Round Rock, TX: Hesitant Driver on I-35 Frontage Road Freezes Instead of Merging, Jeep Wrangler Attempts Curb-Hop Overtake, Nearly Causes Crash

A Reddit user shared dashcam footage from July 26, 2026, showing a chaotic merge situation on the I-35 frontage road in Round Rock, Texas. The video captures a driver in a silver Hyundai Sonata coming to a complete stop in a dedicated acceleration lane for US-79, despite no yielding being required.

This hesitation enraged the driver of a Jeep Wrangler behind them, who decided to use the Wrangler’s off-road capabilities to bypass traffic by driving onto a pedestrian sidewalk. The Wrangler’s maneuver startled the Sonata driver, causing them to swerve into another lane to avoid what they described as a ‘f***ing idiot.’ The incident occurred at the intersection of the I-35 frontage road and US-79.

Texas law prohibits driving on sidewalks under Transportation Code § 545.422, with violations carrying fines ranging from $50 to $237 plus court costs and adding points to the driver’s record. Additionally, stopping unnecessarily in a dedicated merge lane is illegal in Texas if it disrupts traffic flow, with base fines typically between $150 and $300 and 2 to 3 points added to the driving record upon conviction.