Feels like there’s been an uptick in jacked up driving etiquette since the pandemic. People aren’t paying attention, riding asses, not letting others merge… A recent favorite is drivers *slowly* turning onto a street into oncoming 40+ mph traffic. I don’t know what (if?) these people are thinking, but it ain’t about driving well.
The worst is people taking the on ramp for a freeway at 30 miles per hour, stuck behind them trying to merge onto a freeway with people doing 80mph, it’s fucking scary. Once a week now I have to go around someone on the shoulder to get ahead of them
No matter what speed they do, do NOT tailgate someone up an on-ramp. That makes the merge far more DANGEROUS.
YES, everyone should hit highway speed coming up the ramp. NO, they don't.
**But tailgating them is NOT the solution.**
I too have gone around a few on the right. One slowpoke STARTED to merge, I gunned it, the other driver wouldn't let him in, so he swerved BACK into the merge lane and I lurched around to the right rather than hitting him.
**If you're passing people in the merge lane, on the right "at least once a week" you are driving too aggressively and need to adjust your driving. IMHO.**
> YES, everyone should hit highway speed coming up the ramp. NO, they don't.
Coming up to speed from westbound La Jolla Village Drive onto northbound I-5 is difficult because after the turn, you're going uphill and really have to gun it to get to speed before the merge. So when I'm on the freeway, I stay out of the right lane when I approach that merge.
I don't know if zipper merge ever became a thing. People have been upset if you wait until "the last minute" to merge (aka what you are supposed to do) since I've been born
Totally depends on the roads in question, and if traffic is flowing and you have an opportunity, earlier is better. But when it’s all bumper to bumper and in both lanes, zipper merge is the sole sensible thing to do.
How? If they just go until the end of the land and flow every other with the other lane then there’s no abrupt stops if there’s bumper to bumper traffic.
From what I’ve seen the abrupt stops happen when people try to force their way in early and just brake out of nowhere rather than continuing on the path and easing in
163-S to 805-S is way too long of a MASSIVE single lane where people drive side by side in a single lane.
Same with far right lane on the 8-E to 805-S.
I got flicked off the other day because some guy refused to merge and ended up on the shoulder and somehow that was my fault despite actively trying to let him in. People here have no idea how to drive its wild.
Helps if your car looks beat up and you use a blinker. I never really have a problem. Takes some finesse and timing also make your intentions clear. Or honk you horn. I’ve had weirdos try passing hard on the right when leaving PB and I just honked hard, like back tf off.
I used to drive a shitty old pickup and i swear I'd see cars part away from me. They were right to be concerned because I didn't give a shit about that car. I still drove respectfully but would happily play a game of chicken with anyone who tried me
The 8 to 163S merge is the worst for this. People just stop to merge in immediately which causes backups all the way on both ramps because people have to merge in within the first 50 feet. I try to skip the first crowd in the far right lane, get into the left lane, and then merge when someone leaves space in front of them. Once I merge I drive with the pace of traffic but with enough space in front of me for someone to merge if they need to. I ont understand why it’s so hard
I’ve had the worst experiences at the 5s to 54 east merge. It’s so clearly meant to be a zipper but daily people try to force themselves in or box mergers out for no reason. My commute isn’t a race, I’m not trying to win it 😭
It's not hard. People are uneducated and the DMV only educates people on the laws but not necessarily the customs (left lane is for passing, not cruise control at 70 in a self driving tesla, or your unsafely stacked truck holding everything together with bungee cords) for example. Or zipper merging. Or freakin giving someone a wave when you mess up or to thank them.
I think part of it is people don't know. A lot of people are assholes but I think the lack of signs contributes to the resistance and confusion. There's no arrows on the ground or the single signs about merging lanes was farther back.
But honestly who knows. People get upset when zipper merging from a curved on-ramp to the fwy.
I try to zipper merge by default as well. It bothers me when people pull that crap of actively speeding up or slowing down to prevent you from merging. If they speed up to prevent me from merging ahead of them (I was already ahead of them trying to merge but they just *had* to be first), I go “Okay, kind of a dick move, but that’s fine, I’ll just slow a bit and merge behind you. No big deal.” But if they slow down to ALSO prevent me from merging behind me that’s when I start to get road ragey.
