Lane Closure Driving

[Ret.LEO]

Originally Posted by dsurette

The sign says Construction or Lane Closed in X number of miles. It does not say Change Lanes in X miles. Most people would would change to the open lane after seeing the sign. Inconsiderate people keep driving up to the closed lane and expect somebody who has been waiting to let them go ahead of them.
I make it a point not to let them in.

X2 X2 X2 X2

It's amazing how many people charge the right lane to get to the merge just hoping some good hearted person let them in ahead of them..................all just to save a couple of minutes.............just isn't worth it.

[Mudfrog]

Originally Posted by Ret.LEO

X2 X2 X2 X2

It's amazing how many people charge the right lane to get to the merge just hoping some good hearted person let them in ahead of them..................all just to save a couple of minutes.............just isn't worth it.

The people that do it do end up saving time,, for themselves. But their disrespectfulness causes the rest of the drivers in the line to have to slow down even more when they try to merge.

And now that I think about it, I've encountered a few times where a police vehicle directed traffic to form a single line way before the lane actually ended before a construction zone. I guess those officers never heard of the "zipper merge".

[THenman]

One major problem with a late merge in an RV is space! Many many people follow too close and the space to merge can be quite hard to come by. Thus I get in open lane ASAP esp. in the coach.

[Solask]

I’m telling ya, the voluntary zipper thing only works when exiting a crowded church parking lot. Then, once back out in the wild, it’s a free for all again!

[Sneelock]

Apologies for a temporary hijack of this entertaining thread but for the benefit of M2D and any others wondering about the metered ramps here’s the scoop:
at certain locations where very high volume arterial surface streets feed onto a freeway traffic engineers designed a system that controls the rate that vehicles are allowed to enter the freeway. Typically the on ramp is longer than normal, two or more lanes wide and each lane has a stop/go signal. During peak traffic hours the signals operate, in theory keeping the near capacity freeway flowing. The extra lanes and length accommodate enough vehicles to minimize impact on the through traffic of the arterial. During non-peak hours traffic is free flowing.

“Metered” ramps is something of a misnomer - there’s no actual meter, just a signal.

Seems to work.

[Indy Glenn]

Originally Posted by Cooperhawk

Traffic is not crawling in the left lane because traffic is merging from the right, it's because everyone is lined up in the left lane! Lanes are designed to add capacity to a highway, not slow it down. They are legal travel lanes and why not use them?

That supposition is not valid. Once every one is merged the line will move at its own rate through the restriction and it has nothing to do with a zipper.

What we are discussing are the folks who rush ahead and then try to merge into the already slowed left lane. That cause an accordion effect that can at times bring the left lane to a complete stop.

Go ahead an do it if you feel right, but if you pass me and then want to merge, I will do my best to prevent you from doing that.

I've been known to play a game of "Chicken" or two........

LOL Just sayin'.......

g

[Switchflicke]

Originally Posted by Sneelock

“Metered” ramps is something of a misnomer - there’s no actual meter, just a signal.

Seems to work.

The signal is actually doing the metering.

[George Schweikle]

In my mind zipper merging in the U.S. is a fantasy that doesn't work in the real world. As others have mentioned, if everyone moves to the open lane, there is no slow down from the zipper confrontation. I have actually seen this happen

I move to the long lane as soon as possible; just to eliminate the confrontation at the zipper point. I will let one car merge from the other lane, but not the second one who almost always wants to barge in.

[RVPioneer]

It is entertaining when all the perfect little angels claiming to be polite, courteous and respectful drivers, proudly announce that they will play chicken or do whatever it takes to prevent another driver from changing lanes. Does anyone really wonder why it’s a disaster out there?

[Steverino]

Think of it this way: the zipper is gonna happen one way or another - you can have it stress-free or hateful. Everyone has to move over at some time.

If everyone proceeds to a single merge point, merging is orderly and everyone only has to let one person in. And if there's signage, it gives everyone the rules to play by.

If folks randomly merge early, they set themselves up for anger and frustration at everyone who didn't get over yet, regardless of why.

I confess to be an early merger at times, mainly because I don't want the stress of having to "beg over" once things really start slowing. But I would much prefer that the merge-point zipper was generally understood to be the law of the land.

[MapleKing]

Originally Posted by Steverino

Think of it this way: the zipper is gonna happen one way or another - you can have it stress-free or hateful. Everyone has to move over at some time.

If everyone proceeds to a single merge point, merging is orderly and everyone only has to let one person in. And if there's signage, it gives everyone the rules to play by.

If folks randomly merge early, they set themselves up for anger and frustration at everyone who didn't get over yet, regardless of why.

I confess to be an early merger at times, mainly because I don't want the stress of having to "beg over" once things really start slowing. But I would much prefer that the merge-point zipper was generally understood to be the law of the land.

Totally agree. Basically what I was trying to say earlier.

[Freqz]

Ugh. A pet peeve. Traffic moves faster for everyone when all the available pavement is used: it’s a mathematical certainty. You merge way back and don’t let anyone in folks are slowing down everybody. Please stop that. The zipper is in fact the law in several states but it’s a recent (within the last several years) development.

As to the rolling road block tanker truck drivers: well that should put an end to “all truckers are professionals” holier than thou posts we see around these parts. Those guys are dead wrong and only contributing to road rage. I’ve seen them actively try to run other drivers off the road in that situation. No one appointed them junior traffic cop and they should definitely stop acting like it.

[Romer1]

Originally Posted by Freqz

Ugh. A pet peeve. Traffic moves faster for everyone when all the available pavement is used: it’s a mathematical certainty. You merge way back and don’t let anyone in folks are slowing down everybody. Please stop that. The zipper is in fact the law in several states but it’s a recent (within the last several years) development.

As to the rolling road block tanker truck drivers: well that should put an end to “all truckers are professionals” holier than thou posts we see around these parts. Those guys are dead wrong and only contributing to road rage. I’ve seen them actively try to run other drivers off the road in that situation. No one appointed them junior traffic cop and they should definitely stop acting like it.

OK, care to explain why at every construction zone I encountered between Chicago and Ithaca NY and back where people moved over a half mile before choke point traffic moved at a steady 50mph and where they waited traffic moved at 10-15 mph?

[Freqz]

Originally Posted by Romer1

OK, care to explain why at every construction zone I encountered between Chicago and Ithaca NY and back where people moved over a half mile before choke point traffic moved at a steady 50mph and where they waited traffic moved at 10-15 mph?

Traffic density, probably.

The length of the slowdown depends on how many vehicles per minute you’re trying to cram through the choke. With low density, people can merge mostly at will with less perceived slow down. High density=more slow downs and longer backups. The longer that backup gets, the longer it feels which only adds to the problem.

Zipper merge reduces congestion by some absurd amount, like 40%— it’s not some insignificant thing.

Do the zipper merge, use signals, take turns at the merge point, and if everyone uses both lanes there won’t be any one zooming 3 miles past stopped traffic in the closed lane.