Real heros of the road

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Character_Project_25@reddit

Lot less stressful to just sit back, listen to the radio and get through when you get through.

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Silent-Room-4987@reddit (OP)

No doubt. That's exactly what I do. But I do enjoy watching "the show". :) I get very little live entertainment these days.

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NeoAcario@reddit

But why should 4wheelers wait in line like civilized people? They're obviously smaller, faster, and can squeeze in anywhere!!!!1111

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Threedawg@reddit

Yeah, fuck zipper merges and using the road

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Zipper merging is only a good idea when both lanes are going close to the same speed. If one lane is backed up and you're using the lane that's about to end to get ahead everyone else, you're just an asshole.

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Gutter7676@reddit

The point is, there shouldn’t be one lane open. Everyone getting into one lane early causes more of a slowdown than if everyone stayed in whatever lane they were until the lanes actually merged. https://living.acg.aaa.com/auto/zipper-merge-keeps-traffic-moving/#:~:text=States%20across%20the%20country%20have,travel%20speeds%20between%20adjacent%20lanes. https://lyt.ai/blog/on-the-road/the-zipper-merge-why-waiting-until-the-last-minute-to-merge-is-changing-how-cities-manage-traffic/ https://www.wbur.org/news/2019/08/19/driving-traffic-lane-closure-construction-maneuver-safety https://www.bcaa.com/blog/2019/community/how-the-zipper-merge-can-help-beat-bottlenecks

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Zanurath@reddit

While this is true for a zipper merge to work EVERYONE has to merge a solid minute before the lane closure. The moment people start driving up to the closure looking for a way to slip in it causes massive backups.

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Gutter7676@reddit

What? No. Did you read the links? Leaving any open lane causes the problems, lol Nobody should be trying to manage the traffic themselves. Travel in your lane, period. If yours closes don’t get over until it does, then there will not be an open lane for people to look for a way to slip in.

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Zanurath@reddit

Zipper merge is done in a merge zone NOT at the last second. You are guaranteed significantly larger slowdowns by merging last second. Half mile to a mile before the lane is just gone there is usually a merging sign and from that point on you are suppose to treat it like 1 lane. Use the remaining mile or half mile to zipper together but passing after the merge sign is dangerous and stupid.

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Gutter7676@reddit

You can’t pass past the merge since it this blocked. That is the zipper merge zone. So no, people can’t pass after the merge because then it is only the one lane. It is so simple that people way overthink it.

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Zanurath@reddit

When the lane is closed is NOT the merge zone. The merge zone is the half mile BEOFRE the lane closes. If you are not in front of a car past the merge sign (not the cones that close the lane) you shouldn't be passing them but making your way slowly into the other lane so traffic keeps flowing instead of both lanes coming to a stop when the lane ends and going 1 at a time.

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Milhouse6698@reddit

>Everyone getting into one lane early causes more of a slowdown than if everyone stayed in whatever lane they were until the lanes actually merged. Yes. That also assumes somewhat equal distribution between the 2 lanes. That never happens. Because the people who are paying attention merge early, before it slows down, the remaining lane is longer. At that point, it's too late for zipper merging. If you go into the closing lane and pass stopped vehicles, you're not an *avant-gardist*, you're an asshole who's cutting in line.

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Gutter7676@reddit

It’s an arbitrary line that drivers create, not traffic management. Those people paying attention are actually not paying attention. They are “do gooders” who make things worse by thinking they control traffic. They don’t. If you are one of those then you are the problem. Read the links, they explain why it works to not get over early.

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Fu6uKi@reddit

It's called using both lanes, not cutting in line. I understand not using the other lane if you're already right there at the merge point, but if it still says "right lane closed one mile", then use the right lane for the next mile

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Mickey10199@reddit

I hate when people bring up the zipper merge. It’s like communism. It only works in theory but never in practice

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SeriousDude@reddit

Zipper merge all you want, you're just going to do that behind me.

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Calm_Boss8822@reddit

Idc what anyone says if I’m in the 18 wheeler or big rig truck I’ll block you off from passing and cutting us drivers who are ahead of you . Don’t be a dick and pile up on the lane that’s going to end . We all want to get to our destinations . No reason for people to cut others off and cause an accident or aggressive driving just to cause more traffic build up.

