Road rant inspired by the funny picture thread.

[churchmouse]

No. FWIW, I merge early because that is the custom here, but I also acknowledge that Jamil is correct that the "zipper" method would work better.

Here is another way of thinking about it. Everyone seems to agree that the basic problem is that there are some @sshats that zoom past everybody else that have already merged and force their way in, causing people to slam on their brakes. What would be the most effective way to combat that? Is there any chance we will ever get rid of the @sshats? I don't think so. How about if everyone did the "zipper" method as shown in the video? How is the @sshat going to zoom past everyone? There is no open lane for them to try to force there way in, that is the point of the "zipper" method. Merging early invites @sshat behavior, merging late would prevent it if everybody did it.

Again....common sense. It is easy to see who does and does not have it.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Along these same lines, it irritates me no end when people try to establish "spacing" between themselves and the car in front of them when a red light turns green. If everyone stepped on the gas at the same time and remained bunched up until clear of the intersection, more cars could make it through the light, reducing backups in that situation. Again, that's a theoretical situation and I realize it's never going to happen.

 

[olhorseman]

I just love how everyone else knows exactly how I should drive - and they are all different.

 

[Woobie]

A lot of the comments seem to have been complaints about people cutting others off. This isn't what Jamil is talking about at all. There are people who zoom up and put their car in a 1.1xcar sized hole in the next lane. Then there are others who move along in the merging lane until they find a reasonably sized gap in the next lane, then politely merge in. I don't see a problem with that, even if we are nearing the lane closure. You can usually tell which is which based upon the speed they are driving vs the speed of the lane they are attempting to merge into, and the distance from the actual lane closure. If you're going twice my speed and we are 250' from the closure, I let you in. If you are driving 4x my speed and we are 100' from the closure, go ahead and hit your brakes, because I'm not getting the front of my vehicle clipped for your lack of planning ahead or your narcissism.

 

[jamil]

Along these same lines, it irritates me no end when people try to establish "spacing" between themselves and the car in front of them when a red light turns green. If everyone stepped on the gas at the same time and remained bunched up until clear of the intersection, more cars could make it through the light, reducing backups in that situation. Again, that's a theoretical situation and I realize it's never going to happen.

Don't get me started. Louisville is HORRIBLE. For one thing their traffic engineers seem to think longer lights are better. You get stopped by a red light at Hurstbourne and Linn Station and you're gonna sit every bit of 5 minutes. And then when the light finally turns green, people don't move. It's like it takes 5 seconds for each person to successively discover that it's time to move. C'mon. Pay attention. Get moving so more cars can get through.

 

[churchmouse]

Don't get me started. Louisville is HORRIBLE. For one thing their traffic engineers seem to think longer lights are better. You get stopped by a red light at Hurstbourne and Linn Station and you're gonna sit every bit of 5 minutes. And then when the light finally turns green, people don't move. It's like it takes 5 seconds for each person to successively discover that it's time to move. C'mon. Pay attention. Get moving so more cars can get through.

If you are in the 1st 5 cars at the lite you have a duty to those behind you to put the damn phones down and move.

 

[churchmouse]

A lot of the comments seem to have been complaints about people cutting others off. This isn't what Jamil is talking about at all. There are people who zoom up and put their car in a 1.1xcar sized hole in the next lane. Then there are others who move along in the merging lane until they find a reasonably sized gap in the next lane, then politely merge in. I don't see a problem with that, even if we are nearing the lane closure. You can usually tell which is which based upon the speed they are driving vs the speed of the lane they are attempting to merge into, and the distance from the actual lane closure. If you're going twice my speed and we are 250' from the closure, I let you in. If you are driving 4x my speed and we are 100' from the closure, go ahead and hit your brakes, because I'm not getting the front of my vehicle clipped for your lack of planning ahead or your narcissism.

Use the signal, do not push me and I usually let you in. Get bumpy and you can sit out there where you put yourself.

 

[KLB]

Sounds like a lot of you against Jamil's point don't drive in a lot of traffic. You all are saying that having a mile long line of traffic in one lane is better than a 1/2 mile line in two.

I'm with Jamil on this one. I will stay in the closing lane until near the end. I look for an opening and merge in.

 

[spec4]

Along these same lines, it irritates me no end when people try to establish "spacing" between themselves and the car in front of them when a red light turns green. If everyone stepped on the gas at the same time and remained bunched up until clear of the intersection, more cars could make it through the light, reducing backups in that situation. Again, that's a theoretical situation and I realize it's never going to happen.

I can't count the lights I missed because one or more jackhats in front of me weren't paying attention. Often it's just one driver who gets through just as the light changes. I like to tell my wife; "that guy just stole 3 minutes of my life".

 

[KLB]

You mean the guy you cut off and caused to hit his brakes causing a ripple effect through a quarter mile of traffic?

No. Really. You're causing everyone behind you added time. Every single time. That you refuse to accept it in your rush to justify cutting off everyone else, whose time OBVIOUSLY isn't worth as much as YOURS, doesn't change that.

If you allow a person to merge in front of you, there is no reason to hit your brakes.

