrected if you're willing to withstand the road construction. For a sample of what you might encounter, take a look at the DC news on most Friday nights when they've got either the Wilson Bridge or 95 blocked off for construction.

Getting onto 81N from Salem Ave. is scary to me. It has a nice long ramp to get up to speed with a yield at the end of it. I try to look at the traffic I'll be merging into as I begin the run up, but there are times I do have to stop there. Then I worry about getting rear ended by some goober who doesn't realize that I'm stopped and how on earth I'm going to get my little 4 cylinder into 75mph traffic from a dead stop.

Man you aint kiddin' about that exchange. Woulda been blindsided there myself if I hadnt been forewarned. Very serious situation indeed. Notifying the Herald-Mail is a good place to start. I know I'd keep escalating the official ante - contact the proper authorities and agencies. Lawyers will tell ya the Feds have the ultimate jurisdiction - it being interstate commerce and all. Prolly take a while for a final resolution what with the traffic analysis, site survey and environmental impact assessment that needs be untertaken. Stand firm, dont flinch and demand an answer.

The ramp from 81N to 70E is where I have seen the most idiots try to ram their way onto 70, traffic be darned.

At least we seem to agree that there's a design problem.

As for having the right of way, I still contend that merging is a joint responsibility and everyone needs to give a little or there'll be a lot more blood on the highways. If you intentionally ram somebody because you have the right of way, I say you've got a serious problem and will eventually get into some serious trouble!

Beyond, the obvious legal aspect, a lot of it boils down to repsect and common courtesy. If you see someone wanting to enter the lane. Move over if you can instead of being all, "I'm not gonna move over for this chump. He has the yield." And if you are the one entering the lane, signal your intentions, look before you leap, and realize that, yes, you may just have to stop. Unlike the interstate lane you are driving on, respect is a two way street, and this world needs a lot more of it...especially on the roads.