I’ve been reading this for years, and the hypothesis always seems to be that zipper merging is good because it maximizes road usage. You know what else maximizes road usage? Bumper to bumper gridlock.
Comment on That's a no
ccunning@lemmy.world 4 months ago
disorderly@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Gridlock doesn’t maximize it. Bumper-to-bumper at 80mph does, though
LurkingLuddite@piefed.social 4 months ago
Good luck getting humans to do that, though. Bumper to bumper only makes people slow down due to discomfort, so cramming to the front and increasing density to bumper to bumper will only slow traffic further.
It’s the same reason rolling stops happen on highways even without traffic accidents or lane closures. When density gets too high, people will slow down, and the assholes thinking bumper to bumper at the last second is zipper merging are indeed assholes slowing traffic down.
Krelis_@sh.itjust.works 4 months ago
Zipper merging, when done properly by enough people, prevents (selfish) others from racing past
musicjunkie@lemmy.world 4 months ago
This article falsely assumes the only options are halting traffic to wait for an opening or dash faster than speed of traffic until the end of the lane closure then just expect someone to allow room so kinda a bad explanation of zipper merge and proper driving etiquette
Not sure if you took drivers ed but zipper merging is not zooming past stopped cars to last second dart over in the shoulder, it’s speed matching the lane you are merging into to weave in like a zipper. Crazy how even the name isn’t informative enough for people to understand the concept
plantfanatic@sh.itjust.works 4 months ago
So if the traffic is slowed down you want everyone to just move over early making it even worse…?
No, you populate both lanes than alternate right of way.
LurkingLuddite@piefed.social 4 months ago
If both lanes are stopped, sure.
If you’re zipping past stopped cars in a lane about to close, you’re the asshole, period.
plantfanatic@sh.itjust.works 4 months ago
No, those cars merged incorrectly too early, they’re the assholes and are now mad other drivers are doing it correctly.
The amount of traffic makes no difference, if the lane is open, fill it up, that’s the most efficient for everyone.
Just because you made a poor choice doesn’t mean everyone else who didn’t is an asshole lmfao.
kbobabob@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 months ago
Why have two 1 mile long backups when you could have one 2 mile long backup.
*Taps head
musicjunkie@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Because the consequences is a low trust society where people hate each other