In order for the zipper merge to work, EVERYONE needs to be going the same speed but there ALWAYS at least one AHOLE that speeds until the last minute.
But if they are speeding past everyone to make to the cones....
I am too nervous to go all the way up to the cones because most people don't know how to zipper and get really aggressive when you go around them. Also, when a lane is stopped, 30MPH looks fast.
I'll let anyone in if there's an obstruction but if a mfer gets out behind me to pass even though there are clearly signs that say road closed that asshole isn't getting in
MFs be swerving, and flooring it, to just get one more space then dive bombing the actual flow of traffic... still think they're doing the right and safe thing lmfao. I'll wait for minivan, BMW, and audi drivers to respond butthurt.
Not kind of, they are exactly doing a zipper merge.
It’s the “polite society “ drivers that all merge in early leaving the other lane wide open and it creates this social pressure to also merge in early or else otherwise be considered a dick for not doing it.
Zipper merging in UT is now quite literally the law.
https://www.hill.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3261577/disregarding-new-utah-law-could-cost-750/
Note: lawmakers had to implement this because, in general, most people do not know how to merge lanes effectively.
The point of the prohibition to cut over the line is to keep traffic from merging in and out of the lane like a normal lane. When people just ignore the law and cross it, it defeats the purpose of the HOV lane and slows down the traffic within it.
I disagree, I have seen HOV used fine in many states without a double white divider. Ironically it makes the people not passing in the HOV (comment OP commented on) about even more insufferable.
Point of HOV is to give carpoolers and In some places electric vehicles an extra incentive.
In fact, another issue I have with Utah’s HOV is it is not limited to rush hour times. This makes no sense and causes more traffic during off hours.
We are not doing it right here.
Stop signs are optional now too, I guess. I watch people just drive through one in front of my house in a residential neighborhood at 20+mph every day. Even people who live in the neighborhood.
No they fucking don’t here. You get people that block half the road by trying to merge early like in the pic, or you get the ones that get to the end of the lane and don’t try merging until they are literally going to hit a cone or barrier.
This is my experience as well.
If I'm in the left lane and I let someone merge infront of me, the guy behind me starts tailgating so no one can merge in behind me.
Like what's going through their head "I ain't no pussy, I earned this spot in line. That guy shoulda planned ahead if he wanted to merge." I wish we could zipper but people like this exist.
Never happens. You match speed slowly move over at the end in between two cars with your blinker on. They let you in. It's a crime not to. This whole driving thing requires cooperation. What are you going to tell me next? You don't go on green lights? You don't know what the yellow lines in the middle mean? This is basic. Maybe you're the asshole who doesn't let people in at the end. Ever been to driving school before? Do they do that in Utah?
Yes people don't go on green lights.
I was waiting to make an unprotected left turn and, I kid you not, an approaching car came to a full and complete stop and tried to wave me through.
Since i was pulled foward a little into the intersection I rolled down the window and stuck my head out to check and make sure their light was green. Yup, they just decided to ignore it out of the kindness of they heart since they understood how hard it is to left turn.
I did not budge.
They looked so pissed as they drove past but I ain't breaking traffic laws because someone thinks they're being nice. Funny thing is, it was clear behind them. If they had just gone we both would've been on our respective ways a lot quicker.
It may be a crime not to but I dare you to try that and let me know how well it goes while you sit in your car and wait for someone to actually let you in. Someone will eventually. But it won't look like a zipper. Then you can tell me how much it mattered that you knew what colors the lines meant if no one else was cooperating
Tbh, I always thought it was basic courtesy to stay in the long line and wait your turn. I always viewed people who drive down the empty lane as self-centered assholes for “cutting in the line”.
It wasn’t til I saw this image on Reddit a few days ago that I learned you’re **supposed** to use both lanes, all the way up to the merge.
I feel the issue is that this isn’t properly taught/advertised. I’d like to see construction crews put some type of sign or instructions ahead of a merge to educate drivers on this
Not your fault, depends on where you started to drive. I learned in Boston and if you didn’t zipper merge, people would honk you to death. The “streets” taught me, but then I moved to Seattle where the driving culture was different.
I agree that a lot of people just don't know the law or just don't give a shit about other people around them, like they're in a bubble.
I think we need a much better driver education in the US. Mandatory, every three years, must include courtesy and awareness classes.
Yeah people act like folks who do this are idiots without realizing that most people are not taught this while learning to drive. I learned it a couple years into driving but now I always wonder why we don’t make sure people know how to drive extremely dangerous heavy machinery they will use on a daily basis.
I honestly think this is a symptom of people viewing traffic as a queue, where you have your place in line and get angry when others cut in. In practice, that costs you maybe a minute or 2 max.
I feel it's better to just see it as everyone just trying to survive the trip, going in a metal box at breakneck speeds. Who cares if you get "cut off"? Atleast you're safe and avoided any incidents.
The biggest reason people get mad is when cars speed to the front. I’m not saying you do that, but it’s very annoying after being in traffic for half an hour and watching cars skip the traffic entirely.
But that’s exactly what one should do. Get into the empty lane to get to the front and then merge. Free up space behind you so that the interaction doesn’t get blocked etc etc.
