All of them report that in heavy traffic, later “zipper”-style merging is safer and two that it has either a slight or significant improvement on throughput (depending on degree of congestion and number of large vehicles present.)
First one, from the VA DOT: “…data showed that the late merge showed small improvements in time in queue when the queue was long.” This report also mentioned late merging being more effective when more large vehicles are on the road. The report mentioned limitations affecting their consideration of safety. Of course the report also showed no benefit when traffic was light, which is something everyone in this thread has agreed on. But it also did not make things worse, either; even in light traffic, late merging showed a “statistically insignificant improvement,” but was not worse. People in this thread are arguing for the late merge scenario in heavy traffic, but accordingly to this study there’s no need to change it for light traffic.
Second one (FHWA): "…when the traffic demand exceeds the capacity of the work zone, queues may extend back beyond the advance warning signs, often surprising approaching traffic and increasing the accident potential. Also, smooth and orderly merging operations may be lost when some drivers remain in the closed lane attempting to squeeze into the open lane at the head of queue while other drivers try to prevent drivers in the closed lane from passing them by straddling the centerline or traveling slowly in tandem with another vehicle in the closed lane. These erratic maneuvers tend to reduce the capacity of the merging operation and increase the accident potential and road rage among drivers.
Finally, I’d argue that because there are early attempts at getting this to work, and as we can see in this thread a number of ignoramuses still aren’t on board with idea, the throughput will be improved when more people are educated as to the benefits of the late zipper merge.
The Late Merge addresses many of these problems, which occur during periods of congestion with the conventional mode of merge control. Previous research (footnotes 1,5) has found that the Late Merge improves the safety and efficiency of merging operations, especially during congested flow conditions."
Third one, from MN DOT: “We have witnessed 3 primary safety and operation improvements whenever the Zipper system has been deployed…The zipper system produces a much safer merge situation and the length of the queue is much less.” You’re right that this one doesn’t say it’s faster, but does say that it’s clearly better nevertheless, and certainly no worse.
What is really odd is that some drivers seem to have some kind of righteous anger related to preventing other drivers from doing what they want to do. The basic rule of the road should be that when you see another driver signal that he or she wants to do something, you should adjust your driving to facilitate, rather than using your vehicle as a physical barrier to prevent it.
I apologize that in my previous post, the sentence beginning with “Finally, I’d argue that…” should come at the end, and not accidentally in the middle of quoting the second report I linked.
By the way, here’s another report which supports the use of the late merge in heavy traffic.
“Overall, the evaluation supports the potential of dynamic late merge systems to improve the operation of highway lane drops…”
The study does mention that the date from improved flow is only suggestive, not conclusive, and that is seems to have taken drivers a week or so to get used to the idea. After the first week, throughput did improve.
And, even if throughput were found to be exactly the same using the zipper merge versus the conventional merge, (although it seems that studies do suggest the zipper merge improves throughput in certain cases), my argument is that it makes driving less stressful and drivers more predictable because you don’t have multiple scattered merge points, and you don’t have drivers (OK, you have a reduced number of drivers) in both lanes pissed off at each other for perceived slights. And you don’t have idiots using their car to block cars in legally open lanes or riding bumper-to-bumper to prevent someone they feel is “cutting the line” in.
From a safety and sanity perspective, it seems the late merge should be a clear winner for slow merge situations. That it happens to additionally improve throughput in certain situations is a bonus.
I’m fine accepting that it is probably better. I don’t think its a justification for skipping to the front of a line of traffic though. That’s like skipping to the front of a line at an ATM because queuing along the wall is more space efficient than across the sidewalk.
As a safety matter I agree, but it still grates when the other driver is e.g. signalling that he wants you to get out of his way by driving on your bumper at speed. That sort of behaviour shouldn’t be rewarded.
I thought of this thread this morning as I was driving along and I think there are two different situations that are getting lumped together:
1 - The road narrows for a variety of reasons. Everyone is going in one direction. In this situation you should use both lanes for as long as possible if for no other reason than to limit the distance that traffic is backed up for. It makes no sense to be waiting in one line two lights back while extra people are turning in from those intersections when you could be utilizing all the available lanes.
2 - There is a backup in one lane or the other because the majority of people are turning from that lane onto another road. In this case get in the lane you need to be and stay there. Just because less people are going in the other direction doesn’t give you the right to use their lane to cut ahead and/or slow down the people going the faster way.
I’m not sure situation #2 is being discussed here. So far as I can tell, we’re all talking merges here (two lanes into one, three lanes into two, etc.) A queue forming for an off-ramp (which it sounds like you’re describing) is a true queue, not a merge. In cases like that, I don’t think anyone would argue you’re not cutting in line if you move out of the turn lane into the main thoroughfare, and then back into the turn lane.
The only time so far that I have done this was recently in conjunction with a pickup driver two or three cars behind me who started doing this to try and block drivers who were trying to merge ahead of a line in the SAME LANE. We were in an ending third lane and there was another short merge lane coming off a right turn a little ways back, which I assume is where all these drivers were coming from. That merging “lane” ended long ago, yet our lane was still wide enough to accommodate all these cars that were driving as far as possible until the lane narrowed. It just backed up our lane even further. The Ram driver started unsuccessfully trying to block after the first car came along. Unfortunately, he kept moving back to the left when he saw no one coming and two more got by despite his efforts to block them, before he finally managed to block another pickup and anyone behind said pickup from squeezing by. I then moved to the right in case anyone else managed to squeeze by him. I think blocking is justified in this case, no?
