What's Your Thoughts on Zipper Merging? Options

[narly_charley]

I * * * * I N G hate it. I think that in THEORY it would work, but with humans in the mix, it NEVER works. I'm always the person trying to smooth things out by splitting the two lanes and trying to block off the lane closing traffic because they try to but themselves in and it just creates a bigger and slower line of vehicles. I LOVE pissing people off this way, because they think that they're in the right. Again, this is a great way to cycle cars into one lane on paper, but in reality, it never works, especially in slow construction.

[Bitter]

When possible I try to leave room ahead of me to let people in, until the last sign that the lane ends where I know that asshole racing up is just a dick, then I pull up and don't let them in.

[95CelicaST]

Blocking the lanes makes you an asshole.

[Bitter]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSv2yPNryY0

[Box]

Yeah we do something called close the lane a mile or two before it ends around here.

So then the only ones merging are idiots that ignored the signs.

[jordisonjr]

Blocking the lanes makes you an asshole.

This.

No one in my city zipper merges although the government has been pushing hard to have people start. I do it all the time. It drives me mental when there are two lanes, and one lane closes a KM or 2 ahead, and people get in line in one lane, and the other lane that ends ahead is complete empty.

I'm usually the one that takes the open lane, so as to not back up traffic even more. If this makes me an asshole, so be it. I'll be the asshole saving 15 minutes a day, by not waiting in line.

This post has been edited by jordisonjr: Aug 16, 2017 - 8:31 AM

[95CelicaST]

Lanes that merge, be it as a result of design or from a temporary closure, are meant to be travelled in until the point that they merge into one lane, and you are supposed to zipper the lanes together. It works when you don't have a sanctimonious prick straddling the line between lanes because they can't deal with people going around them.

Zipper merges work very well. It's drivers like OP that make them not work.

[narly_charley]

I do it because the system's design is flawed by humans driving. If all vehicles were automated, then it would work like a charm. Since people in ending lanes have to stop at the end because no one properly zippers, then they have to shove their way in, stopping again. This makes the flow worse. When you have people who don't zipper properly (all the time), one single lane is smoother and has a faster flow of cars.

Again, I understand that the system works on paper, but it never does because people don't leave the gap for the other side of the "zipper" to move their way in.

Edit:

Also, the system works so much better on freeways than it does on a busy road with lights. Here's the construction that brought me to make this thread. (note that there are two lights here, which make it much worse)



This post has been edited by narly_charley: Aug 16, 2017 - 11:24 AM

[95CelicaST]

Two lanes full of cars is better than one lane full of cars and one asshat blocking another.

[rentaspace]

Come live here lol, we have two sets of rules. If the lane marking continues to the end of the road it is considered a lane change and not a merge and the car with the lane ending (the one "merging") has to give way to the other lane. If the lane marking does not continue to the edge of the road, then it is the zipper method.

[navseal345]

I understand both points. I normally try & let people merge IF THEY ARE USING THEIR TURN SIGNALS indicating they want to merge (I can't read minds) & if they don't use it, try merging into a 7,500lbs truck (which has happened 2 times).

Also if someone lets you merge into the lane, give them a thank you wave.

And also... PUT DOWN THE PHONE!

[richee3]

Here in Denver, I’ve learned that I have the option of merging over into the lane that stays open well in advance or stay in the lane that ends right up until it ends. Merging early means I’ll be sitting in one really long line of traffic filled with idiots that have no business whatsoever being behind the wheel of a potentially deadly chunk of metal, or I can pass literally hundreds of cars and save myself literally hours of sitting in traffic by staying in the lane until it ends, as designed.

Fun fact- Colorado has by far the worst drivers I’ve ever seen. They like to blame out of staters, but I’m just saying I don’t see any Texas or California plates come to a complete stop on the interstate for no reason whatsoever, or go 35 in a 75 for literally no reason whatsoever, or center their cars perfectly on the lines in the road for literally no reason whatsoever. Probably has something to do with legal weed but regardless of the reason, people here have absolutely no business getting out on the road. So give me the option to try to properly merge using the zipper method, merge well in advance, or pass countless morons and save a ton of time, I’ll be that guy that uses the lane until there’s no more lane to use. The right lane is always the fastest lane here.

I agree, the zipper method SHOULD work, but this is America and everyone is free to be as stupid as they possibly can be.

[Box]

Like when everyone insists on riding side by side so the zipper method becomes a cluster, which we don't have the volume of traffic around here so I guess that's why they just go ahead and close off the lane and tell you to merge well before it ends. I guess they figure any reduced pace is still faster than people trying to figure out to merge or even worse having an accident close it down completely. Most people can't even merge onto the interstate with merge lanes, how are they supposed to figure out this advanced stuff?