I wouldn't say they are toys but they are another vehicle on the road. I would say that if you expect a little respect from those around you it's pretty easy to assume that you should really give a little respect too. Me me me behaviour is not really about respect and sadly quite a few people today seem to think it's entirely reasonable to behave this way then get upset when it bites them in the ***.
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Tricks for beating traffic
- Thread starter Corsara
- Start date
JFD
Well-known member
No offense but this mentality is the reason why traffic jams happen.
All traffic slows whenever merging happens...
So if you're in 'the flow', and ppl are merging on...you're slowing down. If you jump out to join those that are merging only to pass like 4 cars in the process, you just added to it.
People don't understand the zipper principle...one merge, one flow, one merge, one flow....you start getting people cutting off flowing traffic for whatever bizarre reasons are in their heads, and forces the flow to slow down even more.
Traffic would be substantially less, i imagine, if people would simply wait their turn in line and not be the ****** who feels they're entitled to bypass.
All traffic slows whenever merging happens...
So if you're in 'the flow', and ppl are merging on...you're slowing down. If you jump out to join those that are merging only to pass like 4 cars in the process, you just added to it.
People don't understand the zipper principle...one merge, one flow, one merge, one flow....you start getting people cutting off flowing traffic for whatever bizarre reasons are in their heads, and forces the flow to slow down even more.
Traffic would be substantially less, i imagine, if people would simply wait their turn in line and not be the ****** who feels they're entitled to bypass.
Here at GTAM almost guaranteed when a topic like this comes up.
Just do what you have to do. Keep yourself safe, don't endanger other traffic participants. Take advantage that you are riding two wheel vehicle weighing less than 500lbs .... otherwise what's the point of riding the bike??? It cannot be fun be stuck in traffic full of large metal.
I understand the zipper principle and play by the rule when others are merging into my lane. But in GTA the zipper has huge and I mean huge holes because people leave way too much space. If I was waiting, the merging lane would be jammed. It's a nonsense, to not speed up and fill the hole up (if you have a vehicle to do it). Nobody is hurt, it's a win win proposition. If you think it's rude, oh well, I have done worse things in my life ... LOL
Deimos
Well-known member
My strategy is to live closer to work, like <5km, suburbia be damned.
In city streets, I use the right lane where cars are parked to get past traffic, honk my horn to let drivers know and go SLOOOOW. Other than that, I die everyday when I see a space my bike can fit in to get out of congestion but otherwise too risky/illegal to do.
In city streets, I use the right lane where cars are parked to get past traffic, honk my horn to let drivers know and go SLOOOOW. Other than that, I die everyday when I see a space my bike can fit in to get out of congestion but otherwise too risky/illegal to do.
ABadjusterrider_5
Well-known member
Althought I know it may not be an option at times, however I drive a pick-up truck when I am not out on my bike ( I profusely apologize for not posting pics, this will follow soon) I sometimes take side roads, and side streets. Residental roads are slower speed limits but often less travelled. Quite frankly I would rather take side roads and streets and be moving, then camped somewhere with the hope of going fast. I agree with the OP that sitting under a hot sun getting goof can suck. So, if I travel a route often enough (Say from richmond hill to Mississauga) I'll sit at work on google maps and learn alternate routes to work in case someone on my morning drive has an oh **** moment and snarles traffic from here to eternity.
I don't do it and don't really like when other's do, but don't lose any sleep over it either. I only have two tips for getting through traffic with less hassle: in general stay in the right lanes as almost everyone goes to the middle or left lanes immediately on getting on the highway so staying right as long as possible generally is a faster strategy. The other thing I do is avoid the highways as much as practical. I'd rather spend 10 extra mintues riding down a secondary road in the country than 5 mintues stuck in trafic on a highway.
A little side note: one thing that defines Canadians is that we hate it when other people get ahead of us. Canadians will do almost anything to prevent someone else from getting ahead of them. You have to do what the crowd does and if you do something to get ahead the mindset is that you should be smacked down.
..Tom
A little side note: one thing that defines Canadians is that we hate it when other people get ahead of us. Canadians will do almost anything to prevent someone else from getting ahead of them. You have to do what the crowd does and if you do something to get ahead the mindset is that you should be smacked down.
..Tom
If you are in a merging lane or onramp then go right to the end before merging. That is the most efficient (zipper) method. Early mergers cause a 3 to 1 merge, whereas going to the end allows a 1 to 1 merge. Use service roads and parallel routes when there is volume of traffic. There was an invention in the 1850's to prevent overheating, but some motorcycle technology isn't there yet. Using less used roads even when there are lights can prevent overheating problems. Coming from the west-end of the city, I would take Lake Shore over the Gardiner, unless the Exhibition was on. From the east I would take Eastern Avenue. It would take about the same amount of time, but was a less stressful ride. Leave earlier, like others said traffic has set times when it is at it's max. It used to be that at 7 am you could get to work quickly and be able to leave at 3.