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InvestigatorBroad114@reddit

The other thing that 4 wheels don’t understand is that racing up to the front like that only makes it worse. You’re just slowing traffic down even more. Just wait in line like everyone else

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RRMarten@reddit

What nobody in America understands, is that zipper merge at the merge point is the most efficient way to keep the traffic flowing. I saw this working wonderfully on the Autobahn. Of course it will never work in "me first, fuck everyone else of America"

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Specific-Gain5710@reddit

Exactly, if the officials wanted the road close 3 miles before the merge, they would have closed it three miles before.

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ReceptionDecent6825@reddit

Yea thank you. These “heros” are shutting down lanes that open and free to use by the public.

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TouchMyBoomstick@reddit

Could also you know, merge earlier when the signs tell you to merge and not last second. Ever notice that people who merge at the signs are let in with no fuss? It’s only people who floor it until the last possible second then force their way in that have the issue.

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Laffenor@reddit

Yea... Try driving past a long queue in a closing lane and try to force your way in at the very front in the Autobahn. You'll be executed on the spot. Zipper merge is for merging lanes, not for closed lanes.

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flounderflound@reddit

THANK YOU

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SeamanZermy@reddit

What's also annoying as hell is the legality of that varies by state. Some states want you to zipper merge at the last second. Others will place a "merge now" sign about a mile before the road closer. Others just have a lane ending sign and let you merge wherever.

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blackfarms@reddit

I encourage you to go and read up on the zipper merge theory. It's not what you think.

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SockPuppet-47@reddit

Obviously written by a 4 wheeler then. Might as well call a lopsided merge the Zippy Merge since the lane that is blocked always moves faster than the lane that is open.

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dirtgrub28@reddit

That's not even true. Where the merge point is has no effect on the speed of traffic moving past the breakdown. The only thing that slows is the people already in the lane that doesn't have to merge. Also people merging at the point of the lane closure prevents the merge point from continually moving backwards as people don't want to assholes and zip to the front as we're discussing. Moving the merge point moves congestion back further than if everyone merged at the point of closure. Where people merge is also not related to the different issue of people zipper merging properly 1:1.

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SockPuppet-47@reddit

I've argued this several times in other subs. Most of them like to call it a zipper merge and hate it when a truck blocks their fast track to the front. A zipper is supposed to move with both sides moving together just like a zipper on your jeans. Oddly enough everyone cooperates voluntarily sometimes with everyone falling in line when they see that it's just one lane ahead.

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Leafyun@reddit

If it was raining outside the Walmart and there was only one register open, and the line stretched to the door, I'd sure as shit be encouraging person 2, 4, 6 etc in line to step left, 1, 3, 5 step right, etc. so as to halve the length and double the width of the line. The Walmart analogy doesn't really work unless two registers became one and the second line of people queuing merged at the one remaining register, rather than being told to go to the back of the line at the remaining register.

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SockPuppet-47@reddit

Yeah, my hypothetical wasn't perfect. I was just going for a common scenario where it would be rude AF to pass a bunch of people who have been waiting for awhile and expect to be allowed to just cut into the line. It's a bit different when you have to look that person in the eye and maybe try to convince them to let you go before them.

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Leafyun@reddit

Lol, I didn't see this reply before posting much the same, sorry!

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Bibbimbopp@reddit

And 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 all go before 3. That's your idea of a great solution.

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Leafyun@reddit

? Sorry, I guess I should have explained it for the hard of understanding. They go in ascending order, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... The solution isn't to have one incredibly long line that fucks everything else up. It's to have one or more shorter lines that advance at roughly similar paces, but none of which get you to the front any faster than one "deserves" based on first-come, first-served.

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Leafyun@reddit

What makes vehicle #2 in the lucky lane think they deserve to get through before vehicle #1 in the unlucky lane? And damned sure vehicle #3 in the lucky lane is going to feel like they should go too, because they'd be stupid not to, right? The lack of basic courtesy at the start of the bottleneck leads to the incredibly long lines that cause more problems. At Walmart, it probably doesn't happen as much, because people are able to make eye contact and feel more human within human company. Inside their indestructible high speed metal boxes, people aren't quite so generous with their time and can find it all too easy to say "fuck you, I got mine, someone else behind me can let you in"...

