What's Your Thoughts on Zipper Merging? Options

[narly_charley]

I * * * * I N G hate it. I think that in THEORY it would work, but with humans in the mix, it NEVER works. I'm always the person trying to smooth things out by splitting the two lanes and trying to block off the lane closing traffic because they try to but themselves in and it just creates a bigger and slower line of vehicles. I LOVE pissing people off this way, because they think that they're in the right. Again, this is a great way to cycle cars into one lane on paper, but in reality, it never works, especially in slow construction.

[narly_charley]

I do it because the system's design is flawed by humans driving. If all vehicles were automated, then it would work like a charm. Since people in ending lanes have to stop at the end because no one properly zippers, then they have to shove their way in, stopping again. This makes the flow worse. When you have people who don't zipper properly (all the time), one single lane is smoother and has a faster flow of cars.

Again, I understand that the system works on paper, but it never does because people don't leave the gap for the other side of the "zipper" to move their way in.

Edit:

Also, the system works so much better on freeways than it does on a busy road with lights. Here's the construction that brought me to make this thread. (note that there are two lights here, which make it much worse)



This post has been edited by narly_charley: Aug 16, 2017 - 11:24 AM