That one is a typical example of poor traffic engineering around this area.  I have two more that drive me nuts every time:

The intersection of 231 and 23rd street.  So 95% of all cars going through that intersection turn left to go northbound on 231.  Both lanes of 23rd should end as left turn lanes.  A new right turn only lane should have been added to allow those planning to head south to simply merge over to the right.  Instead, the 5% get to use the right lane of 23rd as their turning lane.  Everyone else has to fight and merge into the left lane and the center turning lane. 

One other place that I just cannot find the logic in is the Thomas Drive and 98 flyover intersection.  If you are northbound on Thomas Dr and plan to turn right onto Hwy 98, you have a green light always.  However, the design of that 90 degree curve is everything but smooth flowing.  It forces you to nearly stop because it is such a sharp turn.  A concrete barrier juts out to punish those who attempt to make the curve at a reasonable speed, covered in tire marks as if to brag of its daily toll. 

As much as these bother me though, I could only wish they were the biggest problems in Bay County these days!

It is not possible for me to disagree with the original poster any more than I do.  Both those lanes are there to go straight across 23rd Street.  When I see cars lined up 6 or 7 deep in that one lane, I just laugh.  Once you cross 23rd Street, you are correct, the right lane is forced to merge in.  Why is this such a big deal to you?  Are you in such a hurry that you cannot allow one car to merge in front of you?  There is nothing rude about using the lanes available.  You sir, are the rude one by not allowing them to merge into traffic once everybody has crossed over 23rd Street.

Like I was tolled when I moved here 4 years ago
by my sister in-law- “just go with the flow”
Mrs. Hayman

Very Successful Squeeze yesterday evening during rush hour.  The drivers of the two vehicles in front of me at the red light (in the correct “straight through” lane) and six or eight drivers behind me were all on the same page and we successfully squeezed out three lane-jumpers in the right lane to where they had to wait forever to proceed northward on Jenks after getting across 23rd Street.  Kudos to my fellow “Don’t Let’em In” drivers yesterday. Great Team Work!!!

Congratulations on just being a jerk while driving.  The funny part is that the drivers you “squeezed” still accomplished what they wanted to accomplish.  Had they gotten behind the “six or eight drivers behind” you, then likely would have never made the light.  So, kudos to my fellow intelligent drivers who know how to make use of all lanes available to them.

By “squeezing” someone out don’t you have to tailgate the person in front of you to accomplish this?  My question is while you don’t want the person in the right lane to get ahead of you why are you willing to risk yourself and the person in front of you just so you can deny someone access to the lane you’re in. What is big hurry is your supper going to sprout legs and run away if you make it home 30 seconds after your thought you would?  Do you think squeezing someone out will teach them a lesson?  Answer is all you are doing is making a bad situation worse with your road rage!

It’s just rude behavior by the “Jenks & 23rd Right-Laners” and if me taking steps of preventing their rude behavior from being rewarded, then so be it.

There is nothing “rude” about using the lanes available...you are the rude one for being a jerk and not letting anybody in.

You are incorrect, sir… and put some clothes on.

Please explain to me which part of using a valid traffic lane is rude.  Also, please explain how refusing to let somebody in is not rude.

Harper, when people try to prevent rude behavior as you put it, it puts others at risk in the event that your prevention causes an accident that could include others who are not involved.

Southbound on Jenks at 15th Street - in the mornings isn’t as bad.  Seems the southbound drivers are more polite in the mornings than they are as northbound drivers at 23rd in the evenings.  Wonder why?

Yet another excellent squeeze yesterday evening.  Three dolts had to wait for us in the “proper” straight through lane before they could merge.  Ha!

I wonder how many of the ‘squeezers’ in the ‘proper’ lane consider that the right lane on Jenks is also used for those who wish to access the businesses located just past the intersection?  I realize that the traffic flow system is not the best it could be, but I also wonder about these self-appointed traffic cops who think they have an inalienable and exclusive right to the roadways. It’s a “Truck Nutz” mentality…

Harper, if this is what you take joy in and a representation of our society, it truly is a testament to how fall our society has fallen.

This is how I view it and react to it… Ideally, N. on 23rd @ Jenks should be an orderly and fair solution to allow maximum traffic flow. The thru lane should be filled first with the secondary(right) lane filled next with people that want to go straight ahead on Jenks(We want as many people as possible to get thru the light going north so that traffic stays moving). Keep in mind that the absolute highest traffic flow thru that intersection would be to have the thru lane full, moving at posted speed limit and not slowing to allow people to merge and the right disappearing lane full of cars waiting for the thru lane to clear when the light turns red. The people in the right lane have to realize that they are much better off even if they have to stop on the other side of 23rd waiting to merge-- at least they have crossed the intersection and they will be able to continue eventually.

Now back to the argument… knowing the above and wanting traffic to flow as quickly as possible, what is the best way for you as a driver to help this happen?  Why would someone in the right lane feel that they were ‘wronged’ by a person in the left lane that didn’t allow them to merge, slow traffic and in the end hinder traffic flow overall? Why wouldn’t this right laner just be happy they got to the other side of 23rd street during that particular light interval? Why do these right laners feel that the world revolves around them and that since they skipped ahead that everyone is supposed to reward them by letting them ahead in the line? Remember your responsibility as a driver extends to others too, not just yourself!

Me personally, I don’t deliberately cut people off—if there’s a space in front of me that you can merge into-- do it! If not, wait for one.

Nowhere has I or any right-laners ever said you have to let us merge...the right lane ends, which means the left lane has the right of way.  As a right laner, my goal (and I believe I speak for many of us) is to get across 23rd street and then merge.  If traffic is flowing in a way that there is no way to merge, then fine, no big deal, we wait for a spot like you mentioned.  It is people like Harper that are probably riding right on the bumper of the person in front of them (which is illegal) to make sure nobody even tries to merge in.

Finally… someone in this forum other than me is making sense.  Thank you Concerned99.  Unlike Nekkid’s characterization - I don’t “ride the bumper” of the guy in front of me… I just keep a normal distance for just starting out across an intersection. 

If the right-laners understood and were happy with the fact that they made it through the light and left it there, it would be just peachy… but most are not content with that.  They want what’s not theirs and I make it my business to identify those drivers and make it as irritating and difficult as possible, given the chance.

Right-laners do understand and are happy with the fact they they made it through the light and we do leave it there.  You, just being so annoyed that we would even DARE use that lane (which is completely legal to use) become a total jerk and refuse to let the two lanes merge.  And because of that you assume the “right-laner” is trying to force himself into your lane, when we are simply trying to merge into the lane.  If we actually see you speed up or riding the bumper of the person in front of you, then it is obvious you’re being a jackass and yeah, that annoys us.  You know the whole, “why can’t we get along” thing would really work nicely here.

And also, how much later will you be getting to your destination if you were NICE and let that right-laner merge?  2, 3 seconds?  So wouldn’t that be the better choice...to be NICE...to be civilized?

Take that angry chip off your shoulder, left-laners...life is pretty great!