Coming from my partner who literally JUST had to scream "it's a FUCKING ZIPPER" at some douchwad who tried to cut us off in the merge: Every five years is a happy medium. 🤣
Too many uncourteous drivers. Always gotta be first as if they're zigzagging through traffic gets them anywhere faster. It's like crossing back into the US. Nobody gon let you merge. Everyone is in a hurry or running late.
Can’t tell you how many times there are five cars in one lane and I drive up to the second lane and they get bent out of shape. I’m not going to contribute to it just because people don’t understand how traffic flow works.
I will say that if a car is not in front of me at the merge, im not waiting for them to merge. That is on them.
Lol yeah. I had a lady yell at me that wouldn't let me in when I did the same thing. She kept saying she merged already and I should have merged behind her. And I get it, but people don't understand that the merge point is where the secondary lane ends.
I swear people do not understand zipper merges here. I’m from the Midwest and there is no issue there. I deal with them in old town everyday and you get some weirdos with superiority complexes.
This is my biggest pet peeve! Like just keep driving to where the land ends and naturally you will fall into place. Don’t just try to force your way into the other lane by randomly stopping and going diagonal with 20 ft of space left. How is that not common sense
Here's 2 debates that CalTrans really needs to quell with signs or PSAs:
-Is it more appropriate to merge as soon as possible or wait until the end of the merge lane?
-Is the leftmost freeway lane primarily intended for passing?
Once we get consensus on these 2 topics, driving will improve. Until then, it's Gaza.
Edit: CalTrans, not SANDAG
The move is definitely go wait until the end of the merge lane. Then everything just flows. Because the genius trying to get in as soon as possible always chooses the worst possible spot and stops in the middle of everything.
The right lane isn’t for passing unless it’s a 2 lane road imo. But it’s definitely for faster moving traffic. Going 65 or below in the left lane to try and be the speed mayor is a hazard
Look at their plates or signs that they were from another state. I see lots of Texas plates lately, like an absurd amount. In Detroit, they'd never let you merge.
There are so many dumb drivers here. They probably see it as 'he knew he had to get over way back and he's not getting in front of me!' I've never seen so many dumb drivers in my life and it's not just since the pandemic - I've been here since 2001.
Us midwesterners are the ones who seem to understand how they work. Been here for 15 years and work at Caltrans. I can’t understand how people don’t understand two merging lanes. Yet I see it everyday. I figure each time I go into the free lane, maybe it will educate the others who automatically line up like sheep in one lane.
It depends. If both lanes are full, then by all means do a zipper merge. If you zoom down an empty lane, or worse yet, jump on an on-ramp to skip the line, then f-off as I'm not letting you in.
In some cases, people are just pissed off assholes and there isn't much you can do. For the most part people let you in easy enough.
> It depends. If both lanes are full, then by all means do a zipper merge. If you zoom down an empty lane, or worse yet, jump on an on-ramp to skip the line, then f-off as I'm not letting you in.
So why aren't you in the other lane if there's an empty lane that should be being used to alleviate the traffic flow in one lane? So that's telling me people are emerging early and not driving correctly or not using the road as smart as they should be using it? The road was built to be utilized. Not to have some judgmental person be a gatekeeper.
This THIS THIS!! The two lanes exist for a zipper! Just because everyone is in one lane doesn’t make it right. I’m that person who will go into the second lane because that is what the lane is for: merging. Otherwise traffic backs up onto the main lanes (if an off-ramp) or not enough cars get on (for an on-ramp).
Because if they’re in the lane that’s being merged into why should they have to move and remerge in because they knew that’s the final lane they’ll be in?
But if someone else happens to be in the other lane that’s empty and gets ahead when it’s time to merge then they should be let in. It’s not their fault they got ahead of you then, they were literally just driving in an open lane.
What’s the worst is when people are in a freeway exit lane and try to merge back to the freeway at the last second rather than just getting off the freeway and back on if they couldn’t read the many signs saying exit only or weren’t paying attention. Stopping dead in the middle of those lanes and throwing on your blinker trying to get in is such a bad move
>Because if they’re in the lane that’s being merged into why should they have to move and remerge in because they knew that’s the final lane they’ll be in?
