Odd thing about being in a car.

It's happened to all of us. We're stuck in traffic because of construction ahead narrowing to one lane from two. We're in the appropriate lane but looking in our rear view mirror we see cars pulling out of the proper lane, advancing 20 or 30 spots and merging back in.

Can you do that at a theatre line up?

Can you do that at the supermarket?

Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart?

What makes people think it's OK in a car? Sorry, did I type "think"

I blamed it on big chrome bumpers until I remembered it's 2016 so scratch that. I think it's because no velvet ropes like they used to herd you around the grand old CIBC banks. Those were the days, huh?

It is O.K. And the proper use of the available roadway. We have to stop looking at this in this way. What we should be doing is sharing better so we can all get out of the traffic congestion.


http://arstechnica.com/cars/2014/07/the-beauty-of-zipper-merging-or-why-you-should-drive-ruder/

There are a few other sites and articles on this. You can search "late merging" and read a few. Interesting stuff.



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No I don't agree with this Zipper merging stuff.

The problem usually is that all the cars are flying down the lane that is ending and then cutting in and slowing down the traffic of the live lane as cars have to stop and let these numpties in.

Yes the "line" will be longer but the flow will be consistent and less of standstill since the flow is uninterrupted.

If I see a car coming down the lane that's ending and there's plenty of time for them to merge into the live lane and they don't, I'll block them. I don't care. I won't do it aggressively or dangerously...like if they're too close or coming too fast, but otherwise eff them. Get in line like everyone else.
I'll especially do it if I see someone who is waiting in the live lane pull out to drive down the lane that is ending and cut back in.

slowbird said:

No I don't agree with this Zipper merging stuff.

The problem usually is that all the cars are flying down the lane that is ending and then cutting in and slowing down the traffic of the live lane as cars have to stop and let these numpties in.

Yes the "line" will be longer but the flow will be consistent and less of standstill since the flow is uninterrupted.

If I see a car coming down the lane that's ending and there's plenty of time for them to merge into the live lane and they don't, I'll block them. I don't care. I won't do it aggressively or dangerously...like if they're too close or coming too fast, but otherwise eff them. Get in line like everyone else.
I'll especially do it if I see someone who is waiting in the live lane pull out to drive down the lane that is ending and cut back in.

Click to expand...

That is fine if you don't agree, studies show it works. What doesn't work is people who think this is a line. The most important statement is that we need to share the road. Blocking is not sharing and just causes people to get angry. Lining up for a exit in a single lane 2Kms down the road is just silly when you have a second free lane beside you.


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nobbie48 said:

looking in our rear view mirror we see cars pulling out of the proper lane, advancing 20 or 30 spots and merging back in.

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Short version: A lot of people are a@@holes behind the wheel. The 2 seconds they saved (at the expense of 30 more seconds of traffic for everyone they just passed and are now trying to jam their way back in front of) is worth it to them because everyone else is unimportant.

If car is Mercedes or BMW you should just immediately drive into the ditch at high speed to get out of their way because you are clearly impeding them, every second is essential, and they are the most important people on the face of the planet.

superseven said:

It is O.K. And the proper use of the available roadway. We have to stop looking at this in this way. What we should be doing is sharing better so we can all get out of the traffic congestion.


http://arstechnica.com/cars/2014/07/the-beauty-of-zipper-merging-or-why-you-should-drive-ruder/

There are a few other sites and articles on this. You can search "late merging" and read a few. Interesting stuff.



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Click to expand...

That article doesn't refer to the leap frog situation when the passing vehicles create a jam as close to the construction zone as possible. I do agree it makes no sense to, in essence, close 10 miles of a usable lane due to deal with a 100 yard lane closure.

superseven said:

That is fine if you don't agree, studies show it works. What doesn't work is people who think this is a line. The most important statement is that we need to share the road. Blocking is not sharing and just causes people to get angry. Lining up for a exit in a single lane 2Kms down the road is just silly when you have a second free lane beside you.


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Click to expand...

Tldr but is zipper merging only fot when a lane is ending? What about when everyone is lined up for an exit, and the empty lane is a through lane and people slam their brakes last second to cut in? Therby impeding through traffic? Seems to me that many drivers would not be able to distinguish one scenario from the other.

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PrivatePilot said:

Short version: A lot of people are a@@holes behind the wheel. The 2 seconds they saved (at the expense of 30 more seconds of traffic for everyone they just passed and are now trying to jam their way back in front of) is worth it to them because everyone else is unimportant.

If car is Mercedes or BMW you should just immediately drive into the ditch at high speed to get out of their way because you are clearly impeding them, every second is essential, and they are the most important people on the face of the planet.

Click to expand...

I picture you as a stagecoach driver, spending the day looking at horse's a****.