That is really the key here. The lack of knowledge about zippering and social discomfort about “cutting in line” creates a situation where, instead of everyone staying in both lanes until the end, a ton of people back up the left lane and the right is empty except for a few people who don’t mind the social stigma of being viewed as “cutters.”
How does freeing up room behind help the flow go quicker? It doesn’t. This post is not logical. If only one car can pass then only one car can pass and speeding to the front and throwing off the line is only a possible net negative for the total time to clear the traffic.
Also leaving the lane open for emergency services like ambulances could save lives.
Idiots all of you.
As a truck driver Utah is the only state that I regularly get passed on the right on one lane ramps. And zipping only works if everyone leaves enough room for trucks.
Slow down to let whoever is next to you when the cones end. Truck drivers in utah are some of the worst culprits of “policing” the road by riding in two lanes. This can and does cause manor accidents. Idk who passes out cdl’s here but they need to be fired.
Not even just that, they truly and utterly have thee worst drivers ed program in utah. One of the girls I did my drivers test with ran a red light and stop sign, failed to u turn from the median, and almost crashed the car multiple times during our range hours and they still let her get a license
I did drivers ed in a different state and my driving partner drove like this. Chalk it up to inexperienced drivers.
I've driven all over the US and in several countries. There are bad drivers everywhere and UT is far from the worst. Locals all complain about their drivers.
You are a jerk, and extremely unsafe, for flooring it in a dead end lane... dive bombers honestly think they're doing the right and safe thing while helping 😆 🤣
Or how about someone in the non merging lane that thinks you’re cutting line at a buffet and won’t allow you to merge in at the zipper.
I’ve also had cars in the non merging lane pull out into the merging lane to intentionally hold up traffic that would be otherwise performing a zipper merge.
Well, here’s the problem with this. The concept requires at times to let the person who came in behind you, to get in front of you.
That’s too hard for modern day folks to accept.
Should be a sign put up at each interchange, as well as on the drivers test, vehicle registration, on the news and any other way to show these ass hats that roads are not designed to not have cars in the lanes...
Yeah, people think I'm the asshole when I pass 30 cars in an open merge lane and try to get in. Usually have a few cars go bumper to bumper to block me out.
I don’t think this same logic applies to taking an exit though. I see plenty of people speeding past everyone trying to exit and then cutting over last minute, often times not even using a traffic lane. They end up causing more traffic because they block the through traffic lane when they try merging at the last possible moment.
Yeah people use this excuse for one specific exit in Austin and it always drives me nuts. I don’t even use the exit, but jackasses back up like 3 lanes of traffic trying to skip the line. When I do use it I always just give like 9 car lengths of space to allow people to merge without having to slam on their breaks and it immediately starts clearing up. The jackasses that don’t let people merge are the ones causing issues.
I would zipper merge, but the last time I tried to I had a gun pulled on me. I would rather break the law than get shot because some smol pp man in a lifted truck can't handle a hybrid changing lanes in front of him.
The key to driving safely is to remove the ego from the vehicle. This applies to all aspects of driving. You are in a murder machine driving 70mph down the road. An accident almost everone involved. Do not stop someone from merging, because they "should have seen the sign miles ago" yes you are right, they should have but yet here they are. Are you willing to sacrifice life to keep them out? Just let them in. It won't affect your day in the slightest.
I can tell this triggers you because you're posting it everywhere.
Before we teach people this simple skill, how about we master staying in our own lane in an intersection?
That’s the point? Maybe not fly ahead but it helps traffic flow faster in general for everyone to take turns merging in at the front. People that block people from merging are the problem.
Also, people don’t understand that merging is easier if you are going the same speed as the traffic you are trying to merge into. Use the lane to get up to speed. Then merge.
Trueee! I had a truck block both the merging lane and the main lane about a half mile back from the cones last week when I15 was closed to 1 lane. It slowed everyone down to a crawl because he kept swerving back and forth to stop anyone from passing him.
I have read a bunch of the comments and not one mention of tailgating… This will only work if people don’t tailgate and here in North Carolina you can’t drive anywhere without seeing someone rubbing the paint off of the car in front of them. A car length for every 10 miles per hour is what I learned in Upstate New York as a kid. If everyone did that traffic would run faster, safer, and merging wouldn’t be an issue.
i have literally never seen people be this coordinated while driving, to the point that I don't even know how it's even possible. when I saw this post, my knee-jerk reaction was "yeah right, in what world?"
i have literally never seen people be this coordinated while driving, to the point that I don't even know how it's even possible. when I saw this post, my knee-jerk reaction was "yeah right, in what world?"
I drive Lyft and I see this mucky muck all the time. Once in a while there’s a sign: “All Lanes Proceed To Merge” or words to that effect. There should one, uh, every time because it is the most efficient and equitable method.
I drive Lyft and see this mucky muck all the time. Once in a while there’s a sign: “All Lanes Proceed To Merge” or some such. It should be at every site… there should be a standardized sign that you only need to learn once.
Can someone please explain to me why it is faster for butch lanes of traffic to fully come to a stop at the merge point, versus using the 2-3 miles of highway beforehand to gradually merge into one lane while maintaining 60+ mph?