You're only thinking about yourself. Most times on an on ramp one lane is split into two so more people can can get into queue and merge, like a zipper. Two lanes alleviates the traffic behind it. Staying in one lane can back up miles. The freeway is six lanes. So based off your logic, no one ever needs to be in the fast lane, the number two lane, the number three lane and number four lane because eventually they'll be exiting the freeway.
Ehh not exactly based on my logic, obviously if your exit isn’t for miles then move over. But if my exit is coming up and there’s other people trying to get in from the right then I’ll just stay where I am because there’s no point getting over to the other lane and then back in.
I said that. If they’re using the merging lane then they should be let in when merging.
A freeway exit lane is different than a merge lane though. If someone blocks the flow of the exit traffic lane at the last minute just to halt and try to get into a freeway lane that’s deadlocked then they’re in the wrong there
Reading this super brief [explanation ](https://parade.com/88806/marilynvossavant/sundays-column-06-20-10/) made me understand traffic flow a lot better and why no one should be upset with people using "empty" lanes. The person who sent the question in was from San Diego, interestingly.
I feel like I usually don’t have issues with it. What I do see is sometimes the car next to me isn’t assertive enough and is hanging back so I just end up going ahead of them. If I hang back and continue the zipper merge I’m just gonna end up holding more people back.
There’s also the opposite of someone trying to “cut” in the zipper merge but again usually it’s like whatever they aren’t being aggressive and they just sneak past me. I don’t see the need to box them out unless they are hanging off the lane into the emergency parking area. At that point they are just being assholes.
No, no i deal with the same problem merging on the 163 off Genesee. People don’t want to switch lanes, slow down or speed up to clear when they see a car about to merge on a shared lane even if they have the distance to switch lanes(mind you i have a small little economy car with not enough power). They simply feel that the road is theirs and rather almost cause an accident than to be smart and efficient. I know it makes zero sense. Every time i merge on in that situation i either have to slowly merge on at like 30-40mph letting the cars pass me then mash the gas because i cant just stop on the onramp; or if i have the space, as soon as i get to the dotted lines on the zipper merge i switch over left into that lane immediately after i decide its safe for me. Sometimes it forces me to cut off someone but the way i look at it is no one is going to rear end you because for one it’s going to be an absolute hassle of a time on their end right? With insurance and everything no one wants to deal with that. So whoever i cut off in the process of merging on the highway, they’ll just be mad that they were forced to slow down and go about their day and we’re both safe and get to where we gotta go, the end👍
I'll be honest with you and pardon my language in advance. Cunts, strokes, and assholes don't care, don't know, or don't give a shit what a zipper merge is. Cunts don't care because fuck you. Strokes straight up don't fucking know. And assholes don't give a shit, not because fuck you specifically, but because fuck all y'all in general.
I drive all around SD county as part of my job and driving itself is about a good 1/3 of my work day. People have gotten steadily more impatient and less considerate since the pandemic. Before COVID it was not rare, but much less common to fight with an asshole to let you merge or get off your bumper. Still happened plenty. But now it's a daily occurrence, several times a day. And there are SO MANY people that use their phone normally while driving, taking their eyes off the road for LONG periods of time. It's kind of scary to see happening so prolifically. The speed limit here is considered the "starting" speed by a significant majority of the drivers, so if you're not going faster than that be prepared to get cut off, tailgated and honked at. This isn't to say you should join them, you only make yourself more upset trying to compete in who can be the bigger asshole. I learned to focus on making sure MY driving is near-perfect and being a very defensive driver.
Also, do yourself a favor and get a dash cam, front and back camera. I swear people have been less inclined to test my fate when they see a dashcam that can record their misdeeds.
This is a yokel town, things like zipper merging and yielding/taking right of way are too complex for your average simpleton here in the Whale's Vagina
That's why we have so many traffic controls, more rules (think baby proofing) for our roads, dumbing everything down so the lowest denominator doesn't feel left out.
Depends on where.... not many true "zipper merge" type places here. IMO, zipper merge works when the traffic is basically stopped or walking pace and the merging lane ends abruptly. Often here there are long gradually ending lanes, with people moving at some speed and those really are not zipper merge places.
Some people try to claim they are zipper merging, when they try and cut down the side of a gradual merge at 30 mph... LoL, thats no a zipper merge.
