I don't get it and I see it every day, there's 3 lanes that become 1 and there's always one car that merges last second, right where it becomes one lane. Why?!! It drives me insane!!
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Proper way to merge.
- Thread starter Captain Chaos
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nutdog
when I'm a good dog they sometimes throw me a bone
Cooperative alternate zipper merging is the most efficient and fairest way, but nobody can seem to figure it out in real life.
All the "nice" people try to merge way too early and cause multiple points of interruption that cause further slowdowns and leave the rest of the available ending lane open and unused.
And the people who wait to merge until the lane actually ends are presumed to be selfish jerkwads, so all the "nice" or "patient" people that got over too early block them out and cause that lane to come to a complete stop.
Add in the cumulative effect of exaggerated brake tapping and tailgating, and you have created a complete standstill a mile back from the point of merge.
All the "nice" people try to merge way too early and cause multiple points of interruption that cause further slowdowns and leave the rest of the available ending lane open and unused.
And the people who wait to merge until the lane actually ends are presumed to be selfish jerkwads, so all the "nice" or "patient" people that got over too early block them out and cause that lane to come to a complete stop.
Add in the cumulative effect of exaggerated brake tapping and tailgating, and you have created a complete standstill a mile back from the point of merge.
If the driver is merging at the last second and he's doing it with conviction, it's not a problem. He's not slowing anyone else down cuz he's not wasting time. The guy who tries to cut in and loses his nerve so he ends up sitting there blocking everyone is the jerk.
I don't like it either but it is not worth a road rage incident. I do my best to not let it bother me but one of these days I am going to get that I-Beam ram installed on my car.
There are so many variations on this one that it's no wonder people fail to let the zoomers in. Two examples I see all the time here are:
1) I'll race you to the place 100 feet ahead where there's a parked car in my lane - There's a traffic light about 3 blocks from my house. On the road leading up to it, both lanes are open. After the light, the right hand lane becomes a parking lane, and within 100 feet of the light and usually less, there's a parked car in the right hand lane. People will pull up into the right hand lane and try to drag race the person in the left hand lane so they can cut over right before they reach the parked car. Yeah... it's that guy. I wonder what the zipper merge advocates would say about him? Basically, he's willing to compromise everyone's safety, including his own, by accelerating like mad toward a 2 ton stationary object.
2) Cutting in after using an exit only lane to get to the front of the line where the exit lane is supposed to exit in bumper to bumper traffic - yep... that guy again. I really don't blame anyone for not letting that guy in, especially when he has gotten out of the bumper to bumper lane to get in the exit only lane only to pass about 50 cars and then cut back in.
If people weren't regularly so completely douchey in situations like this, I bet zipper lane merging in the true sense wouldn't be so difficult.
1) I'll race you to the place 100 feet ahead where there's a parked car in my lane - There's a traffic light about 3 blocks from my house. On the road leading up to it, both lanes are open. After the light, the right hand lane becomes a parking lane, and within 100 feet of the light and usually less, there's a parked car in the right hand lane. People will pull up into the right hand lane and try to drag race the person in the left hand lane so they can cut over right before they reach the parked car. Yeah... it's that guy. I wonder what the zipper merge advocates would say about him? Basically, he's willing to compromise everyone's safety, including his own, by accelerating like mad toward a 2 ton stationary object.
2) Cutting in after using an exit only lane to get to the front of the line where the exit lane is supposed to exit in bumper to bumper traffic - yep... that guy again. I really don't blame anyone for not letting that guy in, especially when he has gotten out of the bumper to bumper lane to get in the exit only lane only to pass about 50 cars and then cut back in.
If people weren't regularly so completely douchey in situations like this, I bet zipper lane merging in the true sense wouldn't be so difficult.
I don't know what the proper way is but there's the way it works in the real world.
Every morning I take the Cross Island Parkway to the Long Island Expressway. The right lane is backed up a mile before the exit. You can sit on the line for ten minutes or do what me and other unafraid drivers do.
I pass them all and merge right at the end. I cut off hundreds of people and don't slow anyone down. I've been doing this successfully for eight years.
Others try the same thing and fear causes them to slam on their breaks at the last second. Then they sit in the right lane blocking anyone not getting off and hope someone will let them in.
What I do doesn't affect anyone else. What the fraidy cat does can cause accidents.
Every morning I take the Cross Island Parkway to the Long Island Expressway. The right lane is backed up a mile before the exit. You can sit on the line for ten minutes or do what me and other unafraid drivers do.
I pass them all and merge right at the end. I cut off hundreds of people and don't slow anyone down. I've been doing this successfully for eight years.
Others try the same thing and fear causes them to slam on their breaks at the last second. Then they sit in the right lane blocking anyone not getting off and hope someone will let them in.