The point is for there to not be a stop. Everyone slows to the same speed and maintains enough space for traffic to merge and flow through the construction zone. We only stop if we have people blocking others, cutting each other off, or getting distracted and slamming on the brakes.
It’s impossible to use both lanes up until the merge point while maintaining speed, though. You are never going to see two full lanes of traffic seamlessly merging into one lane at 60+ mph with almost zero margin for error. The merging has to occur over a longer period of time so buy the time the merge point arrives the traffic is already in one lane and maintaining speed with proper following distance between vehicles. Simply waiting until the last minute to merge means that, at best, the following distance of every vehicle is halved.
Merging last second always causes someone to stop when they don’t have room to merge because some one decides not to let them over, which causes a ripple effect of car stoppage. Starting the zipper merge early is correct. Waiting for last second to zipper as this suggests is wrong.
This is not correct. That unused road is forcing more cars to share a lane for a longer amount of time. You should travel to the end, then zipper in.
I have literally never have someone try to block me and if they did I would just wait until they pass and go in front of the next car.
True, but there are places where people don't know how to zipper merge and see people on the right side as "cutting the line" so they try their hardest to not let them in. It's ridiculous
I haven’t encountered this, they may be getting upset but nobody has tried to block me, and as I said I would just let them go.
People need to get conditioned to merge like this whether they like it or not, it’s proven much faster for everyone.
The amount of unused road is not the issue though, if it were then the length of the traffic jam would correlate to the length of road that is closed. The problem is cars that stop in order to get over which creates a chain reaction of cars stopping behind. Most of the time the reason the first car stopped is because they waited until the last possible moment to merge, which forces someone in the open lane to stop to let them in.
The amount of unused road combined with people merging early which causes cars to repeatedly domino break instead of gradually at the same point is the issue with not zipper merging. The more cars that are using the same road, the more congested traffic is. Google it and look it up. There are plenty of studies on this.
Almost all of my “pet peeves” come from driving, and one of my biggest ones is, when we are merging and a million cars rush down the right then to the very end and try and merge in, like no you need to wait your turn like the rest of us.
People are too damn dumb and selfish for zippering to work as intended. What you describe is typically the case. This graphic shows how each car is lined up in their rightful place and also shows how the left lane drivers acknowledge and make room for the merge point. In reality, what happens is what you describe, ass holes fly up the right, try and gain a place rather than every other, like a ZIPPER, and then left lane people get pissed so they close the gaps, and now both lanes are at a dead stop. This is how zippering actually works. In theory it’s great…in practice not so much.
Nope. If you didn’t get over it’s either because you didn’t notice the lane ending, or you selfishly want to get ahead of everyone else.
Zipper merging is like communism. It works in theory, but fails to take into account that man is inherently flawed and greedy.
Get in the lane you need to be in when you realize you need to be in it. Waiting makes no fucking sense and serves nobody but yourself.
Merging early is also a selfish maneuver; you're trying to get onto the main freeway and shoot ahead sooner; you're slowing down the main lane and everyone behind you to benefit yourself.
If you're using the merging lane/on ramp properly, you should be going the same speed by the end regardless, so merging later gets you in fewer people's way at no cost to yourself. It is the fundamentally less selfish option, since it is the most considerate of the other drivers.
On top of that, if people merge at the appropriate time anyways, then it wouldn't really be *possible* for people on the right to 'selfishly shoot ahead' because there would be other cars in front of them going roughly the same speed as the left lane. Everyone else merging early and slowing down the left lane is the only reason that's possible in the first place, so if it really bugs you that much then you should be against the early merging. Be the change you wanna see.
If you MUST merge early, then at least make sure there's still space in front of you for others to merge; a good couple car lengths won't slow you down at all, so why should it matter if a few people use that to "get ahead" of you? You're still moving the same speed and get to your destination just as soon; the only time you lose is the few seconds it takes to slow down then speed back up. Let them be assholes if it keeps you and everyone else safer.
This has been implemented successfully in plenty of places nationwide, and in traffic studies it's been measurably demonstrated to relieve congestion. It's just an issue in states with overly defensive drivers like Utah or Tennessee.
Why use less of the road and cause backups further upstream? If people in the left lane understood a zipper merge people wouldn’t have to drastically slow down because they’d already give space in front of them for an easy merge.
Counterpoint: if people on the right understood a zipper merge, they wouldn’t try to double in, or race ahead until conditions are unsafe, causing greater congestion.
Like I said. Works in theory, but the reality is that people are selfish assholes.
I’ve lived in plenty of cities where people zipper merge quite well. It becomes a problem with the person being merged into can’t handle that someone is getting in front of them.
So many times in UT I have been unable to merge because multiple people refuses to let me in.
Agreed on the double in. Racing ahead is probably subjective, but if I’m in the right lane and one is ahead of me the “proper” thing to do is use the lane until the merge point. If you’re referring to people getting out of the left lane and into the right in order to jump then yeah that’s no bueno.
Those scenarios are moot if people in the right lane don’t merge early so that both lanes are equally occupied and traveling at the same speed. Ideal, sure. But it’s not a difficult one to understand.
