Hey, dive- bombers, quit endangering the rest of us
Q Your story on exit- lane cheating triggered me to sound off on another similar maneuver that is equally, if not more, dangerous: last- minute lanejumping to bypass a long line of cars crawling along in the exit lane.
Vince Liu Los Altos Hills
A Dive- bombers! I haven’t chastised them in a couple of years. Q This situation is epidemic on north Interstate 280 to east Highway 92. Some cheaters barge in at the last moment, leaving little margin of error. Once I saw two cars stopped dead in the middle of 280 waiting for someone on the right to let them in. I’ve never seen a single CHP patrolling these areas during commute hours. All it’d take is one CHP car stationed at the mouth of the exit to stop this kind of illegal and risky move.
Vince Liu A And … Q Is there anything that can be done with drivers who choose to wait until the last 100 yards or so to cut over into the offramp while going north on 280 to east 92?
The line starts about a mile south of the offramp, but about 20 percent of the cars fly past and either stop in the second lane, now causing a backup in that lane while they attempt to cut in or wait until the last chance to find a gap large enough to cut in. If I leave enough room in front of me and a car cuts in, then I risk crashing into their rear. I have been thinking of getting a junk car just for this accident and trying to make a buck. Am I wrong?
Warren Barden
San Mateo A You are not wrong for worrying about this. I’ve received numerous complaints at 280 and 92 and have forwarded them to the CHP. But they can’t be out there every day, and the dive- bombers need to get in line earlier and wait with the rest of us. QI’m
sure this kind of bad behavior is happening all over other freeway exchanges.
Vince Liu
A Oh, most definitely. I280 at 87, I- 880 at 280, Highway 101 through Morgan Hill and Gilroy, plus … Q Merging from westbound Interstate 580 in Oakland to 580 in Berkeley at the 80- 580 split is a joke. Most cars slow and get in line in the exit lanes, but there are ALWAYS several that speed to the left of the line and cut in at the last moment. When traffic is bumper- to- bumper, they seem to think they are better than the rest of us who take our turn as polite people should. I realize that some drivers have their head up their butt and do not realize where they are until the last moment. But these are simply discourteous drivers for the most part.
Paul Barrow
Livermore A And now to the guy who has seen it all. Q Road dude, the best examples of this behavior can be found at northbound Highway 85 at 237, where cars stop in the No. 2 lane to dive onto the exit. I’ve seen people stop in the No. 1 lane also. I also see this behavior at Lawrence Expressway onto east 237. And I see it all the time at 280 at 85.
How about begging the CHP to patrol these areas just for this? Please? Please??? ( Is three question marks enough???)
Ray- the- Tow- Truck- Dude AYou
had me at one question mark.