When you're in the right lane and somebody wants to merge, do you speed up or slow down?

Question

If you slow down:

Isn't that danger, especially if somebody is tailgaiting you? The risk of the guy behind you slamming into the back of your car is high, isn't it?

Answer 1

I'm usually in the right lane because I don't like driving fast. What I do is watch the on-ramp ahead. If I see cars in it trying to merge I slow down by 5mph and when I get to the ramp the cars have already merged in. No problemo. When there's the occassional straggler they also are usually merged in by the time I get to the ramp. The people behind me...well, they better not be tailgating or I'll slow down even more until they pass me. I don't speed up for these people because they'll keep tailgating no matter how much you increase your speed.

Answer 2

The proper and polite thing to do is for you to signal and merge into the left lane and let them over then signal to move back into the desired lane.

You might want to decrease your speed a little if you plan on staying in that lane, but not drastically where you are not following the speed limit, then you are bound to get in a crash. But if someone is tailgating you. You should do what you need to do and eventually they will just switch lanes to pass you.

But always switch lanes if you can to let the driver merge on. It's courteous and there will be no crashes occurring because the merger has to get on.

Answer 3

It depends, if I need to speed up, I'll speed up, If I need to slow down I'll slow down, otherwise I stay at the same speed.

If someone is tailgating me, then I'll either merge into the other lane, or speed up.

Answer 4

This is a dangerous and serious situation , there are times when slowing is better than speeding up it a drivers call and unfortunately it happens on a merge situation on the interstates

Answer 5

Depends on my speed, the speed of the vehicle, the flow of traffic, how much room they have to merge, etc.  Too many factors to just give a straight answer.

Answer 6

if you're in the right lane, you should slow down....

if you're in the left (passing lane) you should speed up...

Answer 7

If I'm in the right lane, and someone is merging from the ramp, I try to move over to the left lane...it's all a matter of good judgement.  If he's going faster than I am, I might slow down a tad, if he's going slower, then I would probably speed up some...if the question was regarding someone who is tailgating, and I'm already in the right lane, I stay where I am... it's his option to pass me.  Slower moving traffic generally stays in the right lane.... whatever I do, I try to do it politely, and I ALWAYS use my turn signals.... a thing that not many people in Alabama do at all.

Answer 8

I usually move over a lane, if possible, or try to keep a steady pace, so the person who wants to merge can match my speed & make the decision on what to do, since the travel lane has the right of way.  Every now & then, I have to speed up or slow down, depending on the situation.  If someone wants to tailgate me, that is his problem if he runs into me for not keeping their distance.

Answer 9

In normal traffic i usually slow down to help someone merge. I wouldn't speed up, because I'll be driving at the speed limit. Nobody should be tailgating. Sometimes I maintain my speed, especially if the driver wanting to merge seems to want me to slow down just to make his speeding easier.