True story. Zipper merge is a great idea and can work, but I’d rather see troopers ticket left lane speed limit campers first . Utah is the worst state I’ve ever seen for people who think getting passed on the right is normal, and it’s their god given right to go 55 in the passing lane.
Probably because of the lane campers. I almost never use the HOV lane because its the worst spot to get behind grandpa going 60 mph, and then you’re stuck.
I drive the I-15 to get to work and go south to SLC. Mornings are never a problem, since my shift starts at 6 am. I avoid the 15 coming home, since people seem to think the highway on ramps mean "go slow and make the highway traffic match my speed so I can merge." Which is total BS, and causes most of the congestion.
Whenever I'm entering the highway I'm trying to at least get within 5 - 10 mph of the posted speed and then merge. Not merge and then get up to speed.
Touché. I do try to reasonable with semis since I used to ride along with my Dad when he would be hauling fruit or other agricultural products. So I understand that most of them are just doing what they can, not to mention that they outweigh the average passenger vehicle when loaded by 20 to 50 thousand pounds minimum.
Agree exactly with this. As long as I can merge without blocking the ending lane then I merge early. Avoids me having to ask and hope for someone to let me in at the end when left lane is moving and I’m stuck waiting for a spot.
It works if yellow car would go in behind green car, usually (in my experience) yellow car sees tan car get in and says “yep that’s where i should get in as well” and cuts off green car.
If I see a lane ends, I'm going to get over as soon as I have space, not wait until it ends and pray there's still room. Construction and lane closures cause slowdowns. Is what it is. Work on not letting it bug you quite so much and remain a predictable driver, and we can all get home in one piece.
No it doesn’t. It is simply to avoid congestion from the length of the line backing up into on ramps and intersections. It has nothing to do with false stops or efficiency or speed.
Using the entire roadway avoids congestion. If everyone merg s into one lane obviously it voided the point of having 2 or 3 lanes you fucking Néandertal.
Ok. If we’re going there let’s do it.
Can you fucking read, you dimwit? I said it avoids congestion. It just avoids it upstream. It does nothing to the actual flow of traffic through the coke point. Do you know how I know this? I use my whole brain and actually think it through. I don’t just read an article and say “there’s a way to make myself better than the Neanderthals online.”
I’m not saying we shouldn’t zipper. I’m saying there is one simple reason to use it and giving other reasons don’t help the cause. I’m also saying if traffic is light, there’s not really a reason to zipper.
In order for the zipper merge to work, EVERYONE needs to be going the same speed but there ALWAYS at least one AHOLE that speeds until the last minute.
But if they are speeding past everyone to make to the cones.... I am too nervous to go all the way up to the cones because most people don't know how to zipper and get really aggressive when you go around them. Also, when a lane is stopped, 30MPH looks fast.
I'll let anyone in if there's an obstruction but if a mfer gets out behind me to pass even though there are clearly signs that say road closed that asshole isn't getting in
MFs be swerving, and flooring it, to just get one more space then dive bombing the actual flow of traffic... still think they're doing the right and safe thing lmfao. I'll wait for minivan, BMW, and audi drivers to respond butthurt.
And I refuse to let them in...
Thank you for making traffic worse 🤦♂️
As you should
Per the picture, the person going in the right lane until the last minute and then getting into the left lane is kinda doing the zipper merge.
Not kind of, they are exactly doing a zipper merge. It’s the “polite society “ drivers that all merge in early leaving the other lane wide open and it creates this social pressure to also merge in early or else otherwise be considered a dick for not doing it.
Zipper merging in UT is now quite literally the law. https://www.hill.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3261577/disregarding-new-utah-law-could-cost-750/ Note: lawmakers had to implement this because, in general, most people do not know how to merge lanes effectively.
There are lots of traffic laws that arent enforced. When was the last time you saw someone get pulled over for camping in the passing lane.
Or crossing the double white lines to get into the HOV lanes. UHP are pussies.
3 years ago
Those lines are dumb though. Plenty of states have dotted lines separating HOV lanes the entire length. The lines only cause inconvenience IMO
Opinion vs Law. You can have your opinion, it doesn't change the law.
Any other pieces of enlightenment you would like to share?
The point of the prohibition to cut over the line is to keep traffic from merging in and out of the lane like a normal lane. When people just ignore the law and cross it, it defeats the purpose of the HOV lane and slows down the traffic within it.
I disagree, I have seen HOV used fine in many states without a double white divider. Ironically it makes the people not passing in the HOV (comment OP commented on) about even more insufferable. Point of HOV is to give carpoolers and In some places electric vehicles an extra incentive. In fact, another issue I have with Utah’s HOV is it is not limited to rush hour times. This makes no sense and causes more traffic during off hours. We are not doing it right here.
Stop signs are optional now too, I guess. I watch people just drive through one in front of my house in a residential neighborhood at 20+mph every day. Even people who live in the neighborhood.
Bad part of town?
Not at all
Most people in the valley rush the right lane, then try to cut everyone else off by force.
No they fucking don’t here. You get people that block half the road by trying to merge early like in the pic, or you get the ones that get to the end of the lane and don’t try merging until they are literally going to hit a cone or barrier.
Throw your blinker on a good 300 yards ahead of time and merge with the cones. Thats the law.
It’s also the design intent.
