# How many dopers know what "move over" laws are, and if they apply to the state they drive in? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 6, 2013, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-know-what-move-over-laws-are-and-if-they-apply-to-the-state-they-drive-in/646217 "2013-01-06T02:31:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-know-what-move-over-laws-are-and-if-they-apply-to-the-state-they-drive-in/646217/61 "2015-06-03T20:00:56Z")
Ahh, the ZIPPER… If everyone is doing it in advance of the lane being closed or right at the point of closing, all is good. But … Lots of traffic, warning signs for a few miles in advance warning of the lane closing so 98% of the drivers get in the non closing lane. Then there are the ZIPPERS. They drive at very high speeds to the point they can not go anymore then demand to be let is right then… Block them? Danm straight I do. Very seldom does the zipper merge work because people is people. Same for 4 way stops, they can be very fast if everyone is paying attention, know which way they are going to turn or are not going to turn. Just how many actually operate that way for any length of time? Do I get to do a lot of ‘rolleyes’ at the " lanes on all roads with a 4 way stop," you betcha. The Zipper4, I merge at the point that everyone else is merging, I never race up to the last possible point and force my way it. I either drive unsafely close to the vehicle in front of me or if their is just enough room for the ass hat to force a fender in at an angle, I try to drive in such a manner that makes them sure I AM going to ram them. They are not driving with courtesy, they are trying to **cheat** because they know that some fearful person will let them get away with it. I try to get them to look at me and mouth “Go ahead, make my day” at them while pointing at them, usually with my hand in the pistol shape. I may even be testing my horn all this time. " The merge point was 3 miles back ass hat. " If no one merged until the last possible point, the ZIPPER would work as a few who still demand the right to force their way in are trying to prove. They are not authorized to enforce anything. Expecting peoples to not be peoples is stupid, just get over it and drive with courtesy. _I miss my old multi-colored 1970 Dodge Ramcharger with massive big black steel drill pipe car eaters mounted on front & back. Never had a discourteous driver challenge me while I was driving that. Plus, I don’t look like nor act like Clark Kent, I don’t change much, just look even meaner and more redneck._ ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-know-what-move-over-laws-are-and-if-they-apply-to-the-state-they-drive-in/646217/62 "2015-06-03T20:02:11Z")
> [@SpeedwayRyan](#): > > There wasn’t a move-over law in Indiana when I started driving. I did it anyway, because it’s common sense. If I was pinned in and couldn’t move over a lane, I slowed down. I’m glad it’s a law, but honestly the only reason it IS a law is because there are a lot of really bad drivers out there. > > Same thing with moving emergency vehicles. It’s pretty obvious that you need to pull over and stop, or do whatever you need to do in order to clear a path for them (get out of the intersection, etc.)…yet some people fail to grasp the concept. If you were supposed to keep driving like normal, they wouldn’t bother with all the lights and sirens. ↑ ↑ ↑ This X 42 Perzactly. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-know-what-move-over-laws-are-and-if-they-apply-to-the-state-they-drive-in/646217/63 "2015-06-03T22:41:40Z")
They have this law in California, although it is fairly new. However the roads are so busy here in the Bay Area that in almost every case where the situation would arise, the emergency vehicle creates a traffic jam. So it’s impossible to move over. And I’ve already slowed down – way down. So it doesn’t seem to have much effect. But maybe I’m just unlucky – the vast majority of my driving is commuting to/from work. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Krupe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Leo\_Krupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Krupe)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-know-what-move-over-laws-are-and-if-they-apply-to-the-state-they-drive-in/646217/64 "2015-06-04T00:09:25Z")
If there’s a vehicle of any kind on the side of the road, especially with a person/people there, I always move over as long as it’s safe to. I’m not going to run someone off the road in the next lane, but as long as I can do it safely, it’s been a rule of mine for more than 35 years, regardless of an extant law. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-dopers-know-what-move-over-laws-are-and-if-they-apply-to-the-state-they-drive-in/646217.md?page=3)