I think this all comes down to selfish drivers. I guess my point is as with everything else there is a right way and a wrong way to do things. I believe driver training and essentially sharing the road would help. My point is that not everyone driving in the free lane is leapfrogging. Some of them had the common sense not to get Into the ridiculously long line in the first place. Should they be blocked because they think differently or understand that lining up for the exit a mile back is useless?


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Few things madden and frustrate me more than those selfish ****s. I don't know why people further up the queue allow those people in; make 'em wait, and wait and wait...

Just providing a different perspective with some factual research, there are many studies on this, have a read and enlighten yourself.

I am suggesting we use the whole road available, share the merge, make room for each other and traffic jams will be reduced. This line stuff is for theme parks not roads.

Also it would amaze me if you sit in line on your bike; that is silly and dangerous IMHO.




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slowbird said:

No I don't agree with this Zipper merging stuff.

The problem usually is that all the cars are flying down the lane that is ending and then cutting in and slowing down the traffic of the live lane as cars have to stop and let these numpties in.

Yes the "line" will be longer but the flow will be consistent and less of standstill since the flow is uninterrupted.

If I see a car coming down the lane that's ending and there's plenty of time for them to merge into the live lane and they don't, I'll block them. I don't care. I won't do it aggressively or dangerously...like if they're too close or coming too fast, but otherwise eff them. Get in line like everyone else.
I'll especially do it if I see someone who is waiting in the live lane pull out to drive down the lane that is ending and cut back in.

Click to expand...

communism was also a great idea on paper

superseven said:

Just providing a different perspective with some factual research, there are many studies on this, have a read and enlighten yourself.

I am suggesting we use the whole road available, share the merge, make room for each other and traffic jams will be reduced. This line stuff is for theme parks not roads.

Also it would amaze me if you sit in line on your bike; that is silly and dangerous IMHO.




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Click to expand...

The people I refer to are not sharing. They are leapfrogging to pick up a few car lengths. Proper merging is blending in not butting in at the last minute.

People are forced to bud when others think they have a place in line and won't give it up. It takes both sides to adjust their behaviour.


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@superseven

Don't you dare approach this with logic and reason; are you lost?

Who cares! Use all of the road way. Kinda like filtering for bikes. We can do it but it's not legal. Why? Partially due to the me first mentality of North America. Just let everyone go and don't worry about it. Keeps your blood pressure lower...maybe.

I used to NOT zipper merge, and now i've started doing it... and well... with the bike i definitely zipper merge cause there's always one car that leaves enough space for a car to fit in tightly (so a bike can fit comfortably)

Honestly the more i see non-zipper merging, the more i get frustrated.

Why?

Because it hinders the flow of traffic

You have 2 lanes, one merging in 500m
If you brake at 100m to get it and then realize youre not being let in, you make ALL THE PEOPLE BEHIND YOU BRAKE, and stop, hindering the flow.

If you look at merging around 400m, thats an extra 300 meters of cars that have gotten in the merge lane. This is approximately another 8 cars that are through.
I get VERY ****** at that every time i get out of work (at york onramp to gardiner) where people
1- go from rightmost to leftmost lane (southbound york), cutting off the people trying to turn left into the leftmost lane (northbound york)
2- turn in the rightmost lane, and brake right away to get into the leftmost lane letting only say, one car behind them get in that same lane, rather than merging further ahead that would allow about 6-7 cars to make the turn on time
3- then once we get to the highway, people try to get in right away after the double solid lines while some people try to exit, which creates a bunch of "oh i go? oh you go? oh no, you're going? or maybe i go?"

Anyhow /endrant

If people weren't staying up people's ***** all the time, we'd be able to
1- zipper merge
2- do less random braking on straight lines

When you follow too closely, most slow downs will end up making you brake like when you buffer to high of a resolution on a slow connection... whereas lanes where you leave space tend to go faster as the space provides enough buffer to let the traffic "load smoothly". Which is one of the reasons the qew outside of summer (between 427 and sauga) is almost always fastest in the rightmost lanes as semis always leave a **** ton of space which allows for free traffic flow (lanes changes and slow down) and allows for coasting and not having to brake...

At least that's what i've found from my daily commute to work.

superseven said:

People are forced to bud when others think they have a place in line and won't give it up. It takes both sides to adjust their behaviour.


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Click to expand...

If you're driving along and see a sign "Left lane closed 5 KM" keep it in your mind particularly if you're in the left lane. When you get closer and see the lane shift signs in the distance pick a good space and merge. Once the traffic bunches, up as it will, don't pull out to pass a few cars and cut in at the last minute.

The jam ups occur when a bunch of AH's race to the end of the closed lane (Or acceleration lane) and try to force their way in. Spacing cars is the solution. That has been proven at the QEW and Hurontario ramps with metering lights. MERGING not CRAMMING.