FlyingHigh wrote:why city drivers insist on doing things like changing lanes between two cars where there is barely a gap, pulling into traffic off side roads right in front of on-coming traffic, or speed up in one lane to pass then immediately cross in front of you and into the next lane to make a turn, all the while if they opened their eyes and brains they'd see the road is clear behind those immediate cars.
One of the things I learned from my ten years living in Melbourne is that there is overall more aggression in Adelaide's traffic.
What FH describes does happen but so does the converse - if there is a sufficient gap as you enter a free way or attempt to change lanes and you indicate well ahead drivers behind then tend to speed up to close the gap. So you are forced to hold off indicating till you start the move.
In Melbourne when you indicate other drivers tend to ease back a touch and let you do the manoeuvre.
There are two factors:
1. No one would get where they are going in Melbourne's traffic without that courtesy.
2. The car with its nose even slightly in front has the right of way there and the police ping you if you accelerate instead of easing back