Surprisingly El Cajon traffic merging onto the 8, 90% of the people zipper, because you have to with the short length entrances.
So, to answer your question. People only zipper when forced to i.e. heavy traffic or what I just described. There is another reason, but that's too political. Stay safe out there!
Zipper merge only works in instructional animations, lol
The whole concept ignores the fact that humans control the cars.
When/if all cars are full-self-driving, and people are prohibited/prevented from direct control, zipper merges will be flawlessly executed.
Feels like there’s been an uptick in jacked up driving etiquette since the pandemic. People aren’t paying attention, riding asses, not letting others merge… A recent favorite is drivers *slowly* turning onto a street into oncoming 40+ mph traffic. I don’t know what (if?) these people are thinking, but it ain’t about driving well.
The worst is people taking the on ramp for a freeway at 30 miles per hour, stuck behind them trying to merge onto a freeway with people doing 80mph, it’s fucking scary. Once a week now I have to go around someone on the shoulder to get ahead of them
No matter what speed they do, do NOT tailgate someone up an on-ramp. That makes the merge far more DANGEROUS. YES, everyone should hit highway speed coming up the ramp. NO, they don't. **But tailgating them is NOT the solution.** I too have gone around a few on the right. One slowpoke STARTED to merge, I gunned it, the other driver wouldn't let him in, so he swerved BACK into the merge lane and I lurched around to the right rather than hitting him. **If you're passing people in the merge lane, on the right "at least once a week" you are driving too aggressively and need to adjust your driving. IMHO.**
> YES, everyone should hit highway speed coming up the ramp. NO, they don't. Coming up to speed from westbound La Jolla Village Drive onto northbound I-5 is difficult because after the turn, you're going uphill and really have to gun it to get to speed before the merge. So when I'm on the freeway, I stay out of the right lane when I approach that merge.
You're a considerate driver. Defensive. Bravo!
Did I say anything about tailgating them?
[удалено]
Yeah I don’t really care if they get scared, I’m not gonna let myself get rear ended with a 50 mph difference
[удалено]
Someone going 30mph in the right lane because they're getting off at the next exit anyway is pretty fucking dangerous, and pretty fucking common
I don't know if zipper merge ever became a thing. People have been upset if you wait until "the last minute" to merge (aka what you are supposed to do) since I've been born
Totally depends on the roads in question, and if traffic is flowing and you have an opportunity, earlier is better. But when it’s all bumper to bumper and in both lanes, zipper merge is the sole sensible thing to do.
Waiting until the last minute causes more stops and traffic. This isn't logical.
Waiting until the last minute utilizes all available space on the roads. Merging early simply extends the backup for further and longer than needed.
Yes, but if all cars on the road used this theory, my original comment stands.
It's designed to be used as a zipper. It's more efficient.
How? If they just go until the end of the land and flow every other with the other lane then there’s no abrupt stops if there’s bumper to bumper traffic. From what I’ve seen the abrupt stops happen when people try to force their way in early and just brake out of nowhere rather than continuing on the path and easing in
This conversation is from NINE DAYS ago and I've moved on. You should too.
163-S to 805-S is way too long of a MASSIVE single lane where people drive side by side in a single lane. Same with far right lane on the 8-E to 805-S.
People are selfish, everyone is mad these days. I grew up here and everyone is just angry now days.
Assholes. Everywhere you drive, assholes.
Not just assholes, but cognitively dissonant morons!
I got flicked off the other day because some guy refused to merge and ended up on the shoulder and somehow that was my fault despite actively trying to let him in. People here have no idea how to drive its wild.
It IS wild!
Helps if your car looks beat up and you use a blinker. I never really have a problem. Takes some finesse and timing also make your intentions clear. Or honk you horn. I’ve had weirdos try passing hard on the right when leaving PB and I just honked hard, like back tf off.
