Reading the Lincolnshire Echo in the Chinese take-away I came across an article about the traffic jams on Canwick Hill.
Apparently the problem is that drivers don't realise that they're meant to use both lanes, even when the right hand lane doesn't continue all the way into the city. It's the same coming out of the city over Pelham Bridge. Most people queue up and wait patiently in the left-hand lane, while a few carry on to the front of the right-hand lane. Then the left-hand lane queue isn't keen to let them push in when they run out of road and everyone's blood pressure goes up. No doubt for some who are already stressed out, tired and frustrated - it's the last straw. They explode into anger, shouting and swearing - inwardly if not outwardly. Which is probably even worse for their health.
Reading the article reminded me of a similar situation when I used to commute to work. The worst part of the journey was the point when two lanes of traffic were reduced to one. Inevitably the majority of drivers kept to the left hand lane and queued, and the queue backed up round the roundabout and blocked other traffic as well. And, equally inevitably, a minority zoomed up in the right hand lane, overtook the queue and forced their way in at the front.
And so it went on until someone in the traffic department put up a couple of new signs. The first said: "Use both lanes". The second said: "Please merge in turn" and suddenly the problem was solved. From then on drivers used both lanes, the queue no longer backed up round the roundabout, drivers took turns to move into the single lane - and no doubt everyone had a better day.
But what a shame it took someone else to tell us that we needed to share and take turns. What a shame we couldn't have worked that out for ourselves. The second great commandment: love your neighbour as you love yourself. At home. At work. On the road.
I guess we do still need someone to tell us!
Love Lorna
Apparently the problem is that drivers don't realise that they're meant to use both lanes, even when the right hand lane doesn't continue all the way into the city. It's the same coming out of the city over Pelham Bridge. Most people queue up and wait patiently in the left-hand lane, while a few carry on to the front of the right-hand lane. Then the left-hand lane queue isn't keen to let them push in when they run out of road and everyone's blood pressure goes up. No doubt for some who are already stressed out, tired and frustrated - it's the last straw. They explode into anger, shouting and swearing - inwardly if not outwardly. Which is probably even worse for their health.
Reading the article reminded me of a similar situation when I used to commute to work. The worst part of the journey was the point when two lanes of traffic were reduced to one. Inevitably the majority of drivers kept to the left hand lane and queued, and the queue backed up round the roundabout and blocked other traffic as well. And, equally inevitably, a minority zoomed up in the right hand lane, overtook the queue and forced their way in at the front.
And so it went on until someone in the traffic department put up a couple of new signs. The first said: "Use both lanes". The second said: "Please merge in turn" and suddenly the problem was solved. From then on drivers used both lanes, the queue no longer backed up round the roundabout, drivers took turns to move into the single lane - and no doubt everyone had a better day.
But what a shame it took someone else to tell us that we needed to share and take turns. What a shame we couldn't have worked that out for ourselves. The second great commandment: love your neighbour as you love yourself. At home. At work. On the road.
I guess we do still need someone to tell us!
Love Lorna
