Ask the officer Ask the officer (January 21, 2004)

Menlo Park police officer Glenn J. Raggio answers questions about the police and law enforcement. Call 330-6396, or e-mail: asktheofficer@menlopark.org.

Q. I never see anyone, ever, pulled over for merging at the last possible minute! Why not?

A. Don't you hate that? You merged a mile back, because the signs told you to do so, or you know the lanes are reduced ahead and you do it automatically. There is always some ... person ...who waits for the last possible moment to merge, creating the logjam that actually stops traffic! All for that one- to two-second advantage. He will come to a complete stop with his turn signal on and expect a courteous driver to let him into the line that the courteous driver merged into a mile back. My jaws tighten just thinking about it. So, for all you "mergers" going someplace more important than all the rest of us ... get a clue! It is a violation of the law -- unsafe stopping and lane change.

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