Traffic jam | TheaterFire

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RubeRick2A@reddit

Not shown the people using the outside shoulder to zipper merge into the right lane and then into the left lane.

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BL24L@reddit

Problem is is no one wants to let you merge at the end because you look like an A-hole that skipped the line.

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Except you likely aren't doing what is in the image. To do what is in the diagram you need to match the speed to the traffic in the left lane well before the merge point and then everyone has time to adjust. Just speeding to the end and then jamming your car in perpetuates the slowdown.

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TTRSCab@reddit

This is exactly the issue. I used to be one of those guys getting high blood pressure watching everyone speed up to the front of the closed lane. Then I decided, if you can't beat em, join em. That was about 20 years ago and I still enjoy the "benefit" of the empty closed lane.

The irony is if everyone joined the a-hole group, there would no longer be an advantage and the zipper merge would actually work. So the next time you find yourself in the closed lane and feel guilty about not merging early, smile and enjoy the gift of a legal open road, knowing that merging early only makes things worse for those around you.

When you find yourself in the slow lane and the cars beside you are speeding up the closed lane to "get ahead", try to acknowledge that, a. That could be you, and b. Good on them for picking the faster lane.

Now the only thing that makes my blood boil are those that cross double lines to go into merge lanes, or those who extend merge lanes illegally by driving in the shoulder.

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moldschlager@reddit

Problem is once someone lets you merge the 3cars behind try to get in that exact same spot instead of actually zippering now you arent moving at all but once you get sick of of it and let no one in then you're the problem

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Sir_Uncle_Bill@reddit

To combat this I become the problem right from the get go and never let anyone in. That whole thing of 2+ trying to cut in front of me ain't happening. Period.

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moldschlager@reddit

I have an odd process where i let everyone in from the the first "lane closed up ahead" sign i see till about 1/4mile or until the cones are visible at which point i dont let another soul in because you're just greedy at that point

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Sir_Uncle_Bill@reddit

Yea that is odd because that slows you and everyone behind you down way more than necessary which is why I don't let the first person in because I know someone like you is bound to come along Shortly and make me regret being courteous to the first one. I'll just ride that vehicle in fronts bumper instead.

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moldschlager@reddit

You do realize im speak as a driver who let someone in... not as a driver who needed to be let in so that makes no sense

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Sir_Uncle_Bill@reddit

Yea I know. And I'm saying you said you let so many in leading up to the bottle neck that you slowed yourself and everyone behind you down unnecessarily. And that'd be a reason I wouldn't let you in if you needed it. You'd get in somewhere behind me. So it does apply to you.

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moldschlager@reddit

I would never need to be let in because i was already in the correct lane to begin with. So it does not apply to me

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Sir_Uncle_Bill@reddit

Lol sure.

Hey guys ^ super trucker over here.

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TossmySalad88@reddit

Unfortunately this is exactly why the zipper merge doesn't work. Try doing the opposite a couple times and you'll get through it faster.

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moldschlager@reddit

Yea ive done that and instead of one car 10 try to squeeze in so i stopped caring

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TossmySalad88@reddit

OK so 10 got ahead of you doing zipper merge. But you said you let everyone in, I imagine that's way more than ten but let's say 5 just for fun. Now each of those have let a couple in because you've still got a ways to go. And those drivers do the same. See what I'm getting to.

Granted it only works if everyone does it, and trying to get two people to agree on anything nowadays is damn near impossible.

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moldschlager@reddit

While traffic is still moving. Not once we've reached the pinch point.. its a big difference

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Spitfire954@reddit

In a truck and trailer, due to the size, I let 4 or 5 cars ahead of me because that’s about equal in road space. When 10-12 try to jam themselves ahead, that pisses me off.

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moldschlager@reddit

The closed down lane ends up moving faster that the open lane

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hooligan-6318@reddit

99% of the time, that's how you can tell which lane is closed before getting to the signs/blinky lights/barrels

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Confident_Season1207@reddit

When they do that, they now slow down the main lane screwing it up even more and making the zipper merge even harder.

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Frosty_Sherbert_6543@reddit

Omg this is legit one of my biggest issues with people here. Use the ENTIRE lane up to the end and then just zipper merge. It speeds things up. I do not understand people trying to merge in early. Or the people who get mad at you and purposely don’t let you in when you do use the lane to the end correctly. It’s like no one ever learned how to drive

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DartByTheBay@reddit

In my Province of Canada (NS) there are zipper merge laws. Infact you're supposed to merge the moment you see the sign of which lane ends in the upcoming construction zone. Yes it's terribly inefficiency

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TruckerBiscuit@reddit

Jesus, this shit again.

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Fan-_-@reddit (OP)

I feel you. Apparently people get triggered so much by the picture that don't read the question underneath.

