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Started By
Message
What is so difficult about the zipper merge concept?
Posted on 8/10/25 at 12:37 pm
Posted on 8/10/25 at 12:37 pm
In the lane that will eventually end why do people feel the need to try to merge early?
It’s ok to ride that lane until the cones and then get in. In fact, that’s how it was designed.
These asshats have their signal on and beyond is an entire 1500 feet of unused lane while people wait.
…..
And as an aside, if you are in the merge lane and don’t let the merge car in, you deserve to go to hell. It’s a one-and-one concept.
……
Wow, sounds like a lot of you are guilty of not understanding how a zipper merge is supposed to work.
Here’s an example:
It’s ok to ride that lane until the cones and then get in. In fact, that’s how it was designed.
These asshats have their signal on and beyond is an entire 1500 feet of unused lane while people wait.
…..
And as an aside, if you are in the merge lane and don’t let the merge car in, you deserve to go to hell. It’s a one-and-one concept.
……
Wow, sounds like a lot of you are guilty of not understanding how a zipper merge is supposed to work.
Here’s an example:
This post was edited on 8/10/25 at 3:48 pm
53
Posted on 8/10/25 at 12:38 pm to DustyDinkleman
I just hit the gas and pray for the best
Posted on 8/10/25 at 12:46 pm to DustyDinkleman
Because traffic volume usually exceeds the single lane capacity causing traffic to backup. In addition it’s almost always accompanied by a reduced speed further causing backups.
Merging earlier streamlines the process in the real world. It never works like the nifty “zipper merge is the way” infographics. Leaving only assholes trying to zip up and force their way into bumper to bumper already merged traffic. Sometimes on the shoulder causing reasonable people to rage
Merging earlier streamlines the process in the real world. It never works like the nifty “zipper merge is the way” infographics. Leaving only assholes trying to zip up and force their way into bumper to bumper already merged traffic. Sometimes on the shoulder causing reasonable people to rage
This post was edited on 8/10/25 at 12:48 pm
Posted on 8/10/25 at 12:51 pm to RaginCajunz
Team Zip Up.
Screw early merging.
Screw early merging.
Posted on 8/10/25 at 12:54 pm to DustyDinkleman
People are dumb
Posted on 8/10/25 at 12:54 pm to RaginCajunz
quote:
Merging earlier streamlines the process in the real world.
Wrong.
It's a basic Operations Management case study.
If merging earlier worked best, let's just move the merge point 2 miles further upstream. How about 10 miles? The earlier the better, right?!
Wrong. The shorter the 1-lane is in use, the less lag is introduced. There are literally Ops Mgmt algorithms for this.
Posted on 8/10/25 at 12:56 pm to clamdip
quote:
Wrong. The shorter the 1-lane is in use, the less lag is introduced. There are literally Ops Mgmt algorithms for this.
So I’m not an a-hole for driving in the right lane all the way to the tunnel in Mobile?
Posted on 8/10/25 at 12:56 pm to DustyDinkleman
Because it’s only effective if the merging lane can seamlessly merge into flowing traffic. If someone has to pause to “let you in” then the benefit is gone. Ditto for the merging vehicle. If it goes at full speed and doesn’t even attempt to merge till they reach the end and has to stop, the benefit is lost.
It’s one of those things that works in theory but reality/human nature pisses on it. Wait for self driving cars v
It’s one of those things that works in theory but reality/human nature pisses on it. Wait for self driving cars v
This post was edited on 8/10/25 at 12:57 pm
Posted on 8/10/25 at 12:56 pm to DustyDinkleman
On the other side of the question; when there are barely any cars on the road, why do drivers in the lane that needs to merge feel the need to drive all the way up to the cones then brake and merge when there is plenty of room for them to cross over within 100’ of the merge point
Posted on 8/10/25 at 12:58 pm to clamdip
Throughput of a single one is the same and would move smoother if merging occurs in the mile leading up to the merge at full highway speed.
99% of drivers will not be able to zip the zipper when cars are tight and bunched up and already crawling causing g much more brake time for all. It will always cause a mess at the merge spot.
Humans do not behave like the computer models
99% of drivers will not be able to zip the zipper when cars are tight and bunched up and already crawling causing g much more brake time for all. It will always cause a mess at the merge spot.
