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If lanes are merging and traffic is stopped, and the merging lane(s) that ends up ahead is empty, then isn't it better for cars to pull forward into that empty space? It is unused space. The more people do that, the less congestion there would be, because the backed up cars would result in a shorter line.
I see way too often where there is ample room for people to merge over before the lane ends without impeding the flow of traffic yet they race to the end of the merge lane and cut over where there isn't enough room and by doing this they are now slowing down the flow of traffic. I understand the purpose of a zipper merge and they work great if there is a steady flow of traffic in both lanes, however, if everyone merged over when they had room to do so, it would improve the flow of traffic.
OMG that makes me so mad. I do NOT let them in. Sometimes they have PLENTY of time to move over but, they want to go to the very end of the lane and cut in line just so they can be a couple car lengths ahead.
It's not a couple of car lengths. I was recently in a serious traffic jam with stop and go traffic for miles. At one point all the traffic in front of me merged left and the entire lane was empty. I took advantage and hit the accelerator. In about 30 seconds I passed 30 or 40 cars, and then merged. No apologies. If they don't understand the zipper method, that's their problem.
No, I don't want drivers "getting ahead of me" after I've spent ten or whatever minutes inching along to reach an exit/merge point. Why should I let someone cut the line ahead of me after I've waited?
You probably spent 10 minutes inching along because you didn't utilize the empty merge lane to your right. Again there is nothing wrong with merging at the end of the lane. That's why the lane is there. Utilizing two lanes = 2 x the capacity. When all the traffic merges before the end of the lane, the capacity of that section of highway is reduced by 50%. That's the reason the traffic starts backing up.
I see way too often where there is ample room for people to merge over before the lane ends without impeding the flow of traffic yet they race to the end of the merge lane and cut over where there isn't enough room and by doing this they are now slowing down the flow of traffic. I understand the purpose of a zipper merge and they work great if there is a steady flow of traffic in both lanes, however, if everyone merged over when they had room to do so, it would improve the flow of traffic.
No, all the traffic jamming into one lane and leaving the other lane empty, does not improve the flow of traffic. It makes it worse.
No, all the traffic jamming into one lane and leaving the other lane empty, does not improve the flow of traffic. It makes it worse.
I saw that first hand on I-81 in Virginia last year. Everyone had merge over in a construction zone. No on used the right lane which was empty for several miles. It was one of the slowest moving traffic jams I had ever seen.
No, all the traffic jamming into one lane and leaving the other lane empty, does not improve the flow of traffic. It makes it worse.
Since when does merging over into a lane when there is ample room to do so without anyone having to touch their brakes make traffic worse? That doesn't make any sense.
Again, I know how a zipper merge works, and it works well when both lanes are full. Rushing to the merge point, however, to get ahead of everyone only makes things worse. Its no different than when I know my exit is coming up. If I see the right lane is full, I start looking for an opportunity to merge over even if it is a little early because I want to make sure I have a chance to get over. Then you have those people that refuse to merge over, even when there is an opportunity because they don't want to wait, as they approach the exit, they push their way over slowing down all of the cars that are already in the correct lane. This is what causes traffic.
No, I don't want drivers "getting ahead of me" after I've spent ten or whatever minutes inching along to reach an exit/merge point. Why should I let someone cut the line ahead of me after I've waited?
It is people like you that cause the backup. The reason you had to inch along for ten minutes is because people refuse to let other people merge into the line. Freeway vigilantes like yourself are the worst drivers on the road.
I see way too often where there is ample room for people to merge over before the lane ends without impeding the flow of traffic yet they race to the end of the merge lane and cut over where there isn't enough room and by doing this they are now slowing down the flow of traffic. I understand the purpose of a zipper merge and they work great if there is a steady flow of traffic in both lanes, however, if everyone merged over when they had room to do so, it would improve the flow of traffic.
Read my post again. I said when traffic is stopped. Therefore, there’s no real flow of traffic.
If, however, traffic is moving reasonably fast and a driver whose lane is ending doesn’t merge until the last second, yes that often causes problems.
No, I don't want drivers "getting ahead of me" after I've spent ten or whatever minutes inching along to reach an exit/merge point. Why should I let someone cut the line ahead of me after I've waited?
Bugsy, nobody is getting ahead of you.
You, by your action, decided to get into the slow lane. You left an emptier lane, or you chose not to take it. You made the decision to wait.
Be a man, a real man, and take responsibility for your actions. Change your behavior, start using that empty space, or at least stop being bothered at others in front of you when you’ve decided to be in the slower lane.
The choice is yours. The choice is always yours.
Last edited by echo7tango; 11-30-2017 at 09:46 AM..
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