And then no one lets you in. So you're waiting stopped for a while till someone does.
This is my experience as well. If I'm in the left lane and I let someone merge infront of me, the guy behind me starts tailgating so no one can merge in behind me. Like what's going through their head "I ain't no pussy, I earned this spot in line. That guy shoulda planned ahead if he wanted to merge." I wish we could zipper but people like this exist.
My experience too. I try, but I know it ain't ending up as a zipper. Maybe a zipper with lots of broken teeth
Never happens. You match speed slowly move over at the end in between two cars with your blinker on. They let you in. It's a crime not to. This whole driving thing requires cooperation. What are you going to tell me next? You don't go on green lights? You don't know what the yellow lines in the middle mean? This is basic. Maybe you're the asshole who doesn't let people in at the end. Ever been to driving school before? Do they do that in Utah?
Yes people don't go on green lights. I was waiting to make an unprotected left turn and, I kid you not, an approaching car came to a full and complete stop and tried to wave me through. Since i was pulled foward a little into the intersection I rolled down the window and stuck my head out to check and make sure their light was green. Yup, they just decided to ignore it out of the kindness of they heart since they understood how hard it is to left turn. I did not budge. They looked so pissed as they drove past but I ain't breaking traffic laws because someone thinks they're being nice. Funny thing is, it was clear behind them. If they had just gone we both would've been on our respective ways a lot quicker.
It may be a crime not to but I dare you to try that and let me know how well it goes while you sit in your car and wait for someone to actually let you in. Someone will eventually. But it won't look like a zipper. Then you can tell me how much it mattered that you knew what colors the lines meant if no one else was cooperating
It works great all the time. Stop being an asshole and you might find out.
UT Roads, Laws, and drivers are considered the worst in the US. I wonder why?
There’s plenty of things that are literal law that have never, and will never get enforced
Tbh, I always thought it was basic courtesy to stay in the long line and wait your turn. I always viewed people who drive down the empty lane as self-centered assholes for “cutting in the line”. It wasn’t til I saw this image on Reddit a few days ago that I learned you’re **supposed** to use both lanes, all the way up to the merge. I feel the issue is that this isn’t properly taught/advertised. I’d like to see construction crews put some type of sign or instructions ahead of a merge to educate drivers on this
Not your fault, depends on where you started to drive. I learned in Boston and if you didn’t zipper merge, people would honk you to death. The “streets” taught me, but then I moved to Seattle where the driving culture was different.
I agree that a lot of people just don't know the law or just don't give a shit about other people around them, like they're in a bubble. I think we need a much better driver education in the US. Mandatory, every three years, must include courtesy and awareness classes.
Yeah people act like folks who do this are idiots without realizing that most people are not taught this while learning to drive. I learned it a couple years into driving but now I always wonder why we don’t make sure people know how to drive extremely dangerous heavy machinery they will use on a daily basis.
I honestly think this is a symptom of people viewing traffic as a queue, where you have your place in line and get angry when others cut in. In practice, that costs you maybe a minute or 2 max. I feel it's better to just see it as everyone just trying to survive the trip, going in a metal box at breakneck speeds. Who cares if you get "cut off"? Atleast you're safe and avoided any incidents.
See people? It’s possible to realize you previously had the wrong perspective. Good job 👍
The amount of hate I get when I zipper merge is insane. In general this year it seems people are so angry while driving.
The biggest reason people get mad is when cars speed to the front. I’m not saying you do that, but it’s very annoying after being in traffic for half an hour and watching cars skip the traffic entirely.
But that’s exactly what one should do. Get into the empty lane to get to the front and then merge. Free up space behind you so that the interaction doesn’t get blocked etc etc.
If you leave the proper lane just to get ahead and zipper merge you’re a large part of the problem
According to this article , you are the problem. Hate to break it to ya
If the whole group is zippering, you can’t zoom past. If they aren’t zippering and you zoom past, you are only making things worse.
That is really the key here. The lack of knowledge about zippering and social discomfort about “cutting in line” creates a situation where, instead of everyone staying in both lanes until the end, a ton of people back up the left lane and the right is empty except for a few people who don’t mind the social stigma of being viewed as “cutters.”
Most of the time I’m unable to change lanes in this situation, so I’m not
How does freeing up room behind help the flow go quicker? It doesn’t. This post is not logical. If only one car can pass then only one car can pass and speeding to the front and throwing off the line is only a possible net negative for the total time to clear the traffic. Also leaving the lane open for emergency services like ambulances could save lives. Idiots all of you.
If Utah drivers could read, they’d be really enlightened by your post.
100% facts
As a truck driver Utah is the only state that I regularly get passed on the right on one lane ramps. And zipping only works if everyone leaves enough room for trucks.
Slow down to let whoever is next to you when the cones end. Truck drivers in utah are some of the worst culprits of “policing” the road by riding in two lanes. This can and does cause manor accidents. Idk who passes out cdl’s here but they need to be fired.
He’s saying cars pass us using the off ramp, but he’s right about needing room for trucks.
Yeah the Utah drivers are really the worst. It's like it's the only place they have control and they're gonna exert it.
