How to Avoid The Cul-de-sac Formation On a Four-lane Highway (two Lanes Going Each Way)

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By Kayar
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bird's-eye view of the cul-de-sac formation

The cul-de-sac formation is where you have two cars, one in each lane. The one on the left is going only slightly faster than the one on the right. There's a huge line of cars behind the left car in the left lane. There are no cars behind the right car in the right lane.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Step 1

to change lanes or not to change lanes, that is the question ...

It's tempting to move into the empty right lane. Approaching the cul-de-sac formation from behind, it looks like you can drive faster if you do, and pass the big line of cars in the left lane. Maybe you think that you can go up to the front and then cut back into the left lane, bypassing everyone else.
Step 2

trapped!

Suppose you succumb to the temptation and move into the right lane. For a short while you are indeed moving faster than everyone else.

But then you end up behind the slow car at the front of the cul-de-sac. The cars on the left are going slower than you were, but faster than the car you are now behind - and (very slowly) they are passing you. Worse, few people are willing to let you back into the left lane. They are just as annoyed about the slow left passing as you are, and nobody likes a linecutter. You're stuck there until the back of the line has passed - which might be farther back than if you'd stayed where you were in the left lane.
Step 3

Don't go into the right lane. Yes, it's slow going until the car at the front of the left lane finishes passing the car on the right - at which point they will either move into the right lane and allow everyone else to pass, or they will eventually pull far enough ahead that everyone else can pass them on the right. Until then, just be patient and stay where you are.
Step 4

Cul-de-sacs also form on highways with more than two lanes each way. It's possible for surrounding lanes to be so full of traffic that it effectively blocks all lane-changing into and out of it. But the principle is the same - look far enough ahead at the cars in front of you, check how fast they're going, before moving into what looks like an empty stretch of lane.

Comments

luv2blog said

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on 12/15/2008 God how I hate that cul-de-sac! It's the one time I find myself screaming "Go around jerk! It's ok to speed up and pass" and then I find out a daggone cop is causing the cul-de-sac. lol.