Certain situations and driving behaviors are more likely to cause anger and frustration in drivers than others. Certain road markings can be a source of anger issues, where drivers can easily come to the conclusion that other road users are behaving unfairly towards them. But there are usually very simple rules that can help nip any frustration in the bud.
According to the RAC, entering the middle lane too late, failing to give way to vehicles entering the lane and entering the lane at the last minute are the main factors considered to be “aggressive and dangerous” on the road.
”All of these and many other seemingly harmless driving errors can still trigger aggressive reactions from other drivers,” they said. “When we are all alone in our cars, we also feel some disconnection from each other, which can cause drivers to behave more hostilely than if they were not in their cars.”
An example of road markings that can easily cause outrage is a situation where two traffic lanes merge into one. This situation will be indicated by a curved arrow on the road, reminding the driver to leave the current lane and move into the adjacent lane.
A prime example is the Lakewith area of Cardiff, outside the Cardiff City stadium. Here you can often see drivers who are extremely annoyed by the road layout, where two lanes quickly give way to one. Some drivers queuing on the left believe that drivers who use the outside lane to overtake before entering the left lane are ‘queuing’.
One Cardiff driver said: “I drive on this road regularly and I’m not sure anyone knows exactly what the rule is. But given that drivers in the left lane will often try their best to stop you from merging with traffic on the right, I think most people would assume that these dodgy drivers in the right lane are simply trying to trick them and cut into the queue.”
Drivers merging from other lanes are also actually following the rules, whether they realize it or not. The rules are simple: Drivers traveling in a merging lane must use both lanes to travel up to the point where the lanes narrow and then merge, alternating turns.
Of course, many drivers who change lanes too early don’t like it when other drivers continue to the end of the lower lane, although authorities actually encourage this to relieve traffic.
The Automobile Association (AA) said Section 134 of the Highway Code, which governs merging vehicles, was relevant to the section. Section 134 states: “Drivers must obey signs and road markings and change lanes as instructed. In heavy traffic, do not change lanes without a reason. It is advisable to change lanes, but only when vehicles are moving at low speed and it is safe and reasonable to do so. It is not advisable to change lanes at high speed.”
Another area where lane merging has caused controversy is the main road from Merthyr Tydfil to Shirvan, where some drivers have become so frustrated that they have tried to drive into the middle of the road, blocking vehicles in the outer lanes. The problem is that some drivers use the outer lanes to get around queues of cars on the A465 Valley Head Road at peak times, and then “queue jump” when they get back onto the one-way street.
This section of road, heading up and west, splits into two lanes before the roundabout, creating an overtaking lane on the right-hand side of the road. After a few hundred yards, a white arrow will appear on the road indicating that vehicles should move over.
A Welsh Government highways expert explained: “The section of the A465 from Cefn Coed near Merthyr Tydfil to Hirwaun is a typical three-lane single carriageway. The route consists of alternating sections with dual carriageways in one direction and single carriageway in the other. The dual carriageway sections provide drivers with overtaking opportunities and are often located where the route climbs, giving drivers the opportunity to overtake slower vehicles. This section of the A465 has a 60mph speed limit and is monitored by average speed cameras. The Hirwaun roundabout to the west is a dual carriageway section uphill which gradually becomes single carriageway before entering the roundabout.
”Large signs at 300 and 170 yards, as well as turn arrows placed before the end of both lanes, inform drivers that the outside lane will soon end. This gives drivers enough time to merge with vehicles in the inside lane without conflicting with other drivers.”
Such controversies are not limited to the Heads of the Valleys Road and Leckwith Road: the use of filter and merge systems appears to be a contentious issue on many other roads in Wales.
Post time: Apr-18-2025