Signs of the times

In an ideal setting, we could get to and from our places of destination without having to use the skills we learned from defensive driving school.  With informative road signage strategically placed along the road, we would be well aware of what lies ahead.  Plus having been taught driving etiquette at the mandatory seminar before one gets issued a license, every single motorist would be fully equipped with the proper knowledge and skillset to make road life easy.  Well, that is, if you actually stayed awake long enough to sit through the entire seminar.  Or even attended the seminar at all, since you got your license through the "fixed" and "friendly" channels.

Sadly, the real world shows us that not everyone has the proper knowledge of street signs and totally lack driver courtesy.  One glaring example of such misunderstood street sign, which leads to the total lack of driver courtesy, is the "Road Narrows" signage.  Aside from what it obviously means, and for the benefit of those whose minds are faster than a speeding slug, a Road Narrows signage means that the width of the road you are currently travelling on will get smaller as you proceed ahead.  It means that a current multiple lane road would be reduced by one or more lanes ahead.

 For example, and this should be a signage that the Kapitolyo city should utilize and enlarge as motorists head to the antique bridge that connects the Island city, the "Road Narrows on the Right" signage.  This signage, which is placed on multiple lane roads, means that the right lane will end up ahead and motorists on this lane must merge with vehicular traffic to their left. 

Now, here's where the problem lies.  As vehicles on the right lane approach the point where the lane ends, the vehicles on the left start to get intimate with the vehicles in front of them.  They start to creep closer and closer to the vehicles in front of them to discourage those on the left from merging into their lane.  The gap is so close, even lane weaving mopeds can't squeeze in between vehicles.  With nowhere else to go, the vehicles on the right start nudging their way into the left lane.  Many a times, this leads to fender benders, a lot of hot-headed petrolheads and even bigger traffic as motorists refuse to give their hard-earned spot to perceived line jumpers on their right. 

 A similar scenario also plays out in the Stallion City.  As motorists zoom through the south road properties at speeds in excess of a hundred kilometers per hour in a 60kph zone, they have to suddenly hit the brakes hard as they get off the bridge after the public works building as they are greeted with a monster traffic jam.  This time, it is the left lane that narrows and would have to merge with the traffic on the right. 

Both these scenarios could be avoided if drivers practiced road courtesy.  When on a road that would narrow, the proper practice is to alternately allow the merging traffic into your lane. This means both lanes cooperate and let vehicles coming from the narrowing lane alternately join in.

Unfortunately, eight out of every ten motorists got their license from the express lane and have no knowledge of and do not practice driving courtesy.  They just want to get ahead, fast.  And I'm pretty sure, 95% of the time we see someone trying tomerge into our lane, we grit out teeth and pray they get into a fender bender so we can laugh at them as we pass by.