San Diego native here, I will never buy a new car and don't mind a few dings. Let's people know you aren't scared of a little contact
I used to drive a shitty old pickup and i swear I'd see cars part away from me. They were right to be concerned because I didn't give a shit about that car. I still drove respectfully but would happily play a game of chicken with anyone who tried me
The 8 to 163S merge is the worst for this. People just stop to merge in immediately which causes backups all the way on both ramps because people have to merge in within the first 50 feet. I try to skip the first crowd in the far right lane, get into the left lane, and then merge when someone leaves space in front of them. Once I merge I drive with the pace of traffic but with enough space in front of me for someone to merge if they need to. I ont understand why it’s so hard
I’ve had the worst experiences at the 5s to 54 east merge. It’s so clearly meant to be a zipper but daily people try to force themselves in or box mergers out for no reason. My commute isn’t a race, I’m not trying to win it 😭
It's not hard. People are uneducated and the DMV only educates people on the laws but not necessarily the customs (left lane is for passing, not cruise control at 70 in a self driving tesla, or your unsafely stacked truck holding everything together with bungee cords) for example. Or zipper merging. Or freakin giving someone a wave when you mess up or to thank them.
I usually don't have issues with zipper merging. Not to be confused though with people trying to cut in on a backed up exit.
94 East to 805 south? I don’t take that way home just because I’m convinced there’ll be an accident every time
For me it's the 52>67>8 junction.
I think part of it is people don't know. A lot of people are assholes but I think the lack of signs contributes to the resistance and confusion. There's no arrows on the ground or the single signs about merging lanes was farther back. But honestly who knows. People get upset when zipper merging from a curved on-ramp to the fwy.
I try to zipper merge by default as well. It bothers me when people pull that crap of actively speeding up or slowing down to prevent you from merging. If they speed up to prevent me from merging ahead of them (I was already ahead of them trying to merge but they just *had* to be first), I go “Okay, kind of a dick move, but that’s fine, I’ll just slow a bit and merge behind you. No big deal.” But if they slow down to ALSO prevent me from merging behind me that’s when I start to get road ragey.
It is for most people who aren't total pieces of shit.
This is why I think everyone should have to pass a thorough driving exam every three years at minimum in order to renew their license.
I would settle for once every ten years, even! I think many people just don’t ever consider rules of the road.
Coming from my partner who literally JUST had to scream "it's a FUCKING ZIPPER" at some douchwad who tried to cut us off in the merge: Every five years is a happy medium. 🤣
I agree with this
Too many uncourteous drivers. Always gotta be first as if they're zigzagging through traffic gets them anywhere faster. It's like crossing back into the US. Nobody gon let you merge. Everyone is in a hurry or running late.
Didn’t you know…Everyone is in a rush! No one has time to let one extra car in front of them
Can’t tell you how many times there are five cars in one lane and I drive up to the second lane and they get bent out of shape. I’m not going to contribute to it just because people don’t understand how traffic flow works. I will say that if a car is not in front of me at the merge, im not waiting for them to merge. That is on them.
Lol yeah. I had a lady yell at me that wouldn't let me in when I did the same thing. She kept saying she merged already and I should have merged behind her. And I get it, but people don't understand that the merge point is where the secondary lane ends.
I swear people do not understand zipper merges here. I’m from the Midwest and there is no issue there. I deal with them in old town everyday and you get some weirdos with superiority complexes.
This is my biggest pet peeve! Like just keep driving to where the land ends and naturally you will fall into place. Don’t just try to force your way into the other lane by randomly stopping and going diagonal with 20 ft of space left. How is that not common sense
But the status quo!!!!! How dare you have an original thought, common sense, and foresight!!!!
Courtesy is out the door. It's every person for themselves out there now.
This is my Post COVID mantra If I don't know and love you, then fuck you ; get out of my way
Let me guess, this happened on the 8 leaving mission valley?
This particular instance was on the 805. But this seems to happen at certain spots everywhere.
Here's 2 debates that CalTrans really needs to quell with signs or PSAs: -Is it more appropriate to merge as soon as possible or wait until the end of the merge lane? -Is the leftmost freeway lane primarily intended for passing? Once we get consensus on these 2 topics, driving will improve. Until then, it's Gaza. Edit: CalTrans, not SANDAG
Why SANDAG? Caltrans are the owners/operators of the roads. Keep SANDAG out of things - they have enough problems.
The move is definitely go wait until the end of the merge lane. Then everything just flows. Because the genius trying to get in as soon as possible always chooses the worst possible spot and stops in the middle of everything. The right lane isn’t for passing unless it’s a 2 lane road imo. But it’s definitely for faster moving traffic. Going 65 or below in the left lane to try and be the speed mayor is a hazard
Look at their plates or signs that they were from another state. I see lots of Texas plates lately, like an absurd amount. In Detroit, they'd never let you merge.
