Freeway onramp question

[cbadfam]

This is a Highway Patrol question ... in Carlsbad, CA there are several freeway onramps that are more like a traffic lane that eventually merges, instead of a standard onramp. These onramps seem to cause traffic congestion due to people not knowing how to use them. Are vehicles supposed to stay in the onramp lane until the lane finally merges on to the freeway? Or are vehicles supposed to merge on to the freeway at the earliest, safe possible time? These lanes are so frustrating - impatient drivers even use them as a way to speed ahead of traffic - completely not what they were designed for! I don't understand the logic behind these long freeway onramps. They were probably designed to allow better traffic flow, but in the cases I see, they make matters much worse. Can you shed some light on this issue? Thank you!

[Sgt. Slaughter]

I grew up in SoCal and learned to drive in downtown San Diego. I'm pretty sure that's covered in the driver's license manual. Have you checked?

[Samuel]

This is a Highway Patrol question ... in Carlsbad, CA there are several freeway onramps that are more like a traffic lane that eventually merges, instead of a standard onramp. These onramps seem to cause traffic congestion due to people not knowing how to use them. Are vehicles supposed to stay in the onramp lane until the lane finally merges on to the freeway? Or are vehicles supposed to merge on to the freeway at the earliest, safe possible time? These lanes are so frustrating - impatient drivers even use them as a way to speed ahead of traffic - completely not what they were designed for! I don't understand the logic behind these long freeway onramps. They were probably designed to allow better traffic flow, but in the cases I see, they make matters much worse. Can you shed some light on this issue? Thank you!

You can't merge until the pavement markings allow you to. As for the design of the onramps/freeways, you need to talk to DOT and/or CALTRANS.

[PapaBear]

Lane continuations from on ramps are known as acceleration lanes. They are generally long enough to allow a driver to accelerate to freeway speeds so a merge can be made safely and without interferring with traffic already on the freeway. Contrary to a misprint of the California Driver's Handbook back in the 60s and 70s, a vehicle entering the freeway DOES NOT have the right of way. Vehicles that are already within the extreme right hand lane of a freeway have the right of way.

You do not have to drive to the end of the lane to merge, you may merge at anytime after the lane becomes open - meaning there are no lines on the pavement to define the "gore point."

Just merge at freeway speeds after giving a signal of intent to merge.

Page 40 of the following document explains merging and changing lanes.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/dl600.pdf