Humans do not behave like the computer models
Posted on 8/10/25 at 12:58 pm to RaginCajunz
quote:
Leaving only assholes trying to zip up and force their way into bumper to bumper already merged traffic
Because
quote:
traffic volume usually exceeds the single lane capacity causing traffic to backup.
Because
quote:
it’s almost always accompanied by a reduced speed further causing backups.
The "reduced speed" issue is only a problem due to idiots staying at 45-50mph merging onto an interstate that's 70 mph. If people actually used proper acceleration and also left a courteous amount of space knowing others are merging in then it wouldn't be an issue. This is all cause and effect of idiots not doing exactly what the guy above you said.
I imagine that the same people who ruin zipper merges are the exact same as the people who will drive 10-20mph under the speed limit on a highway because they know they will make a turn in 5 miles. Those people think they are being safe and good drivers when in reality they are uncourteous assholes who don't have the brain capacity to think of the big picture of traffic flow.
Posted on 8/10/25 at 12:59 pm to DustyDinkleman
Agree with OP 100%. So many idiots not understanding how the merge is suppose to work.
Posted on 8/10/25 at 1:00 pm to clamdip
quote:I like notclamdip much better.
clamdip
Posted on 8/10/25 at 1:02 pm to DustyDinkleman
Zipper merges don’t work in most instances because they’re typically used in interstate construction zones where traffic has to go slow, which causes a backup leading up to the zipper merge.
Zipper merges work great when traffic can continue to flow at the same speed.
Zipper merges work great when traffic can continue to flow at the same speed.
Posted on 8/10/25 at 1:08 pm to The Boat
quote:
Zipper merges work great when traffic can continue to flow at the same speed.
Well yeah water is wet. The exact point of the thread is talking about people fricking up that flow even with an open lane in front of them. People slowing down to merge early when they can continue at a higher speed is half the problem. And people not getting up to an appropriate speed merging onto the interstate is the other half. Those are the 2 main reasons traffic can't flow at the same speed.
This post was edited on 8/10/25 at 1:11 pm
Posted on 8/10/25 at 1:09 pm to Weekend Warrior79
quote:
On the other side of the question; when there are barely any cars on the road, why do drivers in the lane that needs to merge feel the need to drive all the way up to the cones then brake and merge when there is plenty of room for them to cross over within 100’ of the merge point
Because OP’s irritation isn’t based on the lost potential efficiency, they just want to zoom to the front and want to yell at the world for making them wait.
Posted on 8/10/25 at 1:10 pm to Dantheman504
quote:
The exact point of the thread is talking about people fricking up that flow even with an open lane in front of them.
I’ve never seen that.
Zipper merges don’t work because the single lane exceeds traffic capacity or cars are going slow through a construction zone.
quote:
And people not getting up to an appropriate speed merging onto the interstate is the other half. Those are the 2 main reasons traffic can't flow at the same speed.
No one is talking about interstate on ramps when they’re bitching about zipper mergers. They’re talking about interstate construction zones.
This post was edited on 8/10/25 at 1:14 pm
Posted on 8/10/25 at 1:11 pm to The Boat
quote:
Zipper merges don’t work in most instances because they’re typically used in interstate construction zones where traffic has to go slow, which causes a backup leading up to the zipper merge. Zipper merges work great when traffic can continue to flow at the same speed.
This. Traffic is almost always way backed up when you encounter it. Zipping up to the merge point and squeezing in benefits 1 driver and penalizes 300 others . It does not cause the existing backup to magically dissolve. It exasperates the problem
Posted on 8/10/25 at 1:13 pm to The Boat
quote:
The exact point of the thread is talking about people fricking up that flow even with an open lane in front of them.
I’ve never seen that
Merging early means that they could have continued at a higher speed and chose to slow down for no reason. Its a direct correlation, sorry if you can't connect those dots.
Posted on 8/10/25 at 1:15 pm to Dantheman504
quote:
Its a direct correlation, sorry if you can't connect those dots.
Sorry if you can’t connect the dots that the speed limit dropping from 70 to 45 in a one lane interstate construction zone will cause a backup.
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