A Learning Topic (by Request)

Depends on the situation, sometimes I ride the closed lane till the end. Usually I move over sooner. I remember seeing a study saying to use all lanes until the merge is more effective, and that is how some pleaces want it done. but it makes you look like a jerk.

Do I try passing or just slow down to a safe distance behind them and “put up with it”?

I say pass, as long as you are going fast enough to be quick about it. If your only going 1 or 2 mph faster you probably should deal with it, unless there is no traffic coming.

Just don't hang out the left lane too long.

Dennis, don’t rely on the notion of all the others drivers being professional and courteous. Develop your instincts about what is safe.

I challenge other drivers to estimate what time they lose by backing off and letting aggressive drivers go ahead. Maybe 15 minutes per day of driving time?

On paper, in theory a zipper merge works, there are usually signs saying to use both lanes, as in the bridge replacement by beaver dam north of Vegas on I 15.

But the reality is that it doesn't work. Most people lack the capacity to operate a vehicle in that manner. I'm not saying it as a criticism, just factually, it's too much stimulus. They begin reducing speed and are unable to make critical decisions. Inevitably, the long line will form.

Also, I think it's a bit of social engineering on the traffic engineering part. Reality seldom matches expectations.

I slow down with the blinker on and usually someone will let me in, I'll hop on the CB and explain that I missed it, see if a truck will. I usually have good luck with it, even in SoCal

Depends on the situation, sometimes I ride the closed lane till the end. Usually I move over sooner. I remember seeing a study saying to use all lanes until the merge is more effective, and that is how some pleaces want it done. but it makes you look like a jerk.

Do I try passing or just slow down to a safe distance behind them and “put up with it”?

I say pass, as long as you are going fast enough to be quick about it. If your only going 1 or 2 mph faster you probably should deal with it, unless there is no traffic coming.

Just don't hang out the left lane too long.

This is exactly what happens when I can only go 1-2 mph faster. I hang back and take it slower.

I put on some Statler Brothers or Jimmy Fortune (former Statler tenor) country or gospel music. Makes me feel much better and hopeful about life.

Did you know that the Statler Brothers took their group name from a box of Statler brand facial tissues? Harold Reid (bass singer) said “their name could just as easily been the Kleenex Brothers”.

On paper, in theory a zipper merge works, there are usually signs saying to use both lanes, as in the bridge replacement by beaver dam north of Vegas on I 15.

But the reality is that it doesn't work. Most people lack the capacity to operate a vehicle in that manner. I'm not saying it as a criticism, just factually, it's too much stimulus. They begin reducing speed and are unable to make critical decisions. Inevitably, the long line will form.

Also, I think it's a bit of social engineering on the traffic engineering part. Reality seldom matches expectations.

I slow down with the blinker on and usually someone will let me in, I'll hop on the CB and explain that I missed it, see if a truck will. I usually have good luck with it, even in SoCal

I agree Davy A that most processes that look good on paper don’t actually work as planned because human beings are involved. We are inherently flawed.

Put the vast majority of us in a stressful situation, you better watch out.

With Highway departments now wanting all drivers to use the zipper merge (first left, then right, then left, etc), the old school drivers do get PO'd at anyone who drives up the more clear lane to the point of merge. However, if a truck stays even with someone in the lane beside them so no one can get around him/her, you can get a ticket for impeding the flow of traffic. A driver from my previous company had that happen to him last year, so the company had said don't do that anymore.

It is basically a new method to keep the flow of traffic going and everybody has to learn it, but don't really want to. It's similar to when the new roundabouts came out and people were confused on what to do.

Laura

●"This lane is wide open. I might as well ride it all the way to the merge point then move over." (while ignoring dirty looks from the drivers you are passing)

This is the right answer. Using all available road capacity reduces the average travel time for all roadway users. Why unnecessarily move the bottleneck further back? Nobody benefits from this. Although I make sure the speed differential as I pass is small enough that I can react in case someone decides to jump back into the lane I'm in.

I’m cruising at my max 62 mph on interstate. I come up behind a slower moving vehicle, eg towing a Uhaul trailer or a pickup towing a trailer hauling cars, doing 56-57 mph.

Do I try passing or just slow down to a safe distance behind them and “put up with it”?

You faster trucks will probably say to slow down and put up with it.

I might be one of those faster trucks, since we're governed at 67 or 68 and our mail loads are never very heavy. And my position is that as long as you're actively passing a vehicle, you have a right to occupy the passing lane even if you're going below the speed limit.

This is separate from the risk/reward question of whether you'll gain enough time to make the lane switching worthwhile. Trainers and safety division like it when you 'live in your lane,' since sideswipes while changing lanes are a common type of crash. If I'm exiting fairly soon I'd stay put, but if I think I'll be hung up for mile after mile, I will pass when there's nobody coming up in the passing lane at a much higher speed.

If you blow past the line and go to the merge point, passing everyone who is waiting, and then expect the people you just passed to let you in, you're crazy. They're going to be mad, and they'll keep you from getting over as long as possible.

This has never been my experience. There might be one, and very rarely a second motorist who will keep me from moving over, but the vast majority of drivers I encounter are courteous enough in this situation. Maybe it's a regional thing. However, whether I'm on two, four, or eighteen wheels, I always do my merging before the dashed line goes to solid. I get annoyed at people who cross over a solid line for example when I'm in a slow-moving exit lane, but not enough to get into a game of chicken and risk a collision. I let them in, say 'you're welcome' in a sarcastic tone under my breath, and continue on my way. Maybe I'll wave them in even though I'm not thrilled with them, and get a friendly wave back. Which feels better than getting all agitated over something as inconsequential as being one car further back in the queue.

Get in while the gettins good. If I'm not able to, I throw on the signal and keep driving slowly, hoping somebody lets me in.

^^^^This^^^^^ If everyone would start to merge when notified, traffic may continue to move. May be slower but a good chance still smoothly. Its all the impatient peeps merging at the last 20 yards that cause the back up

Zipper merging is what happens when an accident closes a traffic lane on two lane highway. It is slow, but does get done.

Now if drivers would not slowdown to look at bad accidents on the opposite side of the freeway when their side is not impacted ….

I’ve noticed that backed up slow traffic will just suddenly clear up for no obvious reason.

Would be interesting to see the computer models used to study traffic flow networks to understand this phenomenon.