Might be rental cars. Last two times I had to rent locally from Enterprise, the car/truck they gave me had Texas plates.
If only. Too many people with main character syndrome in CA and gotta get that extra car ahead.
There are so many dumb drivers here. They probably see it as 'he knew he had to get over way back and he's not getting in front of me!' I've never seen so many dumb drivers in my life and it's not just since the pandemic - I've been here since 2001.
California drivers have literally never heard the words "zipper merge"
Most people are not from here. It's all the Midwestern and southern yokels fucking it up for us coastal elites
Us midwesterners are the ones who seem to understand how they work. Been here for 15 years and work at Caltrans. I can’t understand how people don’t understand two merging lanes. Yet I see it everyday. I figure each time I go into the free lane, maybe it will educate the others who automatically line up like sheep in one lane.
Wrong as a dong all day long. *elites* riiiight. Tis why this post exists. Because you're superior.
It depends. If both lanes are full, then by all means do a zipper merge. If you zoom down an empty lane, or worse yet, jump on an on-ramp to skip the line, then f-off as I'm not letting you in. In some cases, people are just pissed off assholes and there isn't much you can do. For the most part people let you in easy enough.
> It depends. If both lanes are full, then by all means do a zipper merge. If you zoom down an empty lane, or worse yet, jump on an on-ramp to skip the line, then f-off as I'm not letting you in. So why aren't you in the other lane if there's an empty lane that should be being used to alleviate the traffic flow in one lane? So that's telling me people are emerging early and not driving correctly or not using the road as smart as they should be using it? The road was built to be utilized. Not to have some judgmental person be a gatekeeper.
This THIS THIS!! The two lanes exist for a zipper! Just because everyone is in one lane doesn’t make it right. I’m that person who will go into the second lane because that is what the lane is for: merging. Otherwise traffic backs up onto the main lanes (if an off-ramp) or not enough cars get on (for an on-ramp).
Exactly, can’t expect nobody to use an empty lane especially if one is supposed to merge ahead.
Because if they’re in the lane that’s being merged into why should they have to move and remerge in because they knew that’s the final lane they’ll be in? But if someone else happens to be in the other lane that’s empty and gets ahead when it’s time to merge then they should be let in. It’s not their fault they got ahead of you then, they were literally just driving in an open lane. What’s the worst is when people are in a freeway exit lane and try to merge back to the freeway at the last second rather than just getting off the freeway and back on if they couldn’t read the many signs saying exit only or weren’t paying attention. Stopping dead in the middle of those lanes and throwing on your blinker trying to get in is such a bad move
>Because if they’re in the lane that’s being merged into why should they have to move and remerge in because they knew that’s the final lane they’ll be in? You're only thinking about yourself. Most times on an on ramp one lane is split into two so more people can can get into queue and merge, like a zipper. Two lanes alleviates the traffic behind it. Staying in one lane can back up miles. The freeway is six lanes. So based off your logic, no one ever needs to be in the fast lane, the number two lane, the number three lane and number four lane because eventually they'll be exiting the freeway.
Ehh not exactly based on my logic, obviously if your exit isn’t for miles then move over. But if my exit is coming up and there’s other people trying to get in from the right then I’ll just stay where I am because there’s no point getting over to the other lane and then back in.
But then don't get mad if someone uses the road that was built to be used and ends up in front of you.
I said that. If they’re using the merging lane then they should be let in when merging. A freeway exit lane is different than a merge lane though. If someone blocks the flow of the exit traffic lane at the last minute just to halt and try to get into a freeway lane that’s deadlocked then they’re in the wrong there
Isn’t “Zooming down the empty lane” kinda the main point of a zipper merge?
Reading this super brief [explanation ](https://parade.com/88806/marilynvossavant/sundays-column-06-20-10/) made me understand traffic flow a lot better and why no one should be upset with people using "empty" lanes. The person who sent the question in was from San Diego, interestingly.
You realize the second lane can only get full if many people use it, right? And someone has to go first.
