Cutting people off while driving "makes sense"

[crashtech]

There's no right answer, given the unpredictability that arises when strangers have to interact on the road with only rudimentary communication means. Driverless vehicles would be expected to do the zipper merge perfectly to maximize traffic flow.

An animated sign showing the zipper merge at those points might help a lot.

 

[Mayne]

can we talk about the real problem? people with poor time management and their rage?

 

[William Gaatjes]

The problem is that people never behave correctly to allow zipper merges even when there is only on ecar length in between cars.
There is always someone who think they can drive on and on and then just forcefully merge counting that the other person in the other lane will brake to prevent damage.
These kind of people who do such mergers should be shot on site.
I almost got in a crash once because of such an idiot.
Imagine two roads, each two lanes merging together to form a temporary 4 lane road and then 2 separate 2 lane roads again to create a road that allows you to go into two different directions A and B with each two lanes again. Now the two most left lanes going to direction A, were filled with slow driving cars.
What happened was that a driver on the most right lane of the 4 road passage moved from being in front of a transport truck one lane to the left and slammed his brakes fully on the second lane to get into the two most left lanes towards direction A..
While i was driving there. The reason he slammed his brakes was because there was a congestion on the 4 way passage road and the two most left lanes were slowly moving traffic.
I could not move to the left because there were cars slowly driving there and i could not go to the right because the transport truck was there. So i hit the gas and made a sharp turn to the right to get in front of the truck. Just squeezing through the idiot standing there and the truck.
My other option was full brakes and hit the idiot who was also standing half sideways on the lane.
I really admit, if i would have owned a gun which i do not, i would have shot on that car. What an idiot.

edit:
And yes he was really standing still when i passed.

 

[nakedfrog]

can we talk about the real problem? people with poor time management and their rage?

Maybe you have nothing better to do than putter along at 10MPH under the speed limit in perfectly clear conditions, but some of us would rather get to our destination sooner

 

[William Gaatjes]

I can tell stories about people not looking when changing lanes. Not even a direction light. Just looking straight ahead and move to the left. No checking of blind spots or if someone is already driving there.
Luckily, i have good intuition and i keep constant track of all traffic around me and keeping a close eye on the drivers.

 

[WiseUp216]

Sorry, what were we talking about? I was on my phone.

 

[kranky]

Beyond the fact that the zipper merge has proven more efficient, the signs always say something like "lane closed ahead". It's not closed until it's closed. We have our share of stupid and rude drivers but at the zipper merge point I've always seen people take their turn. I know some people going slow in the not-to-be closed lane get angry that people in the other lane are sailing past them to the merge point, but that's a stupid reaction. We're not racing, people.

Use both lanes to merge point, everyone take their turn. So simple, so easy.

 

[IronWing]

Road safety first, don't be an ass. Be courteous to fellow drivers.

I have an issue with the zipper merge diagram above. If people weren't left lane ninnies (ninny is polite speak for "asshole") then the diagram above would reflect that the only people in the left lane prior to the zipper point would those actively passing folks on the right. So, at the point of the merge, most of the traffic would be right laners moving over.

 

[SKORPI0]

An animated sign showing the zipper merge at those points might help a lot.

 

[snoopy7548]

All assholes. None of them use their blinker.

 

[Pantoot]

All assholes. None of them use their blinker.

Realistic though, the blue car slams on his brakes when he notices the cop next to him.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

But... but... that would require the people in the left lane leave enough space in front of them for a WHOLE OTHER CAR to fit.

<scannersheadexplosion.gif>

 

[HeXen]

You can't zipper merge when people ride each others ass. Or the ones that speed up on you so you can't get in front of them which makes them feel like they are going to be behind their normal time for some reason. Everyone is different, reality does not follow the fantasy bs of how it's supposed to work. No one drives like they are supposed to, this being the very forum where everyone here thinks we should all drive way over the posted speed limit because traffic will somehow flow better/faster. Death flows faster too as a result but if I can't merge, I just slow down to the end and stop until I can merge because I rarely see any gaps in traffic large enough to allow me to merge onto a 60 mph highway as I'm speeding up around a bend trying to merge at 45 mph as I hammer the pedal waiting for that little 4 cylinder to get up to 60.

 

[Gerle]

I really admit, if i would have owned a gun which i do not, i would have shot on that car. What an idiot.

Well at least you realize it.

 

[mindless1]

Unless that is explicitly instructed on signage, it's illegal, dangerous, and those who try to justify it shouldn't drive.

Take any particular thing in life. Some are good at it, some are bad, some try to improve, and some just make excuses and screw things up for everyone else.

 

[Exterous]

Unless that is explicitly instructed on signage, it's illegal

Citation for all 50 states needed

 

[Vindris]

The law:
- Merge after you pass the solid lines OR zipper merge at the end of the lane
- It is your job to merge; no one has a legal obligation to make room for you or slow down/speed up, and you shouldn't be forcing people to change speed (exceptions in heavy traffic)

 

[Genx87]

Once cars are automated this will all be sorted out. Until then idiots with emotions will screw up how to merge in these scenarios.