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ghost_of_agrippa@reddit

No, it’s because this has been posted on Reddit more than a billion times and the premise of the whole thing fails to account for so many variables (types of vehicle, human behaviour, road conditions, etc) that it comes across as the naive fantasy of an (annoying) eternal optimist.

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one_mind@reddit

Well. There are countries that do zipper merge - Japan and Germany come to mind. The only thing preventing it is learned behavior.

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ghost_of_agrippa@reddit

Have you ever actually driven in these countries? I can tell you first hand that it doesn’t play out like this.

But please, go around telling other drivers how “learned” you are and see how far you get.

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Mydickisaplant@reddit

Zipper merging is the correct way to merge during slow traffic.

You sound intolerable.

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ghost_of_agrippa@reddit

Lmfao yea no shit it’s the correct way, but unless you can stop people from being themselves all over the world then you’re shit out of luck.

Intolerable, sure - but also pragmatic and realistic. Better than naive and self righteous.

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QtestMofoInDaWorld@reddit

Your question asks how to explain this to people. That doesn't make any sense since everyone knows what it is called but it didn't work in most scenarios. So people understand it's name but don't care for it.

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TruckerBiscuit@reddit

CB or eye contact. Truck in travel lane keeps his bumper even with the blocking truck's DOT bar. At merge point truck in travel lane allows blocking truck into travel lane, thus allowing one vehicle to merge at the merge point as the theory instructs. Same dynamic in reverse if the travel lane is closed. Successful maneuvers like this emerge 50/50 from CB discussions and eye contact/hand signals.

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DoTheHamsterDance@reddit

Or just use your turn signals and mirrors, it's not that complicated.

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HeywoodJaBlowMe123@reddit

🤣

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grotog@reddit

I get yelled at and honked if I do zipper merge

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ThatOneGuyThatYou@reddit

In reality, it shouldn’t matter, the issue is that people will slinky. This is how you can get things called ghost traffic jams, where all that happened was one person following two closely stops suddenly and the. The effect propagates down the road. If you can minimize the speed delta in such a way that no one has to hit their brakes, there is no issue.

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Fan-_-@reddit (OP)

Oh I very .much hate the ghost traffic jams, that's why is good to leave a long following distance

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J3wb0cca@reddit

The worst is a ghost traffic jam caused by goose necking watching an accident across a BARRIER.

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Tuffernut@reddit

No the worst is a ghost traffic jam caused by a handful of dumbasses and a slight curve in the road

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Specific_Effort_5528@reddit

Or my personal favourite.

"I've got to slow to 1 km/hr before turning into a parking lot!"

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10ADPDOTCOM@reddit

"I've got to slow to 1 km/hr before exiting Deerfoot!"

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SidheDreaming@reddit

I resemble this remark thank YOU! Drives my husband bonkers when I slow way down to turn.

"YOU'RE NOT PULLING A TRAILER! JUST TURN!!"

lol 😁

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Specific_Effort_5528@reddit

Your granny turning brethren are the reason I have to drive in the left lane in the city 😂. I could leave a space cushion a 1km long and there would still be someone making a right turn so slowly I still need to slow down

OR I'm in the left lane but they drive their SUV like a Mack truck and basically do a bell turn into my lane. 😂.

I like that you're straight up about it. Drive on stranger, just remember you can take turns at like 20 km/hr quite comfortablly lol.

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SidheDreaming@reddit

I never had kids, I'm only in my 40s but I 100% drive like a granny. Never above the speed limit and usually just below it. Never take a fast turn and I use my blinker WAY more than you really need to. I absolutely own my driving style and will probably never change lol!

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Specific_Effort_5528@reddit

Hey, it's cool to go below the limit if you're not impeding. Safety first!

Just don't do it on a highway as a smaller vehicle cause that suits dangerous. Seriously. Be safe!

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Mindes13@reddit

Or that highway patrol sitting in the bushes and everyone slows to 60, speed limit 70

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HandlesofLiquor@reddit

Or Even worse: highway patrol on the other side of the barrier STANDING OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WITH SOMEONE ALREADY PULLED OVER

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RipIt1021@reddit

State trooper doing 55 in a 70, and nobody but me and my slow ass truck has the balls to pass em. 😑

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Crushker@reddit

Texas state troopers as a whole. It's either 55 in a 70 or 70 in a construction zone with them.

I'm governed at 68.5 and I'll use every bit of that .5 to blow their doors off for that crap.

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psingsong@reddit

We call those lovely people "rubber neckers" round here.

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Spidergawd68@reddit

Chicago traffic reports often reported this as a "gapers block".

Nice.

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beardedbast3rd@reddit

Yeah this is what’s wrong with the zipper merge, it only works in relatively low volume traffic, or traffic that is moving at a good speed- the moment traffic has to slow for construction or whatever, it doesn’t really make things move faster.