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blackfarms@reddit

Unfortunately they're schooled to do that these days.

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tvieno@reddit

My truck doesn't have a red, yellow, green light on it. I am not a traffic control device. Let the traffic flow, it will work itself out without my assistance just fine.

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spamalluwant@reddit

I saw exactly this recently. One truck was trying to go down the outside lane to standstill traffic so another pulled out to block him from doing so. They were stuck kinda like in this picture. Except they ended up blocking fire trucks and paramedics from being able to get down the road because nobody could move. Fire trucks and paramedics couldn't use the verges either because of all the snow and other vehicles getting stuck.

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a-goateemagician@reddit

Most fire trucks (that I’ve seen) also have 4-wheels, so they get to be included in the people blocked with all the other 4wheels

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Agamemnon323@reddit

Your fire trucks don’t have duals on the back?

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a-goateemagician@reddit

Oh yea that’s true they do… I forgot that that’s technically two wheels

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Metro4050@reddit

This is why I drive at night. No stupid lane policing by idiots. Eventually law enforcement is going to start giving out tickets for impeding the free flow of traffic and this stupid practice will finally end.

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TouchMyBoomstick@reddit

Same but I only drive at night because there’s less four wheelers out at that time and I generally don’t need to worry about their fuckery.

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Wilbur_Cobb1@reddit

I never understood lane policing, especially in construction zones that specifically tell you to use both lanes to the merge point. If the lane isn't closed, use it. You are gonna have to merge either way, you will always slow someone down. The smart thing to do, is to merge closer to the wreck. This way it doesn't artificially stretch the traffic jam further out. Plus, even if a car is going down the shoulder, what if it's a medical emergency? Why would you do that to someone for the sake of your ego? Stop behaving like this. Be a better and more rational driver.

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SockPuppet-47@reddit

We're using both lanes. It's just a buddy system. I arrived at the traffic jam at the same time as the truck beside me. If we drive together to the merge point then we have done exactly what the sign told us to do.

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Wilbur_Cobb1@reddit

>If we drive together to the merge point then we have done exactly what the sign told us to do. Incorrect, read zipper merge law. https://www.wdtlaw.org/blog/2023/03/zipper-merges-help-ohio-drivers-avoid-collisions/ If people are failing to zipper merge, then impeding the clear lane artificially moves the cones back. If they wanted the lane to be closed where you are blocking traffic, they would've done it themselves. Either way, merging is either gonna happen infront of you, or behind you. It's not going to affect you personally to a significant enough degree to matter. Instead, by impeding traffic and inflating jams, you cause exit and entry ramps that are way further back to be blocked too. It's awful for everyone except you because it makes no difference for you. We are supposed to be professional drivers, we should be better than this.

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Spitfire954@reddit

[Here’s your mythical zipper](https://youtube.com/shorts/z663_-SsrGQ?si=BWJPiukkrkx4YUSN) An On-Ramp is not the same as a Closed Lane. Medium Flowing traffic is not the same as Heavy Stop & Go traffic. A closed 60mph highway lane that has 4 signs for over 2 miles should have no vehicles in the closed lane within 1/4 mile of the cones. Within 2 miles every vehicle should have merged over without anyone changing speed more that 5mph. What actually happens is a group of cars and/or a trucks will wait until the last second to merge over. The first car will zip into a gap at speed. The cars behind who can only now see the traffic barrels 150ft ahead panic brake, causing others to panic brake, then people merge into the gaps caused by panic braking. Now there’s a mile long line of everyone stabbing the brakes. Now drivers behind trucks, who can’t see ahead are thinking “wtf is this truck doing, I’ll speed around.” And the cycle continues…

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Wilbur_Cobb1@reddit

>Here’s your mythical zipper *Proceeds to show me something that isn't even close or comparable to zipper merging. I don't know what this has to do with my point. Either this happens in front of you, or it happens further behind you. How is blocking 1 lane, and stretching a traffic jam out further conducive of improving traffic?

