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[nilbog21]

Guys, it's not a line. This is traffic. The only way we can make our destination sooner I is if we work together. If you merge early you are the problem...

 

[-Plasma Reus-]

edit: wrong thread! sorry

 

[Flo_Evans]

But when I'm driving without congestion under normal circumstances merging is a non-issue. If the sign for the closed lane shows up a couple miles before the merge point, I just don't understand why waiting until the last minute to merge actually helps when everyone could do the same thing two miles back? Why is it important for the merge point to be at the end instead when the warning signs appear (because at least you'd have some leeway instead of being forced to stop by cones/barrels)?

Because then all the cars are packed into 1 lane instead of 2 for miles? You are essentially lengthening the lane closure by getting over early and not using the available road.

 

[choodi]

So, have all the early mergers learned the error of their ways, or are you all still in denial that you are the problem?

 

[Phu]

Because then all the cars are packed into 1 lane instead of 2 for miles? You are essentially lengthening the lane closure by getting over early and not using the available road.

Admittedly, due to my schedule I rarely ever get caught in heavy traffic, but I guess that makes sense. But what is the speed difference when people are going into the zipper versus after they are in the single lane?

 

[rootbeerafloat]

Had a really annoying construction zone on the way to work over the summer. One morning it was down to one lane, and traffic was backed up for about a mile and a half before the merge point. Apparently being the only person who knew what to do in this situation, I continued on in the other lane. Some idiot pulled out in front of me and parked, forcing me to slam on the brakes. She stuck her head out the window, screaming and flipping me off, all while losing several spots in line. It was really quite amazing.

 

[Barzul]

I merge late always on my commute. Everyday for the last 4 months since I started it. Not sure why I should feel bad about it, the option is open to everyone.

 

[choodi]

Had a really annoying construction zone on the way to work over the summer. One morning it was down to one lane, and traffic was backed up for about a mile and a half before the merge point. Apparently being the only person who knew what to do in this situation, I continued on in the other lane. Some idiot pulled out in front of me and parked, forcing me to slam on the brakes. She stuck her head out the window, screaming and flipping me off, all while losing several spots in line. It was really quite amazing.

She's in the wrong and almost killed herself and you. Way to go early mergers!

 

[FinalStageBoss]

I merge late in that situation. Works fine, though occasionally you deal with the dumbass who thinks you're "cutting in line".

 

[Shadybiz]

No, I'm a premature merger

Yep..sometimes the person in front of me is disappointed.

 

[MayMay]

I always merge immediately, if I can - dunno.. never really thought about it alot.

 

[boxter432]

I don't understand why late-merging seems to be the way to make the zipper effect effective.

Would it not be the same if everyone instead merged early? If everyone merged as soon as they could you wouldn't focus the zipper all on one spot and would instead be spread out over a mile or two?

why not only have 1 lane on every highway! more cars in less space sounds like a great idea!

 

[flatearthpandas]

Late if there's traffic, early if not.

 

[antonz]

Late Merging as its being termed is how merging was intended to be done.

The current clusterfuck as people try to cut in here and there Is what happens when the rules of the road become everyone for themselves. Of course Ive noticed its a big thing regionally. East Coast drivers tend to be much more versed at proper merging due to the realities of the east coast roads.

Come out west and suddenly properly merging is you being an asshole "cutting in line" and other infantile bullshit.

 

[Salaadin]

I merge whenever I have the room to scoot over.

I've seen issues with late and early merging. I honestly can't say which is right or wrong because there are similar pros and cons to both. I just check my mirrors, put my turn signal on, and then move over if the person in the right lane allows it. Hasn't really caused me any problems yet.

 

[offtopic]

If traffic is flowing smoothly in both lanes I merge at any point I see a clearing. If traffic is backed up in the lane I'm merging into but there are almost no cars in the merging lane I'll also just get over when someone leaves a natural gap. If traffic is backed up in the lane I'm merging into and there is significant traffic in merging lane always merge late.

