Zipper Versus Early Merge: Defining the A**Hole

Clearly, the zipper merge is best (blending two lanes of traffic into one by alternating cars at the choke point).However, in the real world, every so many drivers seem to instinctively tailgate on the highway no matter what traffic pattern is before them: 1) Drive as fast as you can until you get right on top of someone. 2) Pass that slower vehicle if you can, right or left. 3) If you can't pass, tailgate the slower vehicle until you can.Now, for zipper merging to work, everyone in both lanes must start adjusting speed early enough to allow for cars to zipper merge before and after one's vehicle upon reaching the choke point. Unfortunately, the Racer X driver described above won't do that, and so the zipper is going to get jammed no matter how many other drivers are adjusting in the lanes to leave gaps.In other words, for zipper merging to work, everyone has to want to zipper merge at the choke point and has to know enough to leave gaps AND the highway signage has to announce the upcoming choke point far enough in advance to allow traffic in both lanes to begin making gaps without causing traffic flow to drop below, let's say, 30-35 mph.I propose that in areas where zipper merging is popularized and advertised as preferable, the signs should say, "Zipper merge x ft/m ahead -- prepare gap." For zipper merging to work, everyone needs to already know what "zipper merging" is, so no need for concern about this different verbiage on the traditional "Lane Closed Ahead" sign. In this scenario, we can all agree that any tailgaters are a**holes and we can all frown at them and even flip them off.Conversely, in areas where zipper merging is not the norm, the signs should say, "Left/right lane closed x ft/m ahead -- begin merging." And the highway signage should be placed early enough so that early merging can be accomplished before the choke without causing traffic flow to reduce below 30-35 mph. Then, we can all agree that the ahole is anyone who doesn't put on a turn signal at the first sign and so doesn't begin nosing into the open lane early (and agree especially that anyone who accelerates past courteous gaps to rush down the closed lane up to the choke point is a gigantic ahole).Thoughts? via /r/cars http://ift.tt/2tb7OFE