However, it is still good to use both lanes right up to the obstruction/lane closure, so that you don’t have a stupid long line, the issue is people will always cut in further back, rather than waiting for only the front of the line to merge. I’d almost say they need to add mid lane separation, several hundred meters ahead, to prevent or deter lane changes until the merge point

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FlickKnocker@reddit

Time and space. Yep. Keeping a safe following distance eliminates this issue, but people always try to sneak into your buffer space, so it’s tricky to keep it large enough for a buffer, but not too enticing for another car to fit in.

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Nearby_Scallion_5245@reddit

It definitely matters. Merging early extends the length of the lane closure and, assuming the lanes are 50% full or more, a lane closure will back up traffic. So extending it by merging early makes it worse.

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palebd@reddit

Braking and reaction time 1000x. Really adds up. Before you say well it's old people reacting slowly. Bollocks. Everyone has a reaction delay from perception to decision to action. It maybe fractions of a second, but yeah those fractions of a second add up. Regarding the line cutters... honestly the best you can do is let them in smoothly. Sometimes cops will post up and hopefully ticket or at least talk to these jack asses but hey cops aren't doing shit these days, and we're all just trying to get to work.

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ShakeAgile@reddit

Absolutely matters, the longer the blockage the more severe stop/go effects, and more off ramps being blocked further back. But yes the "break shockwave" that travels backwards in traffic are very real.

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International-Bat944@reddit

Two problems. People are too entitled so the right lane tries to get as far as possible because they have to get in front. Left lane is too stubborn and entitled to let the right lane in.

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ARAR1@reddit

In the scenario presented the left lane will move at half the speed of the right lane because the left lane needs to make room for the cars from the right lane

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Dugaditch@reddit

Ahh many people will see this, but the ones who need to learn from it and heed to common courtesy on the roads….will ignore it completely.

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The7thZwei@reddit

Both are fine. The problem is slowing down too much. If you merge to the left just as you enter the highway from a on ramp, you are bad driver. Use the space in front of you to match the speed of traffic and allow people to react to you

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bigdaddy1879@reddit

I see WAY to many of my fellow truckers blocking the lane the ends well before the merge point. I'm not talking a couple hundred feet, but as much as multiple miles before a lane ends. We don't need highway hall monitors. If we all could try to do the zipper merge, the world would be that little bit better.

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chelssssssss@reddit

Literally this. It gets dangerous.

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4cidm4n@reddit

In Scandinavia we have a lot of Single lane roads and every single stressed driver is trying to pass you in the left lane before the lanes merge to one. Around rush hour it completely clogs the traffic so that you become stationary. Even though its illegal I’ll take advantage of my big truck to block both lanes so that people don’t use the left lane and traffic keeps on flowing. Hate me if you want to, but traffic moves in faster.

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Fan-_-@reddit (OP)

You do good by me

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Informalsteven@reddit

Only way that works is if everyone is moving at the same rate. 1 car driving too fast cutting ppl off causing others to slam on their brakes. We can’t out accelerate a car so we cause a lag. Rinse wash repeat til its miles of bs.

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Confident-Ear-9388@reddit

I one hundred percent agree with the zipper merge method. But there are definitely more drivers that want to create a line for miles, and merge in lots of random spots.

My counter defense to that. If one lane was effective, then there would be no need for multiple lanes.

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KitteyGirl2836@reddit

Its called giving vehicles space to merge and not cock blocking them because your ego cant handle someone trying to merge infront of you

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Coodevale@reddit

I don't care. Traffic moving smoothly any way possible is better than half the idiots trying to abuse "zipper rules" while the other half simply picks a lane that's not about to end and follows the car in front of them.

If you're a zipper zealot and you force people to slow down to let you in, you're the problem.

When 3 lanes of traffic are moving just fine but leaving the ending far right lane open, that's great. When asshats zip down the open right lane that's being "incorrectly left open" and cause a bottle neck as they dart back in... Cut them off and pace the 3 lanes of responsible drivers to fix the zipper.

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ValuableShoulder5059@reddit

The problem with a zipper merge is it doesn't work in reality. Cars will lane hope just to advance a few feet. The merging point is also what stops traffic. By spreading out this merge point average speed is higher. By the road backing up further, traffic will begin to detour. Only a few states are you supposed to zipper. The majority of states(aka when they tell you for miles ahead of time, right lane closed, you have to yeild to traffic in the open lane and yes you have to sit there and wait indefinitely). Another reason zippers don't work is vehicles like fully loaded semis are slow to accelerate. Do you want every truck going through that choke point to average 20mph or would you have then roll through the restriction point at the posted speed limit (typically 45). When you know a lane is closed ahead, get out of it. If selfish traffic is a problem then someone simply needs to lane block. This creates a rolling zipper merge point, which arguably is the only type of zipper that works.

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Rackcauser@reddit

It only looks good on paper. The issue is everyone wants to be in front, and God forbid they spot a semi or bus near the lane reduction spot because they will do everything in their power to force themselves in front of said vehicle. They always expect the larger vehicle to yield.

