@oyasumisushi: Replying to @jasonp298 100% agree! Zipper merging and flooring it to get to the front of the line to cut everyone off are two different things

DreadPirateWebb :

by "the last possible moment" do you mean the designated merge point? you know, how zipper merging actually works? you have to slow down because youre trying to cut people off from actually doing a proper zipper merge. keep the flow of traffic steady and zipper merging works as intended.

Redundancy Pioneer :

Zipper merging is a utopian function that only works in a simulations. Real drivers don't behave that way. Traffic engineers need to abandon the idea as a failed experiment to be dusted off when vehicles are fully autonomous.

MFL780 :

Your supposed to wait till last min. It’s how it works. The problem is people tail gating and not letting people in so you have to force your way in. If people actually maintained a safe following distance there would be no hold up

Generic Username :

Zipper Merging and Shopping Cart Returns are a great litmus test for how selfish a society is

Definitelynotaburner :

People need to learn what a zipper merge is, too. No, you flying up a left turn only lane only to get over at the last second is not a zipper merge.

Michael :

Everyone uses zipper merging as the golden standard saying we need to do that and it works the best after they watched a simulation perfecting it. Yeah, and socialism is also great with everyone sharing everything with everyone. But in practice, us humans aren't perfect and that I imperfection leads up to do other techniques that work better for us.

OyasumiJosh :

“Not all work zones are conducive to use of a zipper merge. Signage will be present if a zipper merge is present. In situations where traffic is flowing at highway speeds with no or minimal back-ups, drivers should merge early to the open lane when it is safe to do so.” - Indiana Department of Transportation

William Reeves :

but here's the thing. there is no front of the line with ziper merging it's two lanes of traffic all the way up so your problem isn't with people attempting to ziper merge your problem's with all the people that are not ziper merging.

Joe Fadenrecht :

Thank you for saying this zippering is the stupidest thing ever because people are greedy. They don’t wanna wait their damn turn. They takeoff and just to get a few car links ahead of you. They back everybody up.

justanotherbrett :

USE ALL LANES UNTIL THE MERGE POINT. You aren’t supposed to move over at the first sign that just creates a mile long single line of cars when there are still multiple lanes open. You are creating more traffic by not driving to the merge point

🇺🇸 Sketchy Chicken Farm 🇺🇸 :

if you were leaving a car lengths per 10 mph like you're supposed to, there would be no problem zipper merging no matter if it was the last second or right at the beginning

jorm :

there wouldn't be a line if people didn't move over too soon

Judi B :

if everyone was using both lanes as intended that person wouldn't be able to go around everybody and cut anyone off. You also need to leave proper following distance which then allows people to merge.

Lucas Swann :

I mean if they merge in without enough room and slam their brakes then they aren’t zipper merging they’re just cutting you off. If I just drive up to the merge put my blinker on and get over when I have room then I’m zipper merging. Don’t confuse asshole drivers cutting you off with zipper merging they're

jppls15 :

You’re supposed to use all the available space…

goalmaster14 :

The zipper merge is for when traffic is already backed up. I think this is what people don't understand. The point of said zipper merge is to contain the traffic as far forward as possible so it doesn't cause more issues further back.

FreshFindsPod :

What gets me is when I see someone that needs to merge, give them space to do so, and they still wait until the last possible moment

Sterphrigh :

Joehk67 :

easy fix - take half of each lane to make the merge lane in the middle. that way neither lane is the dominant lane. after both lanes are merged then shift that combined lane to the left or right as needed.

EpicAnnie :

Thank you!! Zipper merge is HOW you merge, not WHERE

hashbrownlover90 :

what's wrong with telling people to merge a mile early? at highway speeds that's only a minute or less

james montgomery :

Zipper merging is great on paper where everything is following the rules. You add in the human factor, and it's awful. I real life you'll have 20 cars in a row refuse to let you in, the one trying to merge gets frustrated and tries to force their way in, an accident happens and now everyone's stuck.

Dw503 :

People will merge early but ride the painted line so no one else can pass to merge ahead of them

Binkeystealer :

the most critical element of a zipper merge is everyone needs to go the same speed

MeddlinMegs :

I understand the “use the lane until it ends” crowd but you make a really good point about how that doesn’t work at highway speeds. Because are they in the closing lane going 20-30MPH so they can slow down to 5MPH before they merge… or are they going 70MPH and expect to merge at 30-40MPH?