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Spitfire954@reddit

That video is cars merging over at the last possible merge point. Now the truck is stopped, now the stopped cars behind him are wondering why they’re not moving so they start going around the truck too. This is now a traffic jam. Mostly it’s a display of usual self important shitheads on the road. Saying “zipper” is like saying “can’t we all just get along?”. It would work well if it weren’t for oblivious, POS, and selfish humans. While a truck blocking the closed lane 1/2 mile before the cones is like a Guy with a shotgun yelling “stay off my property”. Yeah, people’s houses will still get broken into, probably not his though. It’s managing a shitty reality.

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Wilbur_Cobb1@reddit

I am not disagreeing with any of that. My point is just that no matter what you do, traffic isn't going to move much smoother. Just do your part to not make it worse.

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SockPuppet-47@reddit

From my perspective the drivers who are impeding traffic are the ones who just arrived at the traffic jam and quickly drove all the way to the merge point. It you're driving past people who have already been waiting to push your way in front then YOU'RE the one impeding traffic. Why should you go before me if I've already been waiting to get to the merge point? The zipper merge moves together. You've never used a zipper on your clothes in your life? Even Velcro goes together all at the same time...

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Wilbur_Cobb1@reddit

>From my perspective the drivers who are impeding traffic are the ones who just arrived at the traffic jam and quickly drove all the way to the merge point. That's factually wrong, and there is even studies to prove it. Check out this article. https://auto.howstuffworks.com/traffic-lane-zipper-merge.htm >Why should you go before me if I've already been waiting to get to the merge point? Again, it all comes back to ego doesn't it? Let me ask you this. Other then inflating the size of a backup, what real difference does it make if they merge in front of you, or behind you. They have to do it at some point, where they do it hardly matters to you personally.

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SockPuppet-47@reddit

I've ran literally thousands of real experiments and I disagree. Once the closed lane is empty and everyone moves forward faster until the merging begins again it's on average quicker for the poor bastards stuck in the open lane and slower for the ones in the closed lane. That should all average out for the entire group. Then when two vehicles that got there at the same time can begin zipper merging. Maybe if everything goes well then that perfect world merge you fantasize about can happen. Was there someone directing traffic to keep everyone merging smoothly in those studies? In the real world that perfect zipper merge doesn't exist very often.

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Wilbur_Cobb1@reddit

>I've ran literally thousands of real experiments and I disagree. Is that so? I would like to this peer reviewed research paper of yours. Otherwise, I never take anecdotal experience over proper research. To me, whether it's 1 lane in a jam or 2 lanes, it makes no difference on how fast it moves. In fact, the only real factor I have personally noticed that effects the speed of which a jam moves, is the amount of cars stuck in it. You don't have to take my word for it though, the research has already been done. Check out the article I linked in my main comment.

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SockPuppet-47@reddit

I've made observations in the real world most every day across the last 11 years and more than 1.8 million miles driven. Sure you can make arguments about various things by comparing apples to oranges but I think I've explained my reasoning pretty well across these many replies. Sure, a zipper merge done right is the best way to move traffic and keep it fair for everyone. Unfortunately, the real world and a controlled experiment are drastically different. Next time you're in a traffic jam and you want to drive quickly to the end and scream FUCK YOU DUMMIES JUST WAITING YOUR TURN as you merrily ride down the fast lane the truck that pulls out and holds you and all the horde behind you in check might be me. I drive a white freightliner cascadia.

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Wilbur_Cobb1@reddit

>Next time you're in a traffic jam and you want to drive quickly to the end and scream FUCK YOU DUMMIES JUST WAITING YOUR TURN as you merrily ride down the fast lane the truck that pulls out and holds you and all the horde behind you in check might be me. It's all ego with you isn't it? It's not the ones who are already in the jam you are holding up, it's the drivers the jam wouldn't have effected if it wasn't for your actions. Go flex your ego on an ambulance that got stuck, who was just trying to use the highway to a reach a hospital, because you decided to move with stopped traffic 5 miles away from the lane closure. By the way, I think only 2 of those studies were done on simulation. If all you are gonna do is hand wave away research that proves you wrong, and just go by your own anecdotal evidence, I have no interest in continuing this. If you just want to be a jerk, then maybe I should bring my personal dash cam and start sending the footage of drivers like you to the proper authorities. In fact, that's exactly I am going to do now. This shit needs to stop.