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Cute-Roll2849@reddit

Unfortunately, in reality none of it works because people do not, and will not, zipper merge properly.

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Dahmer_disciple@reddit

100%. I’ve gotten into many arguments over this. In theory, the zipper merge is the quickest. IN THEORY. But in practice, it’s exactly like you said, everyone wants to be in the front of the line and they try to bully their way in.

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potatocross@reddit

People also love to forget there may be other factors at play. Roadwork I drive through every night the backup has nothing to do with the merge. Even once you are single file you are stop and go because of how slow traffic flows through the construction.

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MachStyle@reddit

Especially when you have us in long trucks. Cars will be more willing to let each other zipper because they are all equal legth. But as soon as a truck is involved, you got 4 or 5 cars that fit next to it who will all feel like they need to be in front and will not want to let just one go and then sit and wait for 60 feet of truck to pass them to try to merge in after. It just doesn't work.

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Mydogfartsconstantly@reddit

I had a lady the other day make a bug deal about getting in front of me. She moved way past the zipper lane and into the shoulder to get in front of me

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SOROKAMOKA@reddit

Came here to say this

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machinehead3413@reddit

Zipper merge sounds like some stupid shit made up by someone who thinks they’re above having to wait in line like the rest of us.

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blackfarms@reddit

The guy that originally wrote the paper on zipper theory, should be hung and quartered.

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FinzClortho@reddit

I'll run all the way to the end of the closed lane, pass everyone who got in the lane that's getting through, then when I get all the way to the end I attempt to zipper in and people claim I'm cutting the line? Is that zipper or line cutting?

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christian10_O@reddit

Not pictured here is the car that sees a massive line speeds 4 cars down then jams themselves in causing breaks slamming and saving themselves 12 seconds but causing more traffic

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jdaburg@reddit

Its called a rolling road block. I'll find the nearest big rig then slow roll next to him intill zipper point usually they'll see what I'm doing and let me go ahead. This is to prevent inpatient wheelers from pulling ahead to get 10 second futher and jamming up everyone behind them.

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jahblax@reddit

This is the best way in my opinion

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jahblax@reddit

There will literally be a right lane closing sign. Left lane is moving slow, 4 cars get back in the right lane just to be 3 cars ahead 🙄.

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FirstAmendment68@reddit

People have become IDGAF. I have been saying this for years. I gave up trying

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komokazi@reddit

How dare you suggest using logic and common sense!

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Connor4543@reddit

On paper those zipper merges look very efficient. In the real world, the people who are in the proper lane get punished for it. Fuck a zipper merge, especially being in a truck

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radiationblessing@reddit

There's so much misinformation about zipper merges. If people were shown actual data and evidence on how zipper merges are beneficial I think we'd see em used more. I've only seen 3, maybe 5 max, zipper merges actually work and it was amazing. They are not hard to do. People just either don't know about em or don't believe they work.

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HappyAnimalCracker@reddit

I’ve had a driver’s license in 4 states and never once did I see it mentioned. It wasn’t taught in driver’s ed when I took it either. So many important points about traffic and driving well are neglected.

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CleanSeaPancake@reddit

The problem with zipper merging is that apparently nobody else uses zippers.

If you shoot up the the closure and then force your way in, that's not how a zipper works. The people who block both lanes of traffic are actually forcing people to start zipping properly, briefly.

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WackoMcGoose@reddit

Ah, so I guess I'm not the only one that, when merging from the right, will take my time between the two lanes (enter left enough to reserve the space, but still partially in the right lane) to prevent cheaters from cutting ahead. Seriously, zipper merge is only viable when there are no egos involved, meaning it will never happen while people are touching the steering wheel. ^(in other words, never)

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CleanSeaPancake@reddit

I don't do it, but when it happens, it's crazy how suddenly traffic flows more smoothly lol

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Bald-Eagle39@reddit

It’s called a zipper merge and in a perfect world it would work

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teachthisdognewtrick@reddit

Ironically the only place in the US I’ve seen it work is Boston.

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azziptac@reddit

OP is actually serious about this hahahaha

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merkinmavin@reddit

I've (unpopularly) said it here before. All drivers need to stop blocking the lane leading to the merge. I see truckers doing it more than anyone else. The lane is legally open and traffic will merge as the designated location. Blocking the lane early creates additional congestion.

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Fan-_-@reddit (OP)

How is it additional congestion?

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merkinmavin@reddit

Traffic is backing up sooner than it would if the lane were clear to the merge point. More drivers also get over before the merge point, causing inefficiencies in the line and backing the line up further that it would've been. It's the same as an early merge scenario shown in the photo.

Think of it as a funnel. You want to have some liquid buildup in the reservoir to get maximum throughput. If you create an artificial chokepoint the same size as the funnel output, then it won't be as efficient. By using both lanes to the merge, you're building up the reservoir.