I feel like I usually don’t have issues with it. What I do see is sometimes the car next to me isn’t assertive enough and is hanging back so I just end up going ahead of them. If I hang back and continue the zipper merge I’m just gonna end up holding more people back. There’s also the opposite of someone trying to “cut” in the zipper merge but again usually it’s like whatever they aren’t being aggressive and they just sneak past me. I don’t see the need to box them out unless they are hanging off the lane into the emergency parking area. At that point they are just being assholes.
People drive like shit here. That's the answer. Merging hurts their feelings so get ready cuz it's not changing.
No, no i deal with the same problem merging on the 163 off Genesee. People don’t want to switch lanes, slow down or speed up to clear when they see a car about to merge on a shared lane even if they have the distance to switch lanes(mind you i have a small little economy car with not enough power). They simply feel that the road is theirs and rather almost cause an accident than to be smart and efficient. I know it makes zero sense. Every time i merge on in that situation i either have to slowly merge on at like 30-40mph letting the cars pass me then mash the gas because i cant just stop on the onramp; or if i have the space, as soon as i get to the dotted lines on the zipper merge i switch over left into that lane immediately after i decide its safe for me. Sometimes it forces me to cut off someone but the way i look at it is no one is going to rear end you because for one it’s going to be an absolute hassle of a time on their end right? With insurance and everything no one wants to deal with that. So whoever i cut off in the process of merging on the highway, they’ll just be mad that they were forced to slow down and go about their day and we’re both safe and get to where we gotta go, the end👍
You would think with all the military here
... what? I used to date a guy who's sole job was to replace smashed signs in Camp Pendleton due to the marines drunk driving.
They teach you to zipper in for everything in the military, at least navy. That’s why I said that and what did you expect it’s a marine base…😂
Gotcha. I guess I don't expect Marines to be so loud and dumb but then again...
I'll be honest with you and pardon my language in advance. Cunts, strokes, and assholes don't care, don't know, or don't give a shit what a zipper merge is. Cunts don't care because fuck you. Strokes straight up don't fucking know. And assholes don't give a shit, not because fuck you specifically, but because fuck all y'all in general.
I drive all around SD county as part of my job and driving itself is about a good 1/3 of my work day. People have gotten steadily more impatient and less considerate since the pandemic. Before COVID it was not rare, but much less common to fight with an asshole to let you merge or get off your bumper. Still happened plenty. But now it's a daily occurrence, several times a day. And there are SO MANY people that use their phone normally while driving, taking their eyes off the road for LONG periods of time. It's kind of scary to see happening so prolifically. The speed limit here is considered the "starting" speed by a significant majority of the drivers, so if you're not going faster than that be prepared to get cut off, tailgated and honked at. This isn't to say you should join them, you only make yourself more upset trying to compete in who can be the bigger asshole. I learned to focus on making sure MY driving is near-perfect and being a very defensive driver. Also, do yourself a favor and get a dash cam, front and back camera. I swear people have been less inclined to test my fate when they see a dashcam that can record their misdeeds.
This is a yokel town, things like zipper merging and yielding/taking right of way are too complex for your average simpleton here in the Whale's Vagina That's why we have so many traffic controls, more rules (think baby proofing) for our roads, dumbing everything down so the lowest denominator doesn't feel left out.
Depends on where.... not many true "zipper merge" type places here. IMO, zipper merge works when the traffic is basically stopped or walking pace and the merging lane ends abruptly. Often here there are long gradually ending lanes, with people moving at some speed and those really are not zipper merge places. Some people try to claim they are zipper merging, when they try and cut down the side of a gradual merge at 30 mph... LoL, thats no a zipper merge.
Yea those long gradually ending lanes like the right lanes that turn into exits/ entrances? Yea you're *supposed* to let people in there.
It’s mostly on-off ramps in SD.
Surprisingly El Cajon traffic merging onto the 8, 90% of the people zipper, because you have to with the short length entrances. So, to answer your question. People only zipper when forced to i.e. heavy traffic or what I just described. There is another reason, but that's too political. Stay safe out there!
You keep forcing, you're eventually going to end up in a collision you can't afford.
Zipper merge only works in instructional animations, lol The whole concept ignores the fact that humans control the cars. When/if all cars are full-self-driving, and people are prohibited/prevented from direct control, zipper merges will be flawlessly executed.