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dirty-lettuce@reddit

It's funny how that guy is trying to somehow justify how a zipper merge doesn't work, all because he's been waiting in a line longer and doesn't want traffic in front of him. American truckers have a weird ego about themselves on the road.

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SockPuppet-47@reddit

I'M STAYING IN THE LANE ALL THE WAY TO THE END. What part of that didn't you understand? That's what a zipper merge is. Now please show me where in the article you linked that it says one lane is supposed to move faster than the other? Let me save you the trouble of looking. It doesn't say that. So your one of the "smart" drivers who will zip all the way to the front and force your way in. Your shit in the trailer is more important than the 50 other trucks you just passed. I get it. You're racing the clock. We're all doing that. So why not create a situation where everyone is delayed the same?

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Wilbur_Cobb1@reddit

>Now please show me where in the article It's not in that article, it's in Ohio law. https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-4511.22#:~:text=Section%204511.22%20%7C%20Slow%20speed.&text=(A)%20No%20person%20shall%20stop,or%20to%20comply%20with%20law. This still applies, even when coming up to a construction zone. >So your one of the "smart" drivers who will zip all the way to the front and force your way in. I make my way to the merge point, at a reasonable pace as not to impede traffic, then attempt to zipper merge. Read up on zipper merge. This is something that is severely lacking in our driver education system. >Your shit in the trailer is more important than the 50 other trucks you just passed. I get it. >So why not create a situation where everyone is delayed the same? This is exactly my point, you are making this an ego thing, when it isn't. Why make everyone else's life more miserable for no gain? Some of this exit ramps lead to hospitals and such. Why would you do that to someone in a medical emergency? That's the part I am not getting with these drivers.

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SockPuppet-47@reddit

I think the simple statement here is don't be an asshole... Like I said earlier, you wouldn't walk all the way to the front if there were two lines merging into one for the checkout in Walmart. Both lines would move together with perfect alternation 1 from this line then 1 from the other.. In theory that's how it should work for vehicles too. Course, our vehicles are different sizes. I typically let 3 cars go for my 1 much longer combination vehicle. For whatever reason zipper merges become imbalanced. I can be miles back and never saw a sign or listened to the CB and it's always easy to tell which lane is closed. The real world with real people tend to fuck shit up. Why can't humans just follow each other in a single file line without causing a brake check that rolls like a wave all way to the end of the line? People are stupid... They can't leave enough room to not panic if the car in front of them taps the brakes.

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Wilbur_Cobb1@reddit

>Like I said earlier, you wouldn't walk all the way to the front if there were two lines merging into one for the checkout in Walmart. Both lines would move together with perfect alternation 1 from this line then 1 from the other.. I think a better analogy would be this: Imagine people line up to buy something, a single line would be so long it would block the street outside the door. So to cut that long line down by half, to allow everyone to fit in the store, they open up another line. That new line says walk here, and the cashier checks out one person from each line at a time. If all you do is step over, and move with the longer line blocking the second one, then people will still be standing in the street. It would ruin the entire point the second line.

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okron1k@reddit

people who merge too early cause other people to fly up from behind, which in turn causes everyone they passed to have to brake to make room for them to cut in. both lanes need to be going the same speed in order for a smooth merge. everyone lining up behind the people blocking the left lane is essentially forcing a proper merge, as they are going to hold that to the very end .

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Wilbur_Cobb1@reddit

>both lanes need to be going the same speed in order for a smooth merge. Do that at the merge point though. Doing that before inflates the size of the backup.

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72jon@reddit

Thanks man. The cb is still needed.

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ursisterstoy@reddit

I thought based on the picture the one truck was trying to do what that one car did in a recently shared video until I read the post and saw the person standing outside.

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TripleTrucker@reddit

Was Helwig trying to get up there and KW blocked him?

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Much-Country-8015@reddit

I think it was intentional because they would still try to take the shoulder

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DelAlternateCtrl@reddit

Wouldn’t that also block emergency vehicles or a wrecker? Maybe they could squeeze by

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