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Niko120@reddit

The name of the process you are describing is called holding up traffic. You prevent a proper zipper merge and everyone waits longer to get to the lane closure

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Fit_Hospital2423@reddit

Merge early and bitch about the asshats going to the front of the line instead of utilizing the only method that stops that from happening.

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DoTheHamsterDance@reddit

love it when everyone else merges early, consistently saves me 20-30 mins getting through rush hour traffic

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Fit_Hospital2423@reddit

I love it that I don’t live anywhere where the there is what you could call “rush-hour traffic”. Haha!

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dazzler619@reddit

Except not one know how to merge.... and heaven fobid a semi is involved, becasue care think it all of them before the truck....

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Blindemboss@reddit

This only works when others actually are considerate of other drivers.

Sadly, that's not Toronto.

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NuclearBlindDate@reddit

SHUT UP! WHO CARES?

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Mindless_Jicama8728@reddit

THIS!!!

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RecentRegal@reddit

OP, are you asking what it’s called when two trucks block both lanes to “ease traffic”? Bloody stupid is what that’s called.

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Fantastic-Display106@reddit

What most people don't get who are against the zipper merge. Having numerous arbitrary merge points slows things down more and is less safe, than using both lanes until one lane ends and merging at the end.

They need to stop taking the me me me attitude and realize it's about getting as many vehicles through as quickly as possible as safely as possible. Doing so is for the greater good. They need to stop getting angry with people that decide to use both lanes that get "ahead of them" because they decided to merge early.

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AndromedanPrince@reddit

will never work in america because its full of entitled idiots

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Vino1980@reddit

Problem is people want to zipper in all at once toward the end, not a 1 to 1 ratio, but a 4-1 ratio and that pisses off people who have been waiting.

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mwonch@reddit

Trucks holding back traffic is silly. We aren’t traffic cops. Those folks will jam everything anyway by jockeying for position after the lane is free again. Just let asshats be asshats and deal.

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karmeezys@reddit

Nah drivers think you are cheating in the game of driving and won’t let you merge

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ChaceEdison@reddit

That’s when you use your size to move over anyways.

Nobody in a car argues with the logging truck

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karmeezys@reddit

Idk seen plenty of of cars break checking trucks on this sub

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Sir_Uncle_Bill@reddit

Some are cheating when one driver lets another merge then the 3-5 behind that one tries shove their way in front too.

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Autokosmetik_Calgary@reddit

That's why you don't merge 10 car lengths back from the merge point! It makes this impossible, and removes courtesy from the whole equation. Each lane provides 50% of cars moving forward. It can only happen in one location - the end.

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Sir_Uncle_Bill@reddit

So the ones closest to the front merge, the whole traffic jam moves forward at the same time then the ones that are now at the front merge?

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Mister_Meenor@reddit

When this happens and I'm not in the merge lane. The cars merging in, I let 1 car in between the car in front and myself. IDC who you are or what you are driving. Those are the rules, be pissed all you want.

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aghostofrazgriz@reddit

Doesn't work with trucks and cars that are intermingled.

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Kern4lMustard@reddit

Had a trucker try to run people off the road the other day when we were trying to zipper merge. I hope that guy loses his job. Fucking asshat in a hirschbach truck.

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deadpat03@reddit

I quit giving a shit. I'll get in the merging lane put it at 5 10mph and just avoid the fucking hassle of stop and go. I don't give 2 shits. If the lane opens up a mile ahead of me, I'm maintaining my speed till I get the merge point.

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CanaryCrusher2000@reddit

Does this take into account the asshats who leave the lane they’re in, to try and get further ahead with the closed/merge lane?

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Darth_Hidious2581@reddit

This doesn’t work because the people in the open lane don’t wanna let anyone in front of them. People wait until the last second to merge and then gotta slam their brakes. Everyone has to be on the same page for it to be seamless but that never happens.

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HeathenBliss@reddit

zipper merges only work if people are actually driving like they're supposed to, following the speed limit, and leaving appropriate following distance.

Until that starts happening on the regular, I'm just going to keep merging early so I don't have to fight some ignorant fucking boomer who wants to pretend that they haven't seen my blinker on for the last half mile.

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AdventurousLawyer646@reddit

Yea in a perfect, non selfish, non capitalistic world the zipper method is the right way. Too bad Pleasantville isn't a real place.

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blades2012@reddit

Sounds great on paper, and works damn nice in practice, but this will never work because people and their ego, people will find a way to get their feelings hurt, some people are more of a rush than others.

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unnamedunderwear@reddit

People in Warsaw would rather die than zipper merge lol

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Fan-_-@reddit (OP)

Lmao

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Fan-_-@reddit (OP)

Apparently nobody is reading the question. I'll repeat again. What is the process called when you block the sleazy drivers that jump the traffic to go in front and do the "zipper merge" which is not actually a zipper because he past HIS teeth a long time ago

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Sea_Contract_7758@reddit

Blocking traffic lol that’s it. There’s no name for trucks that block traffic to advice bottle necked traffic because you’re just creating another bottle neck.