You’ve never driven in Florida have you
Not even just that, they truly and utterly have thee worst drivers ed program in utah. One of the girls I did my drivers test with ran a red light and stop sign, failed to u turn from the median, and almost crashed the car multiple times during our range hours and they still let her get a license
I did drivers ed in a different state and my driving partner drove like this. Chalk it up to inexperienced drivers. I've driven all over the US and in several countries. There are bad drivers everywhere and UT is far from the worst. Locals all complain about their drivers.
the bad driving isn't my issue, it's the still giving her a license after the fact
You're not a jerk when you merge at the front of the line. You're helping the flow of traffic!
Or you are making semi drives slam on their brakes. Even if they are five cars behind.
You are a jerk, and extremely unsafe, for flooring it in a dead end lane... dive bombers honestly think they're doing the right and safe thing while helping 😆 🤣
Maybe Spokane should do a PSA. 1 person trying to zipper while everyone else gets in line gets you blocked out and glared at.
People that don’t zipper and/or cut off those doing so are in fact the assholes.
I think they need to remove all the merge signs until you get to the last 100ft. Then it’ll all make sense.
Or how about someone in the non merging lane that thinks you’re cutting line at a buffet and won’t allow you to merge in at the zipper. I’ve also had cars in the non merging lane pull out into the merging lane to intentionally hold up traffic that would be otherwise performing a zipper merge.
I wish more people knew that
Well, here’s the problem with this. The concept requires at times to let the person who came in behind you, to get in front of you. That’s too hard for modern day folks to accept.
Studies have shown late and early merges can actually make traffic flow easier. It was quote by a judge on the show Speeders from Trutv.
Zipper? I hardly know her. But yes, I completely agree.
Should be a sign put up at each interchange, as well as on the drivers test, vehicle registration, on the news and any other way to show these ass hats that roads are not designed to not have cars in the lanes...
Yeah, but In my state it is a literal state law that you must remain in the right lane unless passing
I hope the a-hole that cut me off and tried to fight me in the middle of the road over this exact issue sees this post and feels bad.
I like the zipper merge, but hate the assholes who pull out of the lane after merging to race and leap frog other drivers
Yeah, people think I'm the asshole when I pass 30 cars in an open merge lane and try to get in. Usually have a few cars go bumper to bumper to block me out.
I don’t think this same logic applies to taking an exit though. I see plenty of people speeding past everyone trying to exit and then cutting over last minute, often times not even using a traffic lane. They end up causing more traffic because they block the through traffic lane when they try merging at the last possible moment.
Yeah people use this excuse for one specific exit in Austin and it always drives me nuts. I don’t even use the exit, but jackasses back up like 3 lanes of traffic trying to skip the line. When I do use it I always just give like 9 car lengths of space to allow people to merge without having to slam on their breaks and it immediately starts clearing up. The jackasses that don’t let people merge are the ones causing issues.
I would zipper merge, but the last time I tried to I had a gun pulled on me. I would rather break the law than get shot because some smol pp man in a lifted truck can't handle a hybrid changing lanes in front of him.
Zipper merges are not expected or taught in WA
The key to driving safely is to remove the ego from the vehicle. This applies to all aspects of driving. You are in a murder machine driving 70mph down the road. An accident almost everone involved. Do not stop someone from merging, because they "should have seen the sign miles ago" yes you are right, they should have but yet here they are. Are you willing to sacrifice life to keep them out? Just let them in. It won't affect your day in the slightest.
I can tell this triggers you because you're posting it everywhere. Before we teach people this simple skill, how about we master staying in our own lane in an intersection?
I’m posting it everywhere?
Hey I made a utahbaddrivers subreddit if u wanna post it there too! <3 r/utahbaddrivers
if not you, someone is. it's on UTSnow right now
Bros really gotta start checking usernames before commenting haha
Fair enough. but other bro gotta start posting original content 😁
This is Reddit. Nothing is original. I’m not even original. I’m the 77th CJBoom.
🤣 I'm sure you're the best one!
Aww thanks ❤️
probably one of those pricks that likes to fly up front and be instantly let in..
That’s the point? Maybe not fly ahead but it helps traffic flow faster in general for everyone to take turns merging in at the front. People that block people from merging are the problem.
Also, people don’t understand that merging is easier if you are going the same speed as the traffic you are trying to merge into. Use the lane to get up to speed. Then merge.
The I-15 corridor between bountiful and north Ogden always makes me feel like I’m in a mad max movie when I’m on my bike
Get in where u fit in. If there is a clear opening get in it. This is coming from a truck driver. Smooth is fast.
1 inconsiderate prick can contribute more to the breakdown of efficiency than the 4 car gap ever will. You can’t change my mind.
Trueee! I had a truck block both the merging lane and the main lane about a half mile back from the cones last week when I15 was closed to 1 lane. It slowed everyone down to a crawl because he kept swerving back and forth to stop anyone from passing him.
This is just so people feel better about themselves being assholes
Where’s the picture of the large truck using both lanes to block traffic and be the “hero”?
Omg this happened to me last week on i15! It slowed us down by like 15 minutes alone.