 

[pelicansurf]

I'm a habitual late merger. Waiting is for suckers. However, if I'm feeling nice, I'll hop on early and then regret it shortly thereafter.

 

[mrklaw]

In the example you gave late merging is the right thing to do. Instead of one super long backed up lane of traffic with uncontrolled merge, you ideally end up with 2 equally long lanes and an efficient zipper effect at the merge.

If everyone merges early/late,nthen it makes no difference to the speed of the traffic flow because you are merging at the same speed. The only advantage to late merging is that you have two lanes of queuing traffic which potentially avoids congestion behind.

I tend to merge early and then get annoyed at the people that scoot by.

Personally my pet peeve is roads like this ----=======----- single lane turns into two lanes for maybe 1/4 mile and then merge back to one lane. So any smooth traffic flow you had is screwed up by people jumping into e two lanes and then slowing down to merge again.

 

[pigeon]

If everyone merges early/late,nthen it makes no difference to the speed of the traffic flow because you are merging at the same speed. The only advantage to late merging is that you have two lanes of queuing traffic which potentially avoids congestion behind.

I mean, your two statements fight each other. If everybody merges early then one lane is empty for a while. Pretty much definitionally that means traffic flow is slower than it could be if both lanes were used.

 

[HawksWinStanley]

In the example you gave late merging is the right thing to do. Instead of one super long backed up lane of traffic with uncontrolled merge, you ideally end up with 2 equally long lanes and an efficient zipper effect at the merge.

Well fuck this line of thinking.

Nothing is worse than when people do this. So everyone who was in front of you now stays in the same spot as more and more people collect in the other lane and keep pushing them back. If enough people do it there's people in the correct lane who would never move.

 

[pigeon]

Well fuck this line of thinking.

Nothing is worse than when people do this. So everyone who was in front of you now stays in the same spot as more and more people collect in the other lane and keep pushing them back. It's literally cutting in line. Do you do that too?

When there are two lines, and one line is shorter, I get in the shorter line. If that's cutting in line to you, then sure.

 

[Dougald]

Well fuck this line of thinking.

Nothing is worse than when people do this. So everyone who was in front of you now stays in the same spot as more and more people collect in the other lane and keep pushing them back. If enough people do it there's people in the correct lane who would never move.

Meanwhile the traffic backs up twice as far as it should due to there being 50% less road capacity. But hey, nobody 'cut in' to a line that doesn't exist

 

[kingwingin]

Smart way would be to zipper in at the merge.

 

[WadiumArcadium]

Early. Late mergers piss me off when there's a queue and think they can push in.

 

[HawksWinStanley]

When there are two lines, and one line is shorter, I get in the shorter line. If that's cutting in line to you, then sure.

This isn't the line at the bank with multiple tellers, it's still essentially one line. And yeah, jumping in front of people who were already waiting is literally what cutting is. The only reason that line is "shorter" is because considerate people had the foresight to already get over and start waiting their turn to pass through the merge point.

Meanwhile the traffic backs up twice as far as it should due to there being 50% less road capacity. But hey, nobody 'cut in' to a line that doesn't exist

Why does that matter? A bottleneck is a bottleneck. It's still only one car at a time moving through the choke point. I'd rather ensure my place in a longer line that still moves just as fast than watch assholes fly past me and effectively make me wait even longer.

 

[Dougald]

Why does that matter? A bottleneck is a bottleneck. It's still only one car at a time moving through the choke point. I'd rather ensure my place in a longer line than watch assholes fly past me and effectively make me wait even longer.

Traffic flows back to the junction behind, blocks that up, etc. I guess from an inherently selfish point of view it doesn't matter, but I'm not sure why someone using an empty lane that they are supposed to be using makes them an asshole. Driving is not a race

 

[The Lamonster]

Late mergers are terrible people.

 

[Zoe]

This isn't the line at the bank with multiple tellers, it's still essentially one line. And yeah, jumping in front of people who were already waiting is literally what cutting is. The only reason that line is "shorter" is because considerate people had the foresight to already get over and start waiting their turn to pass through the merge point.



