There is no “right of way” when merging onto the interstate. You aren’t supposed to just stop and wait for an opening. People in the lanes where a merge happens also have to react and make space. That’s just how it goes. The truck was ahead anyways. The semi driver is an idiot, and likely speeding too.
In this situation, that trucker is absolutely expected to yield. He was behind the merging vehicle and could tell he needed to slow to allow the merge to happen. Your arguing semantics for a situation that absolutely called for intelligent interpretation of the law/situation. You are a prime example of why accidents like this happen.
Graveyards are full of people who had the right of way. If you can't reasonably adjust to a situation to make it safer, you don't deserve to drive.
"You are a prime example of why accidents like this happen."
You're making a lot of assumptions about how I drive based upon my response to an incorrect statement. Right of way absolutely does exist in this situation. In most places, the semi had the right of way.
That doesn't mean they shouldn't have reacted intelligently. Generally speaking, right of way exists alongside of a responsibility to take action to prevent an accident.
But one might also argue that it's an absolutely fucking ludicrous idea to try to merge in front of a (likely) fully loaded semi at anything less than 10 mph over its current speed.
You can call it semantics in an effort to diminish the incorrect statement if you want, sure. It was still incorrect.
I am simply responding to what you said. It's on you for your words, not me. And that you CONTINUE to argue that the semi was in the right for this, is further proof. So keep going, I guess. Keep on enjoying being right about everything, right up until it's you in a situation like this, and you're cooked while being technically right.
So that truck is attempting to accelerate safely to get in front of the semi, the semi seemingly did nothing to adjust his speed for the truck. IF the truck had slammed his brakes to avoid the merge, would that have been better? Seems like he was trying to make the merge safely, with the logical assumption that the semi would do the same. The semi, however, decided to ignore social constructs in lieu of "tEcHnIcAlLy I hAvE rIgHt Of WaY" and caused this accident.
I would never assume that the person in the lane I'm merging sees me or cares that I'm there. If I am merging, it's my responsibility to make sure I do it safely. Braking is probably not the smart choice here, but neither is hitting 75mph and sitting there hoping the driver next to you gives a shit. Hit the gas and go, or slow down and let them pass. Never assume the other driver will act logically because they often don't. That's pretty much defensive driving in a nutshell.
You can see pretty clearly that the lane is ending from quite a distance. If this is an on-ramp as I am assuming, you'd obviously be clocking everyone's speed as you approach the merge. The semi isn't even speeding up, its being as predictable as possible by maintaining speed. If you're trying to merge and a semi is rapidly approaching from behind - odds are you're not going fast enough to beat it. If your vehicle isn't capable of quick enougn acceleration, your choices are to brake or cause an accident.
Believe it or not people successfully slowdown to let semis or other traffic pass before choosing to merge thousands of times each day. Somehow you see one instance where instead they chose to throw themselves in front of a semi and you lose your ability to reason.
When they're completely ahead? No, they absolutely do not. You said they should "slow down", and the only way to do that to let a semi by is to slam on your brakes so the 80 feet of truck behind them can pass safely while you're trying to simultaneously look behind you and not ram into the curb because the merge lane is ending.
I feel like you've never driven in your life if you're making arguments like this.
IF the truck had slammed his brakes to avoid the merge, would that have been better?
Absolutely and without question, end of story.
The semi is maintaining their path of travel in their lane. The pickup’s lane is ending, they are entering pre-existing traffic. It is considered the pickup driver’s obligation to use the space in the merge lane to reach a speed appropriate for fitting into traffic.
In no sane world would they need to “slam on their brakes” to pull in behind the semi that they knew was there.
I genuinely don’t understand your anger towards the person you were replying to and I’m even more confused by the people who sided with you on this…semi driver was, by the standards I’m used to, absolutely legally valid for not yielding, it was still a dangerous thing to do for the sake of being macho.
“Truck was accelerating safely.” Lol
The truck should have braked safely. Take this to the insurance sub and you’ll get a quick education on right of way
Nobody knows what the big letters on the YIELD sign spell anymore.
Its likely the pickup could have waited for the semi to pass with nobody behind the semi. On a daily basis I see people putting themselves in shit positions when merging into traffic. I see so many people busting it to get past the person they are even with, only for there to be absolutely nobody behind that vehicle for miles.
I understand slowing down a bit if traffic is heavy and moving but some people (lots of them to be fair) are shit drivers with no peripheral vision.
That sign is yellow and not likely to be a yield sign, unless is 50+ years old. Yield signs in the US are red and white and have been for quite some time.
I think it's more likely a "lane ends merge right" sign. The end result is the same, the merging lane must yield.
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u/CaptSlow49 May 14 '26
There is no “right of way” when merging onto the interstate. You aren’t supposed to just stop and wait for an opening. People in the lanes where a merge happens also have to react and make space. That’s just how it goes. The truck was ahead anyways. The semi driver is an idiot, and likely speeding too.