Traffic entitlements
More feelings of roadway entitlements:
Is your time more valuable than my time? I ask because it never fails that when you have a highway with 4 lanes (think Brooklyn Queens Expressway - heading north (east if you ask them)) and the right two lanes go on as the BQE and the left two take you to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, people think nothing of driving along the right lane of the tunnel set and at the last moment jamming their way into the left lane of the BQE set. What happens then? We all get to slow down while the interloper cuts in front of us all. Now, it's not like just one idiot/high-and-mighty driver does it, no, a large contingent of we're-more-important-than-you folks does it.
So, knock it off will you? Just get in line like the rest of us did and we'll get along much better (and traffic will move much better if you and your ilk don't cut in front of us).
Other locations this happens: on the Grand Central at the exit for the BQE Southbound. Single exit lane, but cabs / limos, etc all drive up to the hash marks and cut in front of us. At Exit 7 off the Major Deagan, where the left lane is for the GWB and the right lane is for New England, invariably with the delays on the GWB, people zip up to the hash marks from the right lane and then cut into left lane.
The same problem exists at approaches to the toll plazas with EZ-Pass only lanes. The approach to the GWB from Rt 4 has the center lane as EZPass only. Last night (7/20/08) as I was in the lane, the car in front of me kept slowing down and staying far back from the car in front of him. Sure enough, as we got closer to the actual plaza, he cuts out of the lane and into the left lane. I am sure the people he cut off weren't too thrilled with him.
It would be great to see these people getting tickets, but depending on where incidents occur, it's difficult for the police to see them. In the meantime, to all the good drivers who follow the rules, just keep your car up close to the one in front and maybe to the left or to the right so that you can keep the baddies from cutting in. Do want you can to keep them from getting in.