Why does that matter? A bottleneck is a bottleneck. It's still only one car at a time moving through the choke point. I'd rather ensure my place in a longer line that still moves just as fast than watch assholes fly past me and effectively make me wait even longer.

Or do you have any studies that say differently?

 

[loaf of bread]

ASAP merger. If I turn onto a street that merges in 10 miles I'll still get in the right lane immediately.

 

[Ovid]

If there's no congestion at all, then I just get over whenever. Otherwise, I go full zipper merge.

It's safer to merge this way than to dart into traffic when there is a solid white line on the ramp.

I hate when people do that.

Late if there's traffic, early if not.

I do this.

 

[HawksWinStanley]

Or do you have any studies that say differently?

I'm not complaining about the zipper method, I understand the advantage of the zipper merge when used correctly. Unfortunately I've never seen that happen. Never. Everyone packs in, then people in the correct lane end up getting into the merge lane just for a closer spot which then fucks up the merge lane and makes everyone have to brake and allow them in which backs things up even worse.

I commute to Chicago and deal with this literally every day. I've even timed it before and there's plenty of times when I'll sit perfectly still for several minutes while I get to watch everyone jump into the merge lane even though a sign was posted a mile back and get ahead. It's only when people are assholes in return and start blocking that lane when I actually start moving again.

 

[Sanjuro]

I don't understand people questioning the zipper merge.

If people are being assholes packed into a single lane, not letting anyone merge, they are the problem by default.

 

[Vicetrailia]

Usually it's about when other cars will let you in. Almost never.

 

[Skellig Gra]

Yes, absolutely. Why would I wait as hundreds of cars blow past me like a sucker?

 

[Snkfanatic]

Had a really annoying construction zone on the way to work over the summer. One morning it was down to one lane, and traffic was backed up for about a mile and a half before the merge point. Apparently being the only person who knew what to do in this situation, I continued on in the other lane. Some idiot pulled out in front of me and parked, forcing me to slam on the brakes. She stuck her head out the window, screaming and flipping me off, all while losing several spots in line. It was really quite amazing.

I see this all the time on my commute to work. It's embarrassing on the driver who thinks they are stopping some "asshole who is merging late". That idiotic lady you dealt with is lucky a cop was not around. I imagine he would have a few things to say to her.

People need to learn to stop merging early and stop merging where you do not have the space to do so, leaving your car halfway in the other lane while you wait for traffic to move.

I mean, you can act like you're late-merging to safely distribute traffic between the two lanes, but in reality, you're just being a dick who's zooming past all the "suckers" who merged early.

If you're going to late merge, make a note of which car in the non-merging lane was at the back when you approached, then merge after they pass.

You can't be serious....

 

[Z_Y]

In the example you gave late merging is the right thing to do. Instead of one super long backed up lane of traffic with uncontrolled merge, you ideally end up with 2 equally long lanes and an efficient zipper effect at the merge.

This is exactly right. I don't know how this logic escapes so many people.

And the these traffic cop wannabes who sit in the middle of the lane clogging up the flow are the absolute worst. Had a guy pull that shit on me once and I was able to duck in beside him in the clogged lane....then I wouldn't let him merge over. Felt good, man.

 

[jstripes]

I loathe those dickheads in Audis who wait until the lane is literally ending underneath their car and the concrete barrier is closing in fast before bullying their way into merging.

Is being in front of me that fucking important to you?

 

[Dougald]

I loathe those dickheads in Audis who wait until the lane is literally ending underneath their car and the concrete barrier is closing in fast before bullying their way into merging.

Is being in front of me that fucking important to you?

You could also ask whether having an Audi merge a car length in front of you is such a bad thing

 

[mrklaw]

Traffic flows back to the junction behind, blocks that up, etc. I guess from an inherently selfish point of view it doesn't matter, but I'm not sure why someone using an empty lane that they are supposed to be using makes them an asshole. Driving is not a race

If both lanes are generally full, then I'll pick whichever and merge at the end. It's early on, when one of the lanes is still mostly empty that is my trigger, as people whooshing down that lane get a clear advantage over others already in the other queue.

