Do you merge sooner, or later?

[Jstpssng]

It's all about mutual respect. Too many think driving is a race or competition.

Zipper merge works perfect for those who know how to drive.

If you are the type that gets mad because someone passes you or merges ahead of you, then you are the problem.

50 years ago in Driver's Ed the instructor told us that traffic laws are merely enforced courtesy.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Not quite the same thing but the uncaring and unknowing drivers that really get me are the ones who block a lane of traffic waiting in line at a fast food drive thru.

We have one in town where a single lane road is often blocked by these idiots, causing a traffic jam. I got caught in the backup once and it was the only time I ever saw a state trooper loose his cool. He put on his lights and drove down past the line of cars on the opposite side of the road to the fast food entrance. He got out and started screaming at the drivers causing the backup. I think he made his monthly traffic ticket quota that day.

 

[Jstpssng]

^^^^
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.

 

[WinterDeere]

50 years ago in Driver's Ed the instructor told us that traffic laws are merely enforced courtesy.

I like that. And it extends to those idiots who don’t accept their posted or legal right-of-way. Few things piss me off more than some idiot, usually older men, who stop traffic and wave someone thru, against the legal right of way. It most often happens when they’re turning off the main road, I’m stuck behind them, and they’re waiving some other too-slow driver onto the main road in front me me.

Traffic laws are not discretionary, don’t go making up your own, just get the F out of my way and follow the law.

 

[square1]

^^^^
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.

That's is a wonderful gesture.
Was 2nd in line at the stop sign while going straight through a normally busy 2 lane last Wednesday afternoon (t-day traffic making it even worse). The vehicle in front of me wanted to turn left. There was no 2nd line of traffic in our direction.
There was a long line of tree service trucks turning right opposite us. Every opportunity the fool turning left in front of me could have turned he waived one of the trees service trucks through until they were all gone. Meanwhile traffic built up to at least a half dozen vehicles behind me. I didn't act on it, but I swear there are times road rage has a place (not serious of course).

 

[square1]

As for merging, there are several factors. What am I driving? Tow vehicle & trailer? I'm merging at the first opportunity.
How many semis are in the through lane in front of me? A bunch, I'm staying in the lane that needs to merge for a while. I hardly ever, if ever wait until the last minute. That practice seems to create bottlenecks.

 

[newkiotiguy]

The zipper method does not mean you get to fly to the end of the closed lane then expect someone to slam on their brakes to let you in. The zipper method means when they post a lane closure, you look for a hole, or make a hole (if you're in the thru lane) and start to merge.

That isn't even close to how it is supposed to work. It means every other car goes at the end of the line. It's not hard to figure out but for some it is. It's not for when there are 20 cars on the road. It's for reducing the accordion effect on a long line of traffic.

 

[Jstpssng]

There are a couple of intersections I go through on the way to my mother's which are two lanes through the light, which allows people to get up to speed before merging. Inevitably as soon as the lanes merge traffic slows by about 10mph. This weekend I went through the second intersection and was leaving space for the car on the right. I could tell by the way he was driving I'd regret it and I was right. As near as I could tell he would step on the gas to bring it up to speed; then back off until it dropped 5-10 mph.The only exception was when I could pass, then he'd maintain speed. I followed him for about 12 miles before I was able to get by him, and at that point I stomped on the gas and completely disregarded the speed limit.

Few things piss me off more than some idiot, usually older men, who stop traffic and wave someone thru

Don't feel alone. In the time it takes for them to be "polite" we all could have gotten through.
There is a left turn onto an on ramp I use where people do this. I've been stopped crossways in the road when the light changed from the other direction. On one occasion the guy in front caused me to stop just as the truck was shifting gears. This messed up the computer so I had to pull over into the breakdown lane, shut the truck off and allow it to reset.

 

[steve tym]

That isn't even close to how it is supposed to work. It means every other car goes at the end of the line. It's not hard to figure out but for some it is. It's not for when there are 20 cars on the road. It's for reducing the accordion effect on a long line of traffic.

Sounds like traffic has to come to a stop to make that work.

 

[newkiotiguy]

The traffic is always going to be at a stop in rush hour in road construction. Did you watch any of the videos posted on here? It's truly unbelievable that people can't understand this