Learn to merge for f**k's sake...

People say I suffer from 'road rage', not to the extent where I will get out of my car and verbally or physically abuse other drivers though. I believe 70% of drivers would be in the same class as me. What, you don't think you're like me? So you can honestly tell me you are totally calm in every traffic situation where you have been cut off or worse? Okay, bully for you... :-)
Yes, I know I should calm down and just go with the flow, but alas, poor drivers sh!t me to tears...

This rant is about 'merging', as in where two lanes merge into one lane. In a perfect world where everyone was courteous to one another this could be such an easy task... That would be too easy though and I would be left with nothing to rant about. We can't have that now, can we? :-)

Let's say there are two cars (A and B) in Lane 1 and one car (C) in Lane 2. Uh oh, Lane 1 and Lane 2 are converging into a single lane, whatever will we do!?!
Here's the simple solution, if everyone applies a little courtesy and common sense...
Car A enters the single lane first, Car C adjusts their speed so the front of the car is just behind the rear bumper of Car A and Car B does the same to Car C... As if by magic the three cars will merge into the single lane allowing a virtually unimpeded driving experience for all parties involved.
As simple as this may seem, people get it wrong... a lot!!
You find situations where Car C doesn't want Car A to be first in to the merging road and vice-versa, with neither car giving an inch until they are at a point where one of the cars will be forced off the road. At this point they both apply their brakes, coming to a complete halt, holding up themselves as well as the following frustrated travellers. Grow a brain people and your lives will be less stressful for you and the people around you.

A real life example of this happens every peak hour in Mandurah at one of the single lane bridges. The bridge designer should take a good deal of the blame, as this bridge should never have been single lane with dual lanes feeding it from both sides. However, poor driving skills make a slight annoyance a down right pain in the ass...
Because certain drivers have no idea about merging, the traffic during these peak periods piles up for over a kilometre. At this particular bridge you find the situation outlined above in my hypothetical example, as well as drivers who can never decide which lane they want to be in... Listen to me when I say this, the bridge only has one lane, it doesn't matter which lane you are in, you will get over the bridge, have patience... The fact that you took the time to change lanes in the first place cost you more time, and car spots, than if you had stayed put...