 

[jstripes]

You could also ask whether having an Audi merge a car length in front of you is such a bad thing

Because there's no space in front of me, since moments ago I let someone else merge in front of me, and there's plenty of space behind me.

But no, "GOTTA BE FIRST!"

Even worse is when someone I just merged in front of tries to pass me on the right using the merging lane. Yes. This actually happens.

 

[pigeon]

This isn't the line at the bank with multiple tellers, it's still essentially one line. And yeah, jumping in front of people who were already waiting is literally what cutting is. The only reason that line is "shorter" is because considerate people had the foresight to already get over and start waiting their turn to pass through the merge point.

Those people aren't considerate, they're just doing something inefficient that slows things down for everybody and getting mad at the people doing something that's efficient instead. It's exactly like getting in the long line because "everybody else is waiting" and being pissed at the people who get in the short line because they're getting through faster.

 

[Edwardo]

Ya, I usually merge late. Just like when coming onto the highway. You ride it out in the lane from the on-ramp until it merges with the highway.

 

[atr0cious]

My partner has a rant about early mergers every morning. If you merge early, not only are you stopping the lane behind you as you try to edge in to full speed traffic with your slow dumb ass, you're stopping the flow of traffic already going, slowing down everyone. If you merge late, not only will you be at the proper speed, fuck those who brake while merging, you keep both lanes moving, and then everyone can use their skill they're so sure they have to move on to the lane proper.

Also, we have turn signals for a reason, use them, please. I swear I'm gonna buy a truck with a huge fuck off bumper and just start mowing over you assholes.

 

[Dougald]

Because there's no space in front of me, since moments ago I let someone else merge in front of me, and there's plenty of space behind me.

But no, "GOTTA BE FIRST!"

I suppose that can be annoying, but at the end of the day its it easier to just not get worked up over minor things on the road. Especially if someone is driving erratically, I'd rather they were in front of me than an inch off my bumper

 

[Muffdraul]

I live in LA, and virtually nobody knows about "the zipper maneuver". So when someone late merges, it's always safe to assume that they're just a self centered asshole who thinks they're special, not someone trying to start a trend of smarter driving habits. I think it'd be great to spread awareness and get everyone to zipper, but until that day I'll merge early and get irritated when someone tries to cut in front of me at the last second.

 

[LT Snoshado]

It makes me so frustrated that people don't zipper merge. I have a friend who freaks out at drivers who take advantage of the ending lane and literally won't let them in, ever.

Have some respect and common sense people. Why isn't this taught in driving school in the US?

 

[MrChom]

I merge as soon as I know if there's no traffic, in congestion I wait until the merge point.

The whole point of the "Late Merge" is that it keeps cars in both lanes, and (if people alternate) keeps them moving. If you early merge in congestion you potentially stop both lanes while doing so, and you're also not making full use of the road, increasing the length of any tailbacks which at some junctions (Leaving the M4 for the A329(m) for Bracknell for instance can be dangerous. If that merge backs up it stops the left hand lane of the M4, meaning you have 2 lanes of high speed traffic and one stationary, with some of the high speed traffic now wanting to be in the left lane.

It's just bad.

Use the full extent of the lane when appropriate, otherwise you may be endangering those behind you.

 

[fuzzyset]

Early mergers are the anti-vaxxers of the road: ignoring overwhelming evidence and reason because they *feel* they're right.

 

[Zoe]

I live in LA, and virtually nobody knows about "the zipper maneuver". So when someone late merges, it's always safe to assume that they're just a self centered asshole who thinks they're special, not someone trying to start a trend of smarter driving habits. I think it'd be great to spread awareness and get everyone to zipper, but until that day I'll merge early and get irritated when someone tries to cut in front of me at the last second.

Or maybe lead by example?

 

[Muffdraul]

Or maybe lead by example?

There really needs to be awareness around here first, there should be a campaign. As I explained, otherwise you just look like a typical "you are all just minor characters in the story of my life, so get out of my way" douchebag that this city is known for.