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Fan-_-@reddit (OP)

Lol got it. But it's not "another" bottle neck because the one in front disappeared

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Sea_Contract_7758@reddit

What I’m saying is yea the one in the front is gone, but now the 4 wheelers behind you are going to start jumping in front of everyone else in the lane next to you.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll let you I. Because fuck them cars…but it’s just another bottle neck, you just don’t see it in front of you

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Fan-_-@reddit (OP)

If you don't see it it doesn't exist, and as long as they don't drive on the shoulder it's good in my book.

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WillBilly_Thehic@reddit

I don't do it but for the other trucks who do i always make them a space in front of me, they make traffic quicker for me

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Fan-_-@reddit (OP)

I'll look for you in the next jam lol. But it's good you follow. It's also much safer.

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njwineguy@reddit

It’s called being an ahole

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Budget_Foundation747@reddit

Neither way works because people aren't interchangeable cogs. Only takes ONE in a hundred cars to begin a stop and go traffic jam miles long.

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Daleone3236@reddit

I am all for the give and take of a lane drop BUT if I see you coming up on the right trying to cheat the process, I am closing the gap very quickly and you can go F/yourself for trying to gain an advantage. Your need to get somewhere is no more important than mine and I will take great pleasure is watching you scramble to get in line (from my rear view mirror). Note: I live in MA and there seems to be an abundance of douche nozzles that think their time is more important than mine.

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OptiKnob@reddit

You can explain this shit until you're out of brreath and blue in the face and still the assholes in both lines will jam up traffic because they don't want people to merge ahead of them.

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Fan-_-@reddit (OP)

That's exactly what happened LMAO and I've been trying to talk to 4 different truckers

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OptiKnob@reddit

It's like they think they're winning a race or something.

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AntiSonOfBitchamajig@reddit

The people in the continuing line have no legal obligation to slow down. (If there is, please show me where in the books it says this)

Merge when THE SIGN instructs you... not when cones force you.

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njwineguy@reddit

The sign rarely says “merge here”; usually says “merge ahead” or “this lane ends x feet ahead”.

You merge before the cones force you to stop. Simple.

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AntiSonOfBitchamajig@reddit

Yeah, it's not a popular answer though. I believe it needs to be set by the construction engineers because this topic is never agreed on for every situation.

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njwineguy@reddit

Construction and traffic engineers working together accounting for the needs of site and the reality of the roads.

The zipper thing is just logical, polite, legal, and fair. That’s why it will never work.

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AntiSonOfBitchamajig@reddit

In many places.... it isnt a zipper though on the merging side, they just see traffic moving a single mph faster till they can't merge back into the correct lane or have 3-4 cutting off the lane at a time, and worse yet when they're parked literally sideways blocking both lanes. We see it all the time. Its good in theory, but I view those people as wrong. And again... show me the legal obligation to who must yield in the law,... its the merging / discontinuance lane.

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njwineguy@reddit

Two aspects to your rationale that I have an issue with: 1) a legal obligation is the lowest bar possible - yes, they have the right of way - but safely accommodating mergers is more than a legal obligation IMO and 2) you’re relying people to use their judgement as to when the optimal moment for merging with accommodation from those in the continuous lane when they cannot possibly have any idea. Hence, your solution doesn’t really fix anything.

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AntiSonOfBitchamajig@reddit

Annnnd again that is all opinion and not legal / by the book. It's "the lowest rung" and they can't even make that work merging before cones.

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njwineguy@reddit

Yes. Definitely just opinion that safely allowing others to merge is the right thing to do and not a legal requirement. However, it’s not illegal to do it so the real issue is what’s the right, ethical, appropriate behavior. That’s all.

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AntiSonOfBitchamajig@reddit

And Im not in full disagreement with that, but we're talking about "when it comes down to it". "The rules" "the law".

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njwineguy@reddit

Guess that’s where we disagree. Doing the right thing to me means the rule of law doesn’t even have to come into it.

All good.

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43GoTee@reddit

It works but not when two 18 wheelers decide to drive next to each other. Called a rolling road block. I see this everyday and there is a mile plus infront of the 18 wheeler that is empty. And you wonder why “4 wheelers” hate you! Stop driving like you own the road and just drive. Close the gap and we will all get thru the congestion faster.

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Feisty-Season-5305@reddit

Brother ik what the data says the data also says if I slam my hand into a table enough times it will go right through it without breaking the table or hurting my hand but we all know it just won't happen

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JoesAmbiton@reddit

What data are you referring to?

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WackoMcGoose@reddit

Quantum tunneling, I would assume.

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Stoned42069@reddit

People have no courtesy anymore. Zipper merge is great in theory but not application when people never let folks in.

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notjohnstockton@reddit

Shilling for zipper merge is actually crazy. In theory this works, however it almost never happens like this.

