Glendale Nissan Official Blog
Does the zipper merge really work to improve traffic flow?
By Product Expert | Posted in FAQs, Tips & Tricks on Monday, March 6th, 2017 at 6:49 pm
What is a zipper merge and how well does it work?
You’re driving down the highway, minding your own business, when you see a bright sign on the side of the road telling you your lane is closing, and you ought to move over. Being a conscientious driver, you move over as soon as it is safe to do so, only to have some other driver stay in that lane and zip into the open one at the last possible second. Rude, right? Well, some state departments are saying it’s best to keep both lanes fully in use until the closing one actually ends, in what is known as a zipper merge. So what is this and how does it work?
Why do people want to promote the zipper merge?
You might be thinking that someone who merges late is just in a hurry and trying to skip the line, but some experts say it’s actually more efficient for drivers to hold their lane until it closes. The reason behind this is that traffic naturally moves slower when reduced to one lane, so keeping both lanes fully in use for as long as possible keeps things flowing smoothly until absolutely necessary.
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The zipper merge, or zipper method, means that when the lane closes, the drivers in the lane that remains open allow one driver in front of them each, so that each vehicle represents a tooth in the zipper. This may sound like it wouldn’t be efficient, but that’s because drivers in the open lane frequently won’t let people in, which slows things down.
Can the zipper merge work? It depends on education, really. The reason government departments are releasing statements is because this merge method is theoretically safer, but the perception of other drivers is frequently that those who aren’t merging early are just being impatient or trying to skip the line. This causes feelings of anger, and sometimes even a vigilante concept of right and wrong in which those in the lane that is to remain open won’t let others in out of spite.
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