Driving in Colorado Springs: Merging Edition

Driving around Colorado Springs has it perks. There are open spaces with trees and flowers. Occasionally you see wildlife walking around (at least the dogs crossed at the corners). And then…the hazards. Because there is only one freeway—excuse me, Interstate—not many people know how to merge with traffic. Being from California, it’s almost second nature for me. Not for most people here.

Pay attention to the signs

Many of the streets around Colorado Springs have transition roads connecting one street to another instead of having to wait to make the right turn. All of them have a sign saying to either yield or continue into the lane. The ones with the Yield signs merge into a traffic lane. The ones indicating its own lane mean that there is a lane for you to drive into to get up to speed—no waiting needed. Read the sign, and then follow it. Now, I understand if you want to cut across all lanes to make an immediate left turn. Okie dokie. If the left turn isn’t for, say, half a mile, though, you have time to pull out, get up to speed, and then start making your move to the left lane.

The Turn Signal

There’s this lever on your steering column on the left-hand side. It’s the Turn Signal Indicator. It’s used to let people know when you want to move into the next lane, or want to turn, or merge into the lane from the transition road. It’s handy thing to use. It can let people behind you know you want over. When you use it, please let it blink more than once or twice. That gives the other drivers time to see it and then they can let you over. Remember to turn it off afterwards, so people know you’re done changing lanes, merging, etc.

Don’t Stop on that Transition Road

This is where things get a little tricky. The transition road is there for you to get up to the speed of the rest of the traffic before merging into the lane. Don’t stop and wait for a break in the traffic. If you stop, you then have to gun your engine to get up to speed. Also if you stop, you anger the people behind you who know how to merge with traffic. Do you stop when you’re getting onto the Interstate? No? Then don’t do it here. The Transition Road is the same concept as the on-ramp. Get up to the speed of the rest of the traffic, then you can merge, using your Turn Signal to let people know you need to come over. People will let you over or move out of the way when they see the signal.

Learning when to merge and when to drive on is one step toward being courteous on the roads and doesn’t back up traffic and make people angry, thus letting everyone enjoy the views as they drive.