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Ephemeral_Ghost@reddit

It should be in school textbooks

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Ok-Importance5942@reddit

No, the best merging technique is leaving 2 car spaces at all times.

I don't understand the obsession with needing to drive right up on the bumper, creating a literal traffic centipede.

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Ok-Importance5942@reddit

No, the best merging technique is leaving 2 car spaces at all times.

I don't understand the obsession with needing to drive right up on the bumper, creating a literal traffic centipede.

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ryanpayne442@reddit

What does work is how Oklahoma does it. They put up merge now signs 5 miles before the merge point, with a couple at the last mile saying merge now its the law. And then have a cop waiting at the merge point to ticket whoever didnt merge 5 miles back like theyre suppsed to. Funny how I never see traffic jams when they do that.

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Ok-Importance5942@reddit

No, the best merging technique is leaving 2 car spaces at all times.

I don't understand the obsession with needing to drive right up on the bumper, creating a literal traffic centipede.

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Ok-Importance5942@reddit

No, the best merging technique is leaving 2 car spaces at all times.

I don't understand the obsession with needing to drive right up on the bumper, creating a literal traffic centipede.

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fastnsx21@reddit

Zipper merge will always be a theory

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scottiethegoonie@reddit

For a Truck, early is the way.

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LordChaoticX@reddit

Early is the way? Then you have to deal with 15 cars driving in front of you when your shifting cutting you off. I have to zipper merge every day otherwise I get stuck in an extra 10-15 minutes of traffic. Especially when the cars that cut in front of me LET OTHER CUTTERS IN.

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scottiethegoonie@reddit

You get cockblocked either way.

I zipper late IF traffic is not moving to avoid impeding traffic, sure.

If traffic is moving I get in early bc it's the default behavior for any lane change.

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HeyNongMan96@reddit

I feel like Reddit is more concerned with the zipper merge than climate change.

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thatzmatt80@reddit

Zipper merge is real.

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bmf1989@reddit

In theory, yes. In practice the notion of dozens if not hundreds of divers coordinating it correctly is laughable. Four wheelers can’t even manage to get out of the passing lane to let faster traffic get through for the greater good of smoother traffic.

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Fan-_-@reddit (OP)

That's why I make theories in practice and look for another driver that will stick with me and stop the cars from passing us on the shoulder. It's just hard to find drivers that understand this

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JoesAmbiton@reddit

If you see my cattle guard in line with your ICC bumper, that is me working with you, and most truckers seem to understand that gesture.

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njwineguy@reddit

Passing on the shoulder is wrong. So is blocking traffic in a legal lane because you think you know better.

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Horacegumboot@reddit

People are stupid and no amount of reasoning will ever fix it

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Helacious_Waltz@reddit

I think the biggest problem with this is that if you try to zipper mege properly half the time someone with a big ego will appoint themself as the traffic police and block half the open lane.

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Prankishmanx21@reddit

Okay but can State road department stop closing lanes during the day when traffic is at its peak unless absolutely necessary? A few months ago, Georgia was redoing sections of the concrete on I-20 between Madison and Augusta, closing down one lane during the day and then doing the day instead of doing the work at night.

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Bobbyvolinski@reddit

Good luck getting fucking people to stay one car length away from each other

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Veryhappycommission@reddit

A lot of ppl, particularly in this sub, called truckers stupid. They are stupid.

In reality, the problems is Americans. Good luck every getting this to work. If your a trucker, just block until the cones. I do. There is always someone happy for what you did and let you in.

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firewire87@reddit

This works as a static image - however once all the cars in the right lane merge then a new set of cars fills in the space and leads to a mess of “I already let someone in”

I advocate for the zipper merge, however it doesn’t always work in real life

The car that is behind the white and dark blue car in the left image will move to the front of the right lane and be seen as a line skipper!

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Fan-_-@reddit (OP)

That's right, because if you let someone in and other drivers pass you it's not a zipper anymore.

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Ornery_Ads@reddit

Look on my profile, someone decided to go truly to the very end, past the end of the merge area, and hit a cone.
Is that what you want? I mean...he did use ALL of the road...

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Fan-_-@reddit (OP)

Hahaha he used more than he could fit in.

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firewire87@reddit

That doesn’t make sense…. So you expect the entire right lane to move over at the same time and leave the right lane empty? What happens after that - it would be the same issue with new traffic

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Autokosmetik_Calgary@reddit

Friend, look at the graphic again. No one is moving over completely until the barrier. The beige car is about to complete its merge. The yellow car will not get over to the left lane until the barrier as well. No car should exit the lane, leaving room for anyone else, until the very end. This ensures a 1:1 ratio from each lane. You're pointing out why no one should move over at all until the last moment, which is what this graphic is suggesting.

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Sir_Uncle_Bill@reddit

What you just described would literally be a zipper merge. So if we're going to scream and whine about zipper merging then that's exactly what I expect to happen.