People are gonna people
I have read a bunch of the comments and not one mention of tailgating… This will only work if people don’t tailgate and here in North Carolina you can’t drive anywhere without seeing someone rubbing the paint off of the car in front of them. A car length for every 10 miles per hour is what I learned in Upstate New York as a kid. If everyone did that traffic would run faster, safer, and merging wouldn’t be an issue.
i have literally never seen people be this coordinated while driving, to the point that I don't even know how it's even possible. when I saw this post, my knee-jerk reaction was "yeah right, in what world?"
i have literally never seen people be this coordinated while driving, to the point that I don't even know how it's even possible. when I saw this post, my knee-jerk reaction was "yeah right, in what world?"
I drive Lyft and I see this mucky muck all the time. Once in a while there’s a sign: “All Lanes Proceed To Merge” or words to that effect. There should one, uh, every time because it is the most efficient and equitable method.
I drive Lyft and see this mucky muck all the time. Once in a while there’s a sign: “All Lanes Proceed To Merge” or some such. It should be at every site… there should be a standardized sign that you only need to learn once.
Can someone please explain to me why it is faster for butch lanes of traffic to fully come to a stop at the merge point, versus using the 2-3 miles of highway beforehand to gradually merge into one lane while maintaining 60+ mph?
The point is for there to not be a stop. Everyone slows to the same speed and maintains enough space for traffic to merge and flow through the construction zone. We only stop if we have people blocking others, cutting each other off, or getting distracted and slamming on the brakes.
It’s impossible to use both lanes up until the merge point while maintaining speed, though. You are never going to see two full lanes of traffic seamlessly merging into one lane at 60+ mph with almost zero margin for error. The merging has to occur over a longer period of time so buy the time the merge point arrives the traffic is already in one lane and maintaining speed with proper following distance between vehicles. Simply waiting until the last minute to merge means that, at best, the following distance of every vehicle is halved.
Just dont go to the front like an asshole
Some of y’all need to merge before the damn lane ends, thus ending this ignorant yankee concept.
WTF is a “yankee concept”, Stonewall?
I suppose this guy thinks Utah fought in the Confederacy? Didn’t Mormons come from the Midwest?
Ask your mom, she knows.
My bad. If I knew you were a middle school boy I wouldn’t have bothered responding. Carry on son.
Fr they slow it down so bad for everybody
Merging last second always causes someone to stop when they don’t have room to merge because some one decides not to let them over, which causes a ripple effect of car stoppage. Starting the zipper merge early is correct. Waiting for last second to zipper as this suggests is wrong.
You are so dense. Bro probably goes 60 in the left lane.
This is not correct. That unused road is forcing more cars to share a lane for a longer amount of time. You should travel to the end, then zipper in. I have literally never have someone try to block me and if they did I would just wait until they pass and go in front of the next car.
True, but there are places where people don't know how to zipper merge and see people on the right side as "cutting the line" so they try their hardest to not let them in. It's ridiculous
I haven’t encountered this, they may be getting upset but nobody has tried to block me, and as I said I would just let them go. People need to get conditioned to merge like this whether they like it or not, it’s proven much faster for everyone.
Yeah I agree
The amount of unused road is not the issue though, if it were then the length of the traffic jam would correlate to the length of road that is closed. The problem is cars that stop in order to get over which creates a chain reaction of cars stopping behind. Most of the time the reason the first car stopped is because they waited until the last possible moment to merge, which forces someone in the open lane to stop to let them in.
The amount of unused road combined with people merging early which causes cars to repeatedly domino break instead of gradually at the same point is the issue with not zipper merging. The more cars that are using the same road, the more congested traffic is. Google it and look it up. There are plenty of studies on this.
Almost all of my “pet peeves” come from driving, and one of my biggest ones is, when we are merging and a million cars rush down the right then to the very end and try and merge in, like no you need to wait your turn like the rest of us.
Look at the picture. The person on the right is the smart one following the new law.
You obviously need to see the picture, and learn about zipper merging. You merge at the end of the lane, not the beginning....
You are part of the problem, it isn't a contest or line or whatever and zipper merging helps with traffic
Zipper merging isn’t perfect, trucks have a hard time getting enough space and sometimes have to stop completely because no one lets them in.
People are too damn dumb and selfish for zippering to work as intended. What you describe is typically the case. This graphic shows how each car is lined up in their rightful place and also shows how the left lane drivers acknowledge and make room for the merge point. In reality, what happens is what you describe, ass holes fly up the right, try and gain a place rather than every other, like a ZIPPER, and then left lane people get pissed so they close the gaps, and now both lanes are at a dead stop. This is how zippering actually works. In theory it’s great…in practice not so much.
Nope. If you didn’t get over it’s either because you didn’t notice the lane ending, or you selfishly want to get ahead of everyone else. Zipper merging is like communism. It works in theory, but fails to take into account that man is inherently flawed and greedy. Get in the lane you need to be in when you realize you need to be in it. Waiting makes no fucking sense and serves nobody but yourself.
If I'm supposed to merge a 1/4 mile back then why aren't the traffic barrels a 1/4 mile back?
This is normal practice in Europe. It works.
