PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchThere is no official evidence that Perth drivers merge worse than drivers in other cities. The complaint is common in local online discussion, but it is a perception, not a measured result. Much of the friction people describe comes from two things: merges that look alike on the road but carry different give-way rules, and drivers who bring different assumptions about who should slow down.
Why the complaint feels so convincing
Merging is one of the few driving moments where two drivers have to make a decision at the same time, and a small difference in timing becomes very visible. A driver who slows early, or who waits for a large gap, can look like they are holding up traffic. A driver who keeps their speed up to the merge point can look like they are cutting in. Both behaviours get described as “bad merging” from opposite sides of the same lane.
Online discussion tends to capture this in blunt language. Typical formulations include “Why do Perth drivers insist on driving 60kph when merging onto the 100 kph freeway”, “Why are WA drivers so terrible?” and “How to merge for a lane reduction”. These posts show what frustrates people. They do not show how common the behaviour is, or whether it is more common in Perth than elsewhere.
Two merges that look the same but are not
Most of the confusion starts with the road layout. WA’s official rule guidance separates two situations, and the give-way duty differs between them.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute#1 Best Overall
- Comprehensive Guide: Complete reference to essential boating safety rules and regulations with easy-to-understand instructions for emergency situations and safety procedures while on the water.
- 100% Waterproof: Built with high-quality, weather-resistant materials to withstand the rigors of outdoor use, ensuring long-lasting reliability on every trip.
- Portable & Lightweight: Convenient, travel-friendly size fits in any equipment bag or can be stowed away on board, allowing you to have it on hand at a moments notice.
- Perfect Gift for All Boaters – Ideal for beginners, seasoned sailors, kids and scouts, and any outdoor enthusiasts looking to master the rules of good seamanship.
| Situation | Road layout | Who gives way | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two lanes become one | Two marked lanes join into a single lane | The vehicle in front has right of way. The handbook’s practical test is that a driver must give way if any part of the other vehicle is ahead. | Road Safety Commission, “Road rules explained”; Drive Safe Handbook |
| One of several marked lanes ends | Three or more marked lanes, with one lane ending | The driver moving into another lane must give way to traffic already in that lane. | Road Safety Commission, “Road rules explained” |
The informal phrase “zipper merge” is often used for both layouts, but it blurs the difference. Turn-taking is recommended for long queues of merging traffic. The official guidance does not say that turn-taking overrides the give-way rule for the layout in front of you, so the first step is always to identify which layout you are in.
What WA’s guidance asks merging drivers to do
The Road Safety Commission’s rule explainer and the Drive Safe Handbook set out the same core behaviours:
Rank #2
- Indicate early so the other driver knows your intention before you commit.
- Keep a safe distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you.
- Take turns to merge when there are long lines of merging traffic.
- Match the legal speed of the road and do not speed up just to get ahead of the queue.
- Check blind spots before moving across, as the handbook advises.
These steps are the common ground. Where drivers disagree is usually on the timing and the speed at which they join, not on whether the steps exist.
Why merges go wrong in practice
The official material does not measure which of these patterns is most common in Perth. The three below are reasonable explanations for the complaints, based on the rule differences above and on the kinds of posts people write. They are not findings about Perth drivers’ motives or skill.
Rank #3
- Comprehensive Guide: Complete reference to essential boating safety rules and regulations with easy-to-understand instructions for emergency situations and safety procedures while on the water
- 100% Waterproof: Built with high-quality, weather-resistant materials to withstand the rigors of outdoor use, ensuring long-lasting reliability on every trip
- Portable & Lightweight: Convenient, travel-friendly size fits in any equipment bag or can be stowed away on board, allowing you to have it on hand at a moments notice
- Suitable for All Boaters: Designed for beginners, seasoned sailors, kids and scouts, and any outdoor enthusiasts looking to master the rules of good seamanship
- Double-Sided Design: Features essential navigation information on both sides including nautical flag signals, mayday signals, fog signals, and overtaking procedures for efficient reference
Drivers slow early or leave a large gap
A driver who starts slowing well before a lane ends may be following the “match the traffic and keep a safe distance” advice to the letter. From the driver behind, the same gap can look like an invitation to move in and then a sudden hesitation. Both drivers can believe they are doing the right thing.
Drivers keep their speed to the merge point
Some drivers hold speed until the lane actually ends, expecting the other traffic to make room. That is the opposite of the “do not speed up to get ahead” guidance, and it leaves less time for the other driver to judge the gap. The result is a last-second merge that feels rushed to everyone involved.
Drivers assume someone else will yield
Because the two layouts have different give-way rules, a driver who has learned one pattern may apply it to the other. A driver moving into a lane that has traffic already in it may expect the lane’s traffic to slow, while a driver in a two-into-one merge may assume the other car has to stop. Clarifying the layout before the merge removes most of this guesswork.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the road death figures do and do not show
Road safety statistics are often cited in merging arguments, but they do not answer the question. The Government of Western Australia’s 2025 announcement of 2024 results reports:
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Best Value
- 188 people died on Western Australian roads in 2024.
- 74 of those deaths were in the Perth metropolitan area and 114 were in regional WA.
- The killed-or-seriously-injured rate per 100,000 population in 2024 was 14% below the five-year average.
These are aggregate crash outcomes across all road types and causes. They are not merge-crash counts, and they say nothing about how drivers merge. The WA statistics page states that the figures derive from WA Police data and that metropolitan and regional boundaries are defined by Main Roads WA, which matters when comparing Perth with regional areas.
The state’s road safety strategy sets a target to reduce fatalities and serious injuries by 50 to 70% by 2030. That is a policy target, not an outcome that has been achieved.
A practical approach to merging in WA
- Identify the layout: two lanes becoming one, or one of several marked lanes ending.
- Apply the matching give-way rule. In a two-into-one merge, the vehicle in front has right of way.
- Indicate early and check your blind spot before you move.
- Match the speed of the lane you are joining. Do not accelerate to get ahead.
- In a long queue, take turns and keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front.
If the other driver does not respond as expected, the safest outcome is usually to slow and let the gap close rather than force it.
The Bottom Line
The complaint that Perth drivers cannot merge is a shared frustration, not a documented fact. The practical problem is that merges look similar but follow different give-way rules, and drivers often apply different timing. Identifying the layout first, then indicating, matching speed and taking turns in long queues, addresses most of what makes merging feel unpredictable.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
