Is it true that Texans don’t know how to merge? I constantly hear that complaint from people in my defensive driving classes. Those people who have relocated here for jobs during the recession. So, the real truth revealed is that some states merging rules or laws are just the opposite of ours in Texas. So what’s the skinny on Merging in the Lone Star State?
In Texas, traffic on the freeway has the right of way. Traffic entering the freeway must yield to traffic already on the freeway. And traffic exiting the freeway has the right of way. Traffic on the access road must yield to traffic exiting the freeway. Or, perhaps a better way of understanding this is, the higher speed traffic (the more dangerous speed) always has the right of way over the lower speed traffic.
Some states merging laws are just the opposite of ours in Texas. Primarily states on the east coast. Those states include Connecticut, Vermont, Delaware, New Jersey, Michigan, Iowa, Oklahoma and many more. So, it is understandable why people relocating to Texas from any of those states, feel that Texans don’t know how to merge.
Another problem in Texas is our dangerously short ramps. Although traffic entering the ramp must yield to traffic already on the freeway, people are speeding in the slow lane (yet another problem). So, those cars entering the freeway begin to speed up before entering the ramp, and don’t yield to the short exit ramp that may be dangerously close to the entrance ramp. So, while all of our freeways in Texas are under construction to widen them, at the same time, they are lengthening the ramps where they can, which is a brilliant solution. Another issue with short exit ramps is traffic exiting the freeway at freeway speed, rather than exit ramp speed. This has become a hazard to those cars on the access roads that refuse to yield the right of way to exiting traffic. So, with newer, longer exit ramps it will be much safer for exiting traffic as well.
Until next week…
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist
Merging – Comedy Defensive Driving

Category: Uncategorized

Author: Daun Thompson

Daun Thompson has spent years acting in both film and theatre which has been paramount in launching her onto the comedy stage (incidentally, without a helmet, resulting in a nasty concussion). Being a funny girl is a full time job. A job that she hopes that one day will come with dental benefits and a 401K. Unlike her work, she is biodegradable, yet flame retardant. And gentle to the touch. Her goal in life??? For strangers to approach her and ask "Didn't you used to be somebody?" In the late 1980's she cut her teeth at the Velveeta Room on 6th Street in Austin, Texas ... the original room with the stripper pole. From there, she moved to northern California and worked with many comedy icons, like Mitch Hedberg, Marc Maron, Colin Quinn, Vic Dunlop, Huck Flyn, Michael Mancini, Doug Ferrari, Shang and Brian Posehn. Daun has been a licensed driver safety instructor and trainer with Comedy Defensive Driving for over 9 years. Her knowledge of driving safety laws keeps her readers informed and engaged with her blog adventures. She still continues to do stand-up comedy, sometimes in a reclining position...just to be different.