I also decided on doing this in the future at the very end of a merge point after I have already let one car in and think a second car is going to try to nose their way past me using the last bit of real estate. If I am the one merging at the end of a lane, I’m going to start avoiding moving all the way over to prevent anyone who is behind me from using the last few feet or even part of the shoulder to merge in front of me, which frequently happens if I merge when it’s my turn and there’s still some room for a car to squeeze by. I had a semi do this to me, even though I would have had plenty of space to get in front of him without cutting him off, and I still respect him for that. In fact, he actually swerved back to the left a little.
I agree with you. Its one thing if people zip down the center lane of a highway while people patiently wait to get off at an exit and then leap in right before the barriers would prevent them from doing so. Its another thing if there is a merge. If there is a merge, then the lanes have to merge at some point. There is really no reason why that merge need to happen 20 minutes back and leave an entire unoccupied lane.
Using your car intentionally as a physical blockade against other moving vehicles is the wrong thing to do, no matter how much of an asshole you think the other guy is. Sometimes letting someone else “get away with” something small is better for everyone.
This exactly. I was on both sides of this situation today, as a matter of fact. In one case, the merge was temporary due to some roadwork, so I kept on into the disappearing lane and passed a bunch of people before I realized a merge was going to be necessary. Someone kindly let me in. In the other case, I moved over from the disappearing lane into the other lane way too soon, and several people zoomed by and got in line in front of me. When I got to the merge point, I let a guy in front of me. It was the right thing to do at the time.
What cracks me up is how everyone is so sure that the other drivers are behaving badly on purpose, to get a tiny edge on traffic, and then laughing up their sleeves at all the poor schmucks that they beat. Really? How many people really do that? Treat people like you’d want to be treated, and assume that they are just as imperfect as you are.
I really wish people could chill more about these traffic issues. The problems only get worse when everyone is so angry and spiteful.
>Leave early enough to change a flat tire/wait on a train…ya never know, have some common sense and understand time management because it’s part of being a responsible adult.
>The latter allows me to drive the speed limit or slower choosing whichever is safer and still arrive in time.
>I installed a good quality aftermarket sound system so I can use the sound quality of the music to focus on, keep me relaxed…etc. Believe it or not, sound quality makes a difference between background noise vs musicality that keeps your ears attention keeping you more relaxed.
>Not get butthurt because of other drivers, I just keep truck’n along and let them do whatever. If I have to brake, swap lanes or whatever due to their aggressive driving, I just do it and move on…dealing with people is a part of life in the modern society.
>I never play the victim by thinking about other’s driving behaviors…so what if a guy pulled out in front of you? You don’t know his side of the story, stop blaming everyone else and just keep to your own responsibilities. If you didn’t react quick enough, drove too fast or whatever then admit it and move on…why drivers think they are perfect and always the victim of “stupid” drivers I’ll never understand.
>The lack of pent up road rage does wonders to your own driving habits, it’s the reason why some won’t use a turn signal because they were the victim of someone else who didn’t use one…that’s why they’ll always be a victim.
>shit happens, even to the most well meaning and good drivers because someone out there is always going to think you are a POS driver despite you following the law…get over it.
I’ll usually let the assholes in that can’t read the signs. They still piss me off and I consider them to be VERY bad drivers because they miss -
Construction ahead
A few merge right/left signs
Huge flashing lights directing them into the other lane.
And they don’t get it until they find a physical cone or something that is actually blocking their lane.
:smack: Oh, why is this guy holding a sign right in front of me. And what are all those orange cones on the road for??? Freaking idiots really slow down traffic.
Every situation is different & if you’re painting it all from one bucket, you’re only going to end up with one Very Drab world. There are lots of driver types, but I’ll only name four:
There are the cutters; the jerks who either don’t know better or where taught to drive someplace where “10 extra feet” makes them a better human being. They’re Wrong, btw.
They start ALL of this shit, so they are 100% at fault. Unless their kid is bleeding to death in the back seat and they are on the way to the hospital, they are ALWAYS 100% at fault.
There are the people who let them in who are trying to be nice (not easy in the shitty roadster environment we live in) or who are trying not to get hit. They can have the blame of enabling sometimes, but honestly, I’d rather a million of those people on the road than One cutter.
They don’t start shit and I give them credit for that. A highway where people don’t start shit is always a much happier highway.
Also, For the sake of argument, lets assume that if two cars do hit, ALL traffic stops until the cops or maybe even an ambulance gets there and everybody (including you) is so late that your watch could almost be a calendar.
There are people who, half inch by half inch will Not let the shoulder mergers in. Yes its petty, yes its a battle of wills. Personally, I’m on their side. Cutter-scum? You got 20 car lengths without a ticket, but getting 21 isn’t happening. Be smart & deal.
You can be smart, right? Well, can’t you?
Then there are The Road Warriors. These folk honestly don’t give a shit & the people in that merger lane better catch on quick who they’re dealing with or there WILL be an accident. Usually they are driving a company truck (or somebody else’s car) and they WILL hit you.
Its also why you use your cellphone & call that “Hows My Driving?” number on the back of their truck (Its even better if you have a dash cam and can email a MOV file to the company).
Just one thing: if you hit these people, there is a MUCH higher chance of them getting out of their car. It’s not so much to exchange information but to try to beat you with a bat.
They could already have a record, could be out on bail, and they probably have no assets if you sue them. Look at their car and tell me what it says about their net worth.
Still, You got them out of their car by colliding with them. Enjoy!
#5. The people that can’t be bothered to read road/construction signs until they actually find something physically blocking their lane. This, in my experience is 90% of them.
I once had someone block me as I was in the “breakdown” lane trying to get off of a crowed freeway before my radiator boiled over. I was lucky and it didn’t but there was a gas station right off the freeway, if there hadn’t been I would have been royally screwed thanks to that corpsefucking douchnozzle.