re: What is so difficult about the zipper merge concept?

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You're making a huge assumption that people in the merging lane are checking the distance to the merge, gauging traffic in the lane they need to merge into, etc

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Same root cause. There are a few exceptions, but broadly speaking human beings are fricking terrible at anything that requires them to think about something other than themselves.

Exactly. I drove to work for 20 years where two lanes crossedon the off ramp of the interstate and a feed off of another road. At the rush hour the regulars there would zipper merge. It went quite well with only the occasional driver who hugged the driver in front of them.

I see the reluctance to zipper merge with younger drivers.

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There are a few exceptions, but broadly speaking human beings are fricking terrible at anything that requires them to think about something other than themselves.

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So you’re suggesting that instead of merging when and where they’re supposed to all those idiots should plan ahead and merge a mile earlier, creating a backup in that lane?

Interesting.

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So you’re suggesting that instead of merging when and where they’re supposed to all those idiots should plan ahead and merge a mile earlier, creating a backup in that lane?

Interesting.

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I don't recall suggesting anything. Some problems don't have realistic solutions.

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Everyone slows down at the point of merge.

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Correct, but to be blunt, anytime the amount of vehicles in two lanes have to merge into one lane things are going to slow down.

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If people are able to merge early, no one would ever have to slow down.

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Wrong. When people try to merge early, they slow up traffic behind them while waiting on a spot to open up.

Meanwhile there is almost always a bunch of lane unused ahead of them that could be occupied.

If you can merge early without slowing traffic behind you down by all means. But if you bring vehicles to a stop behind you and there’s lane unused it’s causing more of an issue.

Zipper is a fraud. No additional cars get thru a congested area by using zipper as opposed to one single lane.

How a zipper merge is supposed to work: everyone helps each other

How a zipper merge actually works: everyone cutting each other off because fu*k everyone else Im more important and these precious five seconds will RUIN MY DAAAAAAAY.

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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

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Wow

What a fricking idiot, as well as the rest of dumbfricks upvoting this and downvoting OP.

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The assclowns that merge from the back and immediately accelerate to keep cars in front of them from merging should be on top of the deportation lists.

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Completely agree!