Do you merge sooner, or later?

[MossRoad]

"resist merging early, as that leads to more backups"

 

[MossRoad]

More plus for the zipper merge in construction zones.

 

[MossRoad]

North Carolina Department of Transportation study

https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/research/RNAProjDocs/2015-08%20Final%20Report.pdf

 

[George2615]

1) The problem here is NY drivers don't acknowledge the zipper merge.
2) Never seen a sign that say use both lanes until merge point.
3) Never seen a sign that says merge like a zipper.
4) Maybe its just this state but I'm assuming no one has ever heard of the zipper merge. I asked 10 of my close friends all in their mid to late 70's and they never heard of it. I never heard of it till this thread.
5) People that merge early watch people fly by them then nobody at the merge point is willing to let them cut in front of them.
6) People behind me honk their horn at me when I let someone cut in front of me.
7) People here are in too much of a hurry and hate it when someone cuts in front of them.
8) Even semi's move over at the first chance after seeing a lane ends sign.
9) Semi's even split lanes to block people from sneaking by to get to the front of the line. I've seen them do it on interstates and thruway roads.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

In every state I have been, when sign says merge 2 miles ahead, you are free to use the lane up to the merge point. You don’t have to go to one lane 2 miles ahead, with the other lane being open for no reason.
Yes, it pizzed off some people who don’t understand, but that’s their problem.

When you get to the merge point, you take turns. (Now referred to as zipper)
That’s how it was taught in the 70s when I took drivers Ed. My state now puts up “take turns” signs for people who never learned merge.

 

[old and tired]

I don't care either way but a few years back, I was coming into Asheville, NC... "Left Lane closed" I could not merge to the right lane because so many other people crammed into the right lane so fast... Anyway, the left lane NEVER did "closed"... and I saved about an hour's worth of backup traffic...

 

[RayIN]

The zipper works because it minimizes the length of the slowdown. It blocks less intersections and reduces the gaps due to stop and go. If everyone would do it potential road rage would be reduced.

Not so; it greatly slows down traffic as each vehicle merges into the thru-lane because now every driver must re-establish safe following distance quickly.
Some mid-West states have stopped using that 2nd sign and only use the 1st sign for this reason.

 

[RayIN]

In every state I have been, when sign says merge 2 miles ahead, you are free to use the lane up to the merge point. You don’t have to go to one lane 2 miles ahead, with the other lane being open for no reason.
Yes, it pizzed off some people who don’t understand, but that’s their problem.

When you get to the merge point, you take turns. (Now referred to as zipper)
That’s how it was taught in the 70s when I took drivers Ed. My state now puts up “take turns” signs for people who never learned merge.

It annoys me when i'm driving along maintaining safe following distance and some jerk darts into that space, requiring me to brake hard to quickly re-establish safe following distance. That causes a chain-reaction of vehicles that now must do the same.

 

[WinterDeere]

It annoys me when i'm driving along maintaining safe following distance and some jerk darts into that space, requiring me to brake hard to quickly re-establish safe following distance. That causes a chain-reaction of vehicles that now must do the same.

That's the case on any of the expressways going into Philly, and I'm sure we're not unique in that here. It is simply impossible to use a safe following distance, lest you stay in a perpetual loop of having to back off further for each new car that leap-frogs in front of you.

Driving a truck helps, especially an older/uglier one, at least some smarter commuters are less likely to jam their tiny Altima or Corolla dangerously in front of it. But in the end, you almost always find yourself having to follow closer than comfortable, to at least hold your position in line.

 

[lman]

We have a construction area on a 4 lane highway where the left lanes close. Signs of left lane closure are posted two miles before the lane is closed and the speed limit drops from 60 to 45 about 1/2 mile before. Our state also has a law prohibiting the use of the left lane unless passing.
What I see is aggressive drivers driving 70 mph or faster in the left lane and continuing to speed until they hit the brakes because they've run out of road. They then move recklessly to the right lane. The right lane never slows below 50. The right lane never slows below the speed limit so there is no reason to be passing and therefore speeding before the lane closure. I see aggressive drivers speed up to probably 80 mph and passing as many as they can after they see a lane closed sign. There is no Law Enforcement, so it seems the signs promote aggressive drivers speeding to pass as many lawful drivers as possible.
I guess that's a zipper merge but it seems to promote speeding and driving aggressively just because they can.
It might be practical some places but not this one.