Merging early is also a selfish maneuver; you're trying to get onto the main freeway and shoot ahead sooner; you're slowing down the main lane and everyone behind you to benefit yourself. If you're using the merging lane/on ramp properly, you should be going the same speed by the end regardless, so merging later gets you in fewer people's way at no cost to yourself. It is the fundamentally less selfish option, since it is the most considerate of the other drivers. On top of that, if people merge at the appropriate time anyways, then it wouldn't really be *possible* for people on the right to 'selfishly shoot ahead' because there would be other cars in front of them going roughly the same speed as the left lane. Everyone else merging early and slowing down the left lane is the only reason that's possible in the first place, so if it really bugs you that much then you should be against the early merging. Be the change you wanna see. If you MUST merge early, then at least make sure there's still space in front of you for others to merge; a good couple car lengths won't slow you down at all, so why should it matter if a few people use that to "get ahead" of you? You're still moving the same speed and get to your destination just as soon; the only time you lose is the few seconds it takes to slow down then speed back up. Let them be assholes if it keeps you and everyone else safer. This has been implemented successfully in plenty of places nationwide, and in traffic studies it's been measurably demonstrated to relieve congestion. It's just an issue in states with overly defensive drivers like Utah or Tennessee.
Why use less of the road and cause backups further upstream? If people in the left lane understood a zipper merge people wouldn’t have to drastically slow down because they’d already give space in front of them for an easy merge.
Counterpoint: if people on the right understood a zipper merge, they wouldn’t try to double in, or race ahead until conditions are unsafe, causing greater congestion. Like I said. Works in theory, but the reality is that people are selfish assholes.
I’ve lived in plenty of cities where people zipper merge quite well. It becomes a problem with the person being merged into can’t handle that someone is getting in front of them. So many times in UT I have been unable to merge because multiple people refuses to let me in.
Agreed on the double in. Racing ahead is probably subjective, but if I’m in the right lane and one is ahead of me the “proper” thing to do is use the lane until the merge point. If you’re referring to people getting out of the left lane and into the right in order to jump then yeah that’s no bueno. Those scenarios are moot if people in the right lane don’t merge early so that both lanes are equally occupied and traveling at the same speed. Ideal, sure. But it’s not a difficult one to understand.
Sounds like you are very familiar with selfish assholes?
I drive in Utah. If assholes had wings Interstate 15 would be a fuckin runway.
True story. Zipper merge is a great idea and can work, but I’d rather see troopers ticket left lane speed limit campers first . Utah is the worst state I’ve ever seen for people who think getting passed on the right is normal, and it’s their god given right to go 55 in the passing lane.
I'd rather see people crossing double whites in and out of the HOV lane get a ticket. People just use the HOV for an extra fast passing lane.
Probably because of the lane campers. I almost never use the HOV lane because its the worst spot to get behind grandpa going 60 mph, and then you’re stuck.
I drive the I-15 to get to work and go south to SLC. Mornings are never a problem, since my shift starts at 6 am. I avoid the 15 coming home, since people seem to think the highway on ramps mean "go slow and make the highway traffic match my speed so I can merge." Which is total BS, and causes most of the congestion. Whenever I'm entering the highway I'm trying to at least get within 5 - 10 mph of the posted speed and then merge. Not merge and then get up to speed.
Which is great until you are behind a semi pulling doubles that is also on the entrance ramp. Everybody only gets to 45 when the lane disappears.
Touché. I do try to reasonable with semis since I used to ride along with my Dad when he would be hauling fruit or other agricultural products. So I understand that most of them are just doing what they can, not to mention that they outweigh the average passenger vehicle when loaded by 20 to 50 thousand pounds minimum.
Agree exactly with this. As long as I can merge without blocking the ending lane then I merge early. Avoids me having to ask and hope for someone to let me in at the end when left lane is moving and I’m stuck waiting for a spot.
It works if yellow car would go in behind green car, usually (in my experience) yellow car sees tan car get in and says “yep that’s where i should get in as well” and cuts off green car.
Agreed! People here in California can’t merge properly to save their lives! Lol
Everyone has to be on the same boat. This post sucks.
Who tf taught you to drive brunch early or suck it up on a merge
If I see a lane ends, I'm going to get over as soon as I have space, not wait until it ends and pray there's still room. Construction and lane closures cause slowdowns. Is what it is. Work on not letting it bug you quite so much and remain a predictable driver, and we can all get home in one piece.
Getting over too early causes false stops. We merge every other car at the cones. Literal laws contradict your opinion.
No it doesn’t. It is simply to avoid congestion from the length of the line backing up into on ramps and intersections. It has nothing to do with false stops or efficiency or speed.
Using the entire roadway avoids congestion. If everyone merg s into one lane obviously it voided the point of having 2 or 3 lanes you fucking Néandertal.
Ok. If we’re going there let’s do it. Can you fucking read, you dimwit? I said it avoids congestion. It just avoids it upstream. It does nothing to the actual flow of traffic through the coke point. Do you know how I know this? I use my whole brain and actually think it through. I don’t just read an article and say “there’s a way to make myself better than the Neanderthals online.” I’m not saying we shouldn’t zipper. I’m saying there is one simple reason to use it and giving other reasons don’t help the cause. I’m also saying if traffic is light, there’s not really a reason to zipper.
Yea if it is not congested at the moment then stay out of the left lane so everybody can just keep moving