Do you merge sooner, or later?

[Runner]

No, I wouldn't cut in front of you at the grocery store. But if you offered to let me go first, I'd thank you and go. That's the way the zipper merge is supposed to work. You open up a little space in front of you and let the guy to your side move over in front of you.

Sorry, that's too much like common courtesy. Can't have that.

 

[Oaktree]

^^^^
Also not quite the same as you mention, but when there is a long line of oncoming traffic and somebody wants to turn left. So they will sit there letting traffic back up behind them. Maybe it's foolish but I will forgo my turn to avoid tying up 20 or more cars behind me.

Or at the very least pull as far to the left in your lane as possible to make room for others to get around you on the right.

 

[Jstpssng]

It works a lot better if (1) people in the through traffic lane actually leave a little room for the people in the merging lane to merge and (2) if the people in the merge lane move over one at a time, instead of 15 cars trying to take advantage of a two-car space.

It also helps if the merging car tries to match the speed of the traffic it's pulling into.

 

[RayIN]

It works a lot better if (1) people in the through traffic lane actually leave a little room for the people in the merging lane to merge and (2) if the people in the merge lane move over one at a time, instead of 15 cars trying to take advantage of a two-car space.

Let me get this straight; you're saying I should leave double the safe following distance from the car in front of me so someone can merge into my lane. That means much less occupied roadway and the cars behind me must also slow down to allow double the safe following distance.
How far back from the lane restriction should we begin slowing down then, while observing other drivers zipping by to find an open space closer to the lane closure?

 

[MossRoad]

Sorry, that's too much like common courtesy. Can't have that.

What was I thinking???

 

[lman]

What was I thinking???

Common courtesy goes both ways. I wouldn't call it courteous for a driver to move from the thru lane to speed up, exceeding the speed limit and then pass the law abiding drivers and then cut somebody off to get back in the lane he was in to save 20 seconds.

 

[newkiotiguy]

Common courtesy goes both ways. I wouldn't call it courteous for a driver to move from the thru lane to speed up, exceeding the speed limit and then pass the law abiding drivers and then cut somebody off to get back in the lane he was in to save 20 seconds.

That isn't even close to what this discussion is about though

 

[steve tym]

That isn't even close to what this discussion is about though

It's exactly what this discussion is about. I usually leave space at the first sign, as I get closer to the closure, the space gets smaller and smaller. If you haven't merged buy now, don't expect me to let you in.

 

[MossRoad]

That isn't even close to what this discussion is about though

Yeah, it's kinda lost on many that the point of the sign is so that people will read it and follow the instructions. It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Reminds me of the Neil Diamond song "Signs":

"Some are born who would defy them,
Others still who would deny them

Some are born who never need them,
Others still who never read them"