Does Commuting Make you a Monster? (Atlanta, Alpharetta: home, wages, living in)

[ATLondoner]

Does anyone have any idea why the Thursday evening commute seems to be the worst of the week?

[PKCorey]

Originally Posted by ATLondoner

Does anyone have any idea why the Thursday evening commute seems to be the worst of the week?

More people working 10 hours days to skip out on Friday?

[ElleKaye]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

I used to get mad at this, too.

But I read an article somewhere from some civil engineer or traffic expert that said we can ease traffic a lot if we create a single merge point....so instead of everyone getting over when they can, or when it seems safe, there should be a point where every car allows one to merge. Think of it like a zipper.

He said that it would actually improve things if everyone waited until the last minute to merge instead of trying to do so early.

I don't know if he's right or not, but that's what I do now! I drive as far as I can in the lane I'm in and then merge at the very end. The way I see it, I'm helping things. That's what this guy said, but maybe it only works if everybody does it.

Interestingly, I don't see many middle fingers at all. Of course, my philosophy is to mind my own business and not make eye contact with anybody. So maybe people are flipping me the bird left and right and I don't even know it. Oh well, nothing is more frustrating to someone flipping you off than you not even seeing it happen.

Ok, here's the thing. When the line to merge is long, I find people including myself to be more polite. It's like everyone will let in one car. People are especially tolerant when it's almost unexpected merge, meaning you didn't get ample warning that your lane was going to end and you needed to merge.

Now, a way to incite animosity is when miles back, you knew like everybody else that the lane was going to end. You saw the sign just like everybody else who managed to already get the job done. You fly up the side until there's nowhere else to go and expect what exactly from people who have patiently waited in the long line? It's like skipping in line at the grocery store; it's just not acceptable behavior.

[samiwas1]

Having been a freelancer for the better part of 11.5 years in Atlanta, I've had all sorts of odd hours. More recently, I've been working on movies and TV shows where I had either early or late hours, and never really had to deal with traffic.

But now? I'm on a show in Norcross, and live in NW Atlanta, and I almost always start between 8:30-10:00am. I have no choice but to cross 400 either on 285 or 85, then deal with Jimmy Carter and its stupid diverging diamond intersection. I mean, I could use back roads, but that's not much of an alternative. Oftentimes, if not filming, I'm off at 6:00pm trying to get home.

Yes, this drive turns me into a monster. It never ceases to amaze me how a one-lane exit can stop five lanes of traffic.

[Pemgin]

Originally Posted by ElleKaye

Ok, here's the thing. When the line to merge is long, I find people including myself to be more polite. It's like everyone will let in one car. People are especially tolerant when it's almost unexpected merge, meaning you didn't get ample warning that your lane was going to end and you needed to merge.

Now, a way to incite animosity is when miles back, you knew like everybody else that the lane was going to end. You saw the sign just like everybody else who managed to already get the job done. You fly up the side until there's nowhere else to go and expect what exactly from people who have patiently waited in the long line? It's like skipping in line at the grocery store; it's just not acceptable behavior.

This is spot on. It occurs every weekday morning on I-20 west merging onto I-75/85 north. I'm more forgiving for out of towners, but if your license plate says Dekalb, Rockdale, or Newton, you should know better and I'm not letting you in at the very last minute.

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by ATLondoner

Does anyone have any idea why the Thursday evening commute seems to be the worst of the week?

This week was a GT night game.

[samiwas1]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

I used to get mad at this, too.

But I read an article somewhere from some civil engineer or traffic expert that said we can ease traffic a lot if we create a single merge point....so instead of everyone getting over when they can, or when it seems safe, there should be a point where every car allows one to merge. Think of it like a zipper.

He said that it would actually improve things if everyone waited until the last minute to merge instead of trying to do so early.

I don't know if he's right or not, but that's what I do now! I drive as far as I can in the lane I'm in and then merge at the very end. The way I see it, I'm helping things. That's what this guy said, but maybe it only works if everybody does it.

Interestingly, I don't see many middle fingers at all. Of course, my philosophy is to mind my own business and not make eye contact with anybody. So maybe people are flipping me the bird left and right and I don't even know it. Oh well, nothing is more frustrating to someone flipping you off than you not even seeing it happen.

I've got one or two friends who are huge proponents of the zipper merge. I call horses--- on it. People are using it incorrectly.

Zipper merge possibly works a little bit when there's already huge backup, preferably from something unexpected like an accident. But, I can not be convinced that if traffic is flowing along smoothly at a merge point, that it makes sense for a car to get to the very last point, and expect someone to stop to let him in. That then stops the free-flowing traffic, which will have a domino effect. Within a minute, you'll have a fully stopped road.

I can't conceive how a single moving line is slower than two stopped lines, with one letting the other merge in.

[smith544]

Cities are starting to use Waze to combat the traffic issue and tackle double-parked cars and light syncing. Check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGlcpo09WUA

[fieldm]

Nope. I use MARTA

[cqholt]

Wednesday typically sees the highest traffic count.