As far as passing using the onramp is concerned, you're obligating yourself to safely merge into the onramp traffic, roll along with them, and then safely merge back into the main traffic, during the most dangerous time for executing that maneuver. All to do what? Get there 15 seconds faster? Half an hour? There are much safer ways to get somewhere faster. Have I done it? Of course, I have. I saw all the cabbies sweeping into the right hand lane on the Gardiner WB near Spadina, and thought that a new lane opened up, half a kilometre later, it merged back. I've also had bikes split me using that lane 60'+ in the air to get 5 car lengths ahead. I don't consider the risk to be worth the reward.
As far as passing using the onramp is concerned, you're obligating yourself to safely merge into the onramp traffic, roll along with them, and then safely merge back into the main traffic, during the most dangerous time for executing that maneuver. All to do what? Get there 15 seconds faster? Half an hour? There are much safer ways to get somewhere faster. Have I done it? Of course, I have. I saw all the cabbies sweeping into the right hand lane on the Gardiner WB near Spadina, and thought that a new lane opened up, half a kilometre later, it merged back. I've also had bikes split me using that lane 60'+ in the air to get 5 car lengths ahead. I don't consider the risk to be worth the reward.
That's very true if I drive on the highway I always observe the zipper principle and try not to care about people getting ahead. But if my GF is in the car I get "don't let this guy in" but when I ask why she can't give me a good reason. People need to chill out ...maann ......:agave:
Griffin
Well-known member
I'm like the OP. No one on the road is more important than me. I have a right to use any means available to me to get ahead of everyone else. I slalom through traffic with no signals (don't want anyone to know where I might be heading so they can't block me). I use hand signals like pointing at the driver and showing them my palm to get people to slow up so I can dart in front of them. But, the most effective is I just split and filter and move ahead. If I'm gonna tempt the cops to come after me I might as well get some good mileage out of it, as opposed to just using the onramp to gain a couple of hundred yards. The risk is the same -a 172 charge.
It is not legal as you can get a ticket for using the ramps to advance through traffic.
I usually move to the right lane and block to the right, so that I can keep people who use the off-ramps as passing lanes from slowing down traffic.
To Griffin: you are very funny and smart, bravo! (i guess that's what you want to hear)
But how do you know if somebody is using the on-ramps as a passing lane and not just genuinely merging to the highway? Are you blocking all people trying to get on the highway?! I don't get it.
I'm the OP btw, and in general, point taken, I got it: using the on-ramps to advance increases my personal risk, and is also not legal. These two things, taken separately or together, are enough for me to stop doing that. However, going with the crowd is not my style, and if there is a legal and not endangering anybody way to get ahead, by all means---I'll use it, and won't give a dime what some of the posters in this thread think about me doing that. Cheers
But how do you know if somebody is using the on-ramps as a passing lane and not just genuinely merging to the highway? Are you blocking all people trying to get on the highway?! I don't get it.
I'm the OP btw, and in general, point taken, I got it: using the on-ramps to advance increases my personal risk, and is also not legal. These two things, taken separately or together, are enough for me to stop doing that. However, going with the crowd is not my style, and if there is a legal and not endangering anybody way to get ahead, by all means---I'll use it, and won't give a dime what some of the posters in this thread think about me doing that. Cheers
To Griffin: you are very funny and smart, bravo! (i guess that's what you want to hear)
But how do you know if somebody is using the on-ramps as a passing lane and not just genuinely merging to the highway? Are you blocking all people trying to get on the highway?! I don't get it.
I'm the OP btw, and in general, point taken, I got it: using the on-ramps to advance increases my personal risk, and is also not legal. These two things, taken separately or together, are enough for me to stop doing that. However, going with the crowd is not my style, and if there is a legal and not endangering anybody way to get ahead, by all means---I'll use it, and won't give a dime what some of the posters in this thread think about me doing that. Cheers
How? By doing what everyone else should be doing; watching my rearviews. I'm aware of what's going on around me and see people, when they move from the traffic lane to the merge lane.
I get home from work about 10 minutes faster when riding my bike, compared to driving my car, just by taking advantage of the bike's greater manoeuvrability and small size.
That's what slows down traffic even more when you're genuinely using the merging lane and the people to the left of you won't let you in. But that's the mentality of GTA drivers no one shall get ahead of me unless you can force your way. Go figure why they always get angry at being cut-off.
Fair enough. Though my instinct tells me I should be keeping a closer look to the brakelights in front of me, much rather than serving justice to violators.. Also, I think longer on-ramps would be difficult to keep an eye on the way you describe it (100m+).
Hmm...I thought the outcome of this thread was going towards the conclusion that bikes and cars should be equal in traffic. Then, would you mind sharing the tricks you do that result in this 10 minute gain?
to beat traffic, plan ahead and try to travel during off-peak hours. If possible ask your boss if you could work a 6:30AM to 2:30PM shift.
"Some impatient drivers are using highway on-ramp acceleration lanes and off-ramp deceleration lanes to advance their position in heavy traffic, much to the chagrin of other motorists." read more here:
http://www.wheels.ca/columns/article/795510
"Some impatient drivers are using highway on-ramp acceleration lanes and off-ramp deceleration lanes to advance their position in heavy traffic, much to the chagrin of other motorists." read more here:
http://www.wheels.ca/columns/article/795510
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