Driving a class A, YIKES!

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RTsRV said:
I'd like to mention in Wisconsin (maybe other states) the cars entering from access ramps have the right of way and you on the main roadway must yield to them.  It would be a good idea to check the laws of the states you intend to visit.
In any case, I move over when I see traffic coming down the ramps and merging with our lane.  That can save me from slowing down and losing momentum.

RTsRV
I do not believe this is true. A Google search produced this:

Eau Claire (Wisconsin State Patrol) - When you merge from a ramp onto a multiple-lane freeway or expressway, it certainly helps when drivers on the main highway move over a lane so you can get into the flow of traffic more easily.  But are drivers on the main freeway required by law to change lanes and provide a clear path for merging vehicles?

"As a matter of courtesy and safety, we encourage drivers on multiple lane highways to change lanes if possible or adjust their speed so that merging vehicles can get into the traffic flow quickly. However, drivers merging from a ramp onto a highway should be aware that vehicles on the main freeway have the right-of-way and are not legally required to move over," says  Captain Jeff Frenette of the Wisconsin State Patrol Northwest Region.

The State Patrol also offers the following advice for merging onto highways smoothly:

Enter the freeway from the ramp at or near the speed of freeway traffic.
Use your turn signals.
Do not stop while merging unless absolutely necessary.
Don't try to squeeze into a gap in traffic that won't provide room to react.
If you have to cross several lanes of traffic, cross them one at a time.
"Merging onto a highway can be stressful when traffic is heavy and moving rapidly," says Captain Frenette.  "Drivers trying to merge should pay strict attention to the traffic flow and be prepared to adjust their speed.  But don't expect that the drivers on the main freeway will necessarily move over for a merging vehicle."
 
White it's good that drivers are courteous and move over, and there have been numerous times when heavy trucks moved over as I was approaching the freeway, it's not always possible and I believe the law states it the vehicle on the freeway that has the right of way.

It is interesting that RTsRV believes he has the right of way.  If that is a common belief, it would certainly explain why so many drivers give me "the look" when they catch up and pass me.  ;)
 
SeilerBird said:
I do not believe this is true.

Without looking up any info I have to believe that vehicles on the highway have the right of way. I can't even imagine the chaos if drivers on an entrance ramp had the right of way on any freeway here in NY!  :-\
 
Luckily nobody followed this inaccurate information THIS TIME. None the less, it's extremely irresponsible to give less than accurate information when it comes to laws and safety. It's one thing to give info that turns out to be untrue or off based when dealing with things like recipes or RV park prices etc, but unless you know what you're talking about when it comes to laws and other subjects that could potentially harm someone, people are better off keeping their mouths shut than offering an opinion stated as a fact or worse yet, an untrue "fact".
 
RTsRV said:
I'd like to mention in Wisconsin (maybe other states) the cars entering from access ramps have the right of way and you on the main roadway must yield to them.  It would be a good idea to check the laws of the states you intend to visit.
In any case, I move over when I see traffic coming down the ramps and merging with our lane.  That can save me from slowing down and losing momentum.

RTsRV
That's the law it is in Arizona also.
 
Alaskansnowbirds said:
That's the law it is in Arizona also.
Nope. Again not true. And again, a quick Google search will tell you that the state law in Arizona is ......
 

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I have always heard that the merging lane must give way in every instance but I was wrong. It seems like Illinois is the exception:

"Most states place the responsibility of merging solely on the traffic in the lane that is ending. Illinois is one of the few exceptions, and only with regards to freeway on-ramps, where the law of that state places a mutual responsibility on traffic in both lanes to adjust accordingly. You can look at it like this: Most states are like NASA and SCCA racing, where there are specific rules giving the right of way to one lane. But Illinois is like LeMons racing, where both lanes are expected to cooperate. "

As with everything you read on the Internet take this with a grain of salt.
 
Seems as if we are getting carried away. The standard was established before freeways existed. "The vehicle approaching from the blind spot (right side) of the other vehicle must yield!"

Ernie
 
Not sure of the exact discussion here but as a former Drivers License Examiner who conducted written and road tests of motorcycles, cars and trucks  in the State of North Dakota I can assure you that at normal intersections vehicles on the right always have the right of way.  Entering freeways or multi-lane highways via entry lanes, the vehicle entering the highway must yield to any vehicle already on the highway.  Not exact wording but I think the meaning is clear.

Bill
 
RVMommaTo6 said:
Luckily nobody followed this inaccurate information THIS TIME. None the less, it's extremely irresponsible to give less than accurate information when it comes to laws and safety. It's one thing to give info that turns out to be untrue or off based when dealing with things like recipes or RV park prices etc, but unless you know what you're talking about when it comes to laws and other subjects that could potentially harm someone, people are better off keeping their mouths shut than offering an opinion stated as a fact or worse yet, an untrue "fact".
This is the big advantage to getting information at an online forum. The Internet is full of misinformation. If you attempt to get an answer from Google you may or may not have the right answer. With a forum there is plenty of opportunities for wrong answers to be debated.
 
True enough, however the accuracy and reliability of the information obtained from Google is dependent on knowing how to search and differentiating between sites that are reliable and those that are at best suspect.  For information such as discussed in this thread regarding a legal point, I prefer to go directly to, in this case, the DOT site.
 
Gizmo said:
True enough, however the accuracy and reliability of the information obtained from Google is dependent on knowing how to search and differentiating between sites that are reliable and those that are at best suspect.  For information such as discussed in this thread regarding a legal point, I prefer to go directly to, in this case, the DOT site.
Absolutely correct, however the vast majority of Internet users have no clue how to search properly. Most take the top listing and go there. And even the most reliable web sites are sometimes wrong.
 
Gizmo said:
True enough, however the accuracy and reliability of the information obtained from Google is dependent on knowing how to search and differentiating between sites that are reliable and those that are at best suspect.  For information such as discussed in this thread regarding a legal point, I prefer to go directly to, in this case, the DOT site.
Yes, I went right to the state's web site.
And my cat's name is Gizmo :)
 
I was at a recent FMCA rally where a speaker from the RV Safety Institue (I think thta?s the name) told the perhaps 100 attendees that merging traffic had the right of way when entering the highway. I thought I had misheard him so I questioned the answer. He then doubled down on it. Sigh. Maybe he was from Illinois.
 
UTTransplant said:
I was at a recent FMCA rally where a speaker from the RV Safety Institue (I think thta?s the name) told the perhaps 100 attendees that merging traffic had the right of way when entering the highway. I thought I had misheard him so I questioned the answer. He then doubled down on it. Sigh. Maybe he was from Illinois.

After attending several rally's and listening to presenters, I have concluded it is best to take all the advice with a grain of salt. 
 
That's scary stuff! I think the whole idea of righter way is pretty much common sense so it should be obvious. But then again, we all know how "common" common sense really is! Lol
 
UTTransplant said:
I was at a recent FMCA rally where a speaker from the RV Safety Institue (I think thta?s the name) told the perhaps 100 attendees that merging traffic had the right of way when entering the highway. I thought I had misheard him so I questioned the answer. He then doubled down on it. Sigh. Maybe he was from Illinois.
I seem to encounter a lot of drivers that certainly act as if this is true.
 
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