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DFA_Wildcat@reddit

Where I live the zipper merge is like the image on the left, but as soon as the yellow car merges in the light blue car rushes ahead and cuts in front of the charcoal car. This is immediately followed by the dark blue car cutting off the tan car that just merged in front of the green car. Then the red car gets upset, pulls out and cuts the dark blue car off. The charcoal car decides to brake check the whole group.

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ANiceDent@reddit

If you think green, red, beige, & white are going to let you merge in today’s society you’ve got another thing coming.

Maybe beige, or white will but yeah it’s a nice theory & all

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Ornery_Ads@reddit

As a truck driver, just start moving over... they will stop

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Sir_Uncle_Bill@reddit

I don't care what color my truck is I'm not letting you merge because everyone behind is going to try to jump in front of you and you'll likely just stop and let them just to be an asshole. Therefore you can get behind me.

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moldschlager@reddit

People love posting this digram like the people in the left lane are the only issue as if beige yellow and both blues wont all try to jump in front of green instead of zippering correctly.

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Sir_Uncle_Bill@reddit

Exactly

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MajorHymen@reddit

This is alright for anything shorter than 15/20 cars. Anything past that and it won’t matter what you do there’s too many people all doing their own thing.

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Eidolon82@reddit

These graphs always act like there's one "backed up" lane but in states that require early merging I never see that happen. Pretty sure zipper was invented by some engineer who's never done any real driving and spent too long one day just staring at his own crotch trying to justify his job.

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Autokosmetik_Calgary@reddit

There are two separate scenarios - one is where two lanes become one, it is best to merge early. But, in cases of construction or lane closures, where traffic is slow, the only reasonable solution is to merge at the very end.

Otherwise, you have people trying to merge early to be polite, then people letting them in to be polite, then both those groups get angry when someone attempts to merge at the end, which is the only equitable way to ensure both lanes move forward at the same speed. That's why it's the only option, and merging early is actually creating problems for everyone else.

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Eidolon82@reddit

Construction zones are what I, the graph, and everyone else are talking about.

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mike-2129@reddit

What about when the people merging try to merge 4 at a time. Zipper should work. But people will never be able to be patient enough for it to work.

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clarobert@reddit

It's got nothing to do with patience. About half the people will move over early, and the other half see themselves as far too important to move over before their front bumper is brushing the barricades in the closed lane, and even though the speed limit is reduced and traffic is slowing, they intend to roll throught that point at 90mph and then lock up their brakes in anger when Moses doesn't part the Red Sea allowing them unfettered access into the merge lane.

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mike-2129@reddit

So they are being impatient rushing to the front of the line. Either way people can praise zipper this or that. Shits never gonna work.

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Ok_Constant_184@reddit

Problem is for infrastructure to work, it requires a basic understanding of how to drive.

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SiderBright@reddit

It's not a long line in the left lane because if the left lane doesn't have to stop for zipper and everyone already merged to the left lane, it moves quickly.

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Wykkidx@reddit

Zipper merging works perfectly in a computer model, where a computer controls all 50 cars.. in reality where 50 different personalities control the 50 cars, it does not work.

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thestug93@reddit

People that think the image on the right works, clearly do not understand the "me first" phenomena of human psychology.

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ButterflySpecial6324@reddit

You don’t know how many people don’t know this 🤦🏽‍♂️

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Fan-_-@reddit (OP)

Almost nobody

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WillBilly_Thehic@reddit

I block both lanes so everybody gets to zipper meger correctly :) JK but people who use I'm just zipper merging bro as they fly down the ending lane doing 10 over make traffic worse. I've never seen a zipper where one side out runs the other

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TitusBjarni@reddit

Seems much more dangerous to me to merge closer to the construction zone.

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The-1@reddit

Ik better than to expect people to make it work as advertised, they will not let you in last second.. and now both lanes will have to stop completely.

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Fan-_-@reddit (OP)

That's why I tend to block the traffic once we all come to a full stop and keep the same neighbors until merging at last moment

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Icy-Image-2619@reddit

Only in a perfect world unfortunately.

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lgmorrow@reddit

Now stick some semis and trailers in the mix......four wheeler s don't like ti zipper merge with big trucks

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Fan-_-@reddit (OP)

Right, there's never semi trucks in these images

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Spitfire954@reddit

This only works in stopped or very low speed traffic.

In good flowing highway traffic you should merge over early, in a way that requires no one to brake hard or slow more than 5 mph or so.

If you stay in the right lane until the barrels (esp in a semi) no one behind you can even see the barrels until the very last second. Right lane comes to a screeching halt and people are now swerving into the left lane from a standstill, causing people in the left lane to slam on their brakes.

If there are stoplights and traffic is already jammed, yes, use all the room available. Otherwise everyone needs to merge in the best way to keep traffic flowing with minimal slowing.

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