 

[Woobie]

Use the signal, do not push me and I usually let you in. Get bumpy and you can sit out there where you put yourself.

Are we still talking about traffic, or is this a metaphor for your philosophy on being a mod?

 

[KLB]

Well that extends into NWI

Nat exactly. NWI is different than rural IN, but not really like Chicago. Chicago is closer to driving in a third world country. More and more I see people ignoring the lines on the roads, stop signs and stop lights. Some people there seem to think that all of that stuff is optional.

For those of you that think merging is bad for a construction zone, I suggest you never drive in Chicago on any of the major highways.

 

[churchmouse]

Are we still talking about traffic, or is this a metaphor for your philosophy on being a mod?

Uh....errr.....um........Traffic

 

[KLB]

Do you "zipper proponents" also think that it's more efficient to drive in the far left (faster) lane until the last possible moment that you need to exit on the right? Because it seems like you're using the same logic.

Nope. Not even close to the same thing.

Do those of you that are against it plant yourselves in the left lane and refuse to move over for someone driving faster? Then get mad if someone has the audacity to actually pass you?

 

[KLB]

Uh....errr.....um........Traffic

Just BAN those drivers!

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Abortion threads? Race threads? Politics, religion, gun rights, immigration, tax threads?

You thought THOSE got people mad at each other.

No.

Nothing compares to driving etiquette threads. You want to see some real fury and anger... try and tell someone on the internet how they should drive.

 

[churchmouse]

Just BAN those drivers!

If only we could.

I think we have all at one time done these things. I have made mistakes out there that I am sure angered someone. I have spaced out at a light and cost a few behind me some time.

I think what we are seeing these days is a disregard for others at a much higher level.

 

[KLB]

If only we could.

I think we have all at one time done these things. I have made mistakes out there that I am sure angered someone. I have spaced out at a light and cost a few behind me some time.

I think what we are seeing these days is a disregard for others at a much higher level.

BINGO! That is sadly so true all across our society.

 

[tmschuller]

Nope. Not even close to the same thing.

Do those of you that are against it plant yourselves in the left lane and refuse to move over for someone driving faster? Then get mad if someone has the audacity to actually pass you?

Probably so.. the same mindset of ITS MY LANE and I am more important than you... so get out of the way and let me to the front.... Line jumping is not a sport and however you rationalize it the backups are usually caused by the the people that don't merge and plug everything up by making you wait to have someone kind enough to let MR. I cant wait and have to be somewhere before you mentality .. Wow.. you didn't remember that from kindergarten. OK RANT over

 

[jamil]

It's my experience that the accordion effect is caused by the drivers who fail to merge early. Yes, everyone has to drive the 40 MPH that the slowest driver chooses, but nobody has to slam on the brakes and come to a complete stop that causes the accordion.

40 MPH and everyone moving together beats you zipping in front of the line and causing the accordion.

I agree that people trying to force their way in are the biggest cause of the accordion affect. Like I said, if you have to stop you're going to slow other people down when you do merge in. And if you force your way in, the person you're cutting off will have to break. And then the accordion starts.

But I've sat in one lane traffic after the lane closure waiting for the accordion to stretch out again. In heavily congested traffic it just happens. One lane, two lanes, 5 lanes even with no lane closures. Too many people look at their damn phones while driving. Then they look up just before hitting the car in front, and slam on their breaks. People tailgate. When the "texter" in front of them slams on their breaks the tailgater has to slam on his breaks, and so on. Inattentive people disrupt traffic flow. Light traffic. No big deal. Less disruption. But more traffic, more inattentive people, more disruption. I'm talking about heavy traffic situations.

Do you "zipper proponents" also think that it's more efficient to drive in the far left (faster) lane until the last possible moment that you need to exit on the right? Because it seems like you're using the same logic.

Well, not the last possible moment. That's foolish. But I do drive in the left lane when traffic is slow in the right lanes. And when it's time to exit, I make my way to the exit lane. It's kind of the same principle, there's always someone daudling I don't cut over at the last moment, but I don't merge miles in advance either.

A lot of the comments seem to have been complaints about people cutting others off. This isn't what Jamil is talking about at all. There are people who zoom up and put their car in a 1.1xcar sized hole in the next lane. Then there are others who move along in the merging lane until they find a reasonably sized gap in the next lane, then politely merge in. I don't see a problem with that, even if we are nearing the lane closure. You can usually tell which is which based upon the speed they are driving vs the speed of the lane they are attempting to merge into, and the distance from the actual lane closure. If you're going twice my speed and we are 250' from the closure, I let you in. If you are driving 4x my speed and we are 100' from the closure, go ahead and hit your brakes, because I'm not getting the front of my vehicle clipped for your lack of planning ahead or your narcissism.

THIS

I see it as a matter of consideration. Using the available lanes and merging in where there's the least impact is not inconsiderate. Zooming down to the last possible moment and dickheading your way in, forcing the person you're cutting off to break hard, yeah, that IS inconsiderate. But also assuming that I'm just being an asshat, and then doing all you can to harass me because you think I've violated your moral driving code, THAT's inconsiderate too.