What I do doesn't affect anyone else. What the fraidy cat does can cause accidents.
I'm not sure if we can compare driving in NYC to driving on 99.99.9% of the other the roads in the world.
This is true.
But what I mean is merging in a way that might piss someone off but doesn't actually slow anyone down is better than doing it nicely but slowly. I think that's pretty universal, though I admit I've never driven away from home.
that's what you think. In reality the sum of individuals acting as you do cause the whole mess to kick off.
Alternating red green lights with cameras
and instant $1000 fines would work.
I want to see the picture here. There is a line of cars getting off the parkway and you zoom in at the last minute, okay got that part. Is there room between the cars for you to merge? What happens if another driver tries to block you, is that even possible in your situation?
Here in California when there is a line of cars like that they are usually bumper with not room to merge but maybe things are different where you drive.
Nope. I merge in a space that happens naturally. I don't affect anyone.
I'll try to mount my phone somewhere on my dashboard to take video. There is always room. Every day. Five days a week for the last eight years.
I've been stuck before in ending lanes; I think most everyone has. And so, like many, I have some sympathy for those who have been sitting there for a while waiting to merge. And so I let them in.
I have no sympathy though, for someone who leaves the thru lane and speeds up ahead in an empty ending lane to get ahead of everyone else. Sometimes there's plenty of warning that a lane is ending, and everyone merges early, leaving the ending lane empty. And someone tries to take advantage of it.
Even worse, are the ones that use the "right turn only" lane or emergency shoulder lane to speed up ahead of everyone else.
I was sitting in about 1/2 mile of backed up traffic once, and someone rode all the way up to the front of the slowdown in the shoulder lane. When I finally got up to the front of it all, he was still sitting there. Everyone saw him ride up the shoulder, and no one let him in.
Instant traffic karma.
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I have no sympathy though, for someone who leaves the thru lane and speeds up ahead in an empty ending lane to get ahead of everyone else. Sometimes there's plenty of warning that a lane is ending, and everyone merges early, leaving the ending lane empty. And someone tries to take advantage of it.
Even worse, are the ones that use the "right turn only" lane or emergency shoulder lane to speed up ahead of everyone else.
I was sitting in about 1/2 mile of backed up traffic once, and someone rode all the way up to the front of the slowdown in the shoulder lane. When I finally got up to the front of it all, he was still sitting there. Everyone saw him ride up the shoulder, and no one let him in.
Instant traffic karma.
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One of those "lines don't apply to me" people, eh?
- Feb 20, 2009
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you're supposed to use all the lanes until they merge together, and then you're supposed to "zipper in", leaving room for the car in front to get over.
jamming up one lane into a parking lot, getting mad when somebody zooms past in the perfectly legit empty lane next to you, then not letting them in at the actual merge point is what slows everybody down.
(not talking about guys cheating by going in the shoulder lane or whatever, that probably isn't legal and also #$%& them.)
jamming up one lane into a parking lot, getting mad when somebody zooms past in the perfectly legit empty lane next to you, then not letting them in at the actual merge point is what slows everybody down.
(not talking about guys cheating by going in the shoulder lane or whatever, that probably isn't legal and also #$%& them.)
Same here in KY.
Oh, and I forgot another of my favorite douche that guy driving moves. I encountered this one headed toward Virginia beach:
3) Using exits to get about 20 car lengths ahead in totally stalled 2 lane traffic: both lanes are a parking lot, but there's an exit ramp to get off on the right hand side, and across the overpass, an entrance maybe 100 yards ahead. That guy will exit, then show up with his turn signal on looking to merge back in on the other side of the overpass, "passing" 20 or more cars in traffic that is completely gridlocked. Unbelievable.
nutdog
when I'm a good dog they sometimes throw me a bone
I like how the people that merge early don't want to leave any space for the "selfish" people to merge.
I've done it both ways and the difference is about 20 minutes and 50 points in my bp. It's worth it to me not to have that guy riding my ass. Let em have a stroke. Let em go.
I think I witnessed true genius the other night. I was on my way home in bumper to bumper traffic, driving in the right lane as I always do, when all of a sudden a car comes speeding past me in an even further-right lane that I didn't even know existed! I mean talk about a revelation! You know the one I mean: where the emergency vehicles park when there's a freeway accident, evidently you can drive there!! Here I was all this time thinking we had a measly two-lane freeway when we've actually got three! Why doesn't everyone do this!?!? Guys!!!
In all seriousness, I must confess I was secretly wishing I would get to witness that driver stopped by a cop and the cop night-sticking his crotch repeatedly.
In all seriousness, I must confess I was secretly wishing I would get to witness that driver stopped by a cop and the cop night-sticking his crotch repeatedly.