ENTERING THE FREEWAY
Getting on a freeway can be intimidating. The best preparation is alertness. You need to be aware of traffic signs, speed signs, other cars, and entrance ramp configuration. At the same time that you\'re taking all this in, you need to be calculating the speed of the other cars so that you can estimate and take advantage of gaps in traffic. Adjust your speed to allow a four second gap: two between you and the car ahead of you, and two between you and the car behind you. Enter traffic at the speed of the rest of the cars. The vehicles on the freeway have the right of way; do not make them have to slow down.
If you don't have an acceleration ramp to help you get up to speed, you are going to have to allow a larger gap in traffic. On freeways, you need about a whole block to be able to move with traffic from a full stop. Observe merge or yield signs, turn on your signal, and leave it on until you are completely in your lane. Warning! Stay out of the "gore": this is the wedge of pavement between the on ramp and the freeway proper. At entrances controlled with lights, you may or may not have an acceleration ramp. Traffic on the freeway still has the right of way, even when you get the green light to enter. Accelerate fast, and keep traffic flowing. Keep your speed up and blend into traffic. Do not make cars on the freeway hit their brakes to slow down while you enter.
If you are in a double merge lane, stay on your side of the lane until fully on the freeway and the lane markings indicate that you may pass. Again, maintain the speed of traffic, and don\'t cause the driver behind you to have to hit his brakes. Braking is one of the most dangerous things you can do on the freeway.