What can I say? Lemmy has totally replaced reddit for me, and I want to see it succeed.
The one downside to collecting/reposting memes is that sometimes I don’t screen one well enough (like this one), and it makes a bunch of people mad. Lol
Hey, thanks for dedicating time to improve the Lemmy community. I didn’t mean to sound snide. I’ve enjoyed many, many of your posts (and I’m a Star Trek fan: STNG master race in space). I just didn’t realize how much you’ve contributed.
They’re trying to clown you because “zipper merging everyone should do it” but they’re not thinking about human nature once again.
It’s like communism. If everyone was perfect, leaving enough room and always willing to let people in at the top of the lane without slowing down, then it would work.
But all it takes is one asshole, or even someone that is merely distracted by their kid or something, and the guy in the ending lane has no room and will have to slam on their brakes to stop.
And then they somehow have to merge into decently fast traffic from a dead stop, which is not easy. (Unless of course, the other lane stops to let you in, thus delaying everyone)
The system we do now is shitty, but the alternative if you end up caught stranded is far worse.
Plenty of situations where this meme applies. In Seattle the West Seattle bridge was out for almost two years. People were routed underneath it where there were two lanes, one that routed into a forced left turn, and one that proceeded straight (where 80% of people wanted to go). Without fail, a huge number of people would “zipper merge” into the right (straight) lane and skip the huge line. Seattleites are such pushovers that they would always let these line cutters in. Which slowed down traffic for everybody: both the people trying to turn left (because they were stuck behind these jokers trying to force their way in) and everyone else who was patiently waiting their turn to go straight.
Seeing people on the Seattle subreddit try to justify this antisocial behavior with false notions of zipper merging was truly enraging.
That’s a flaw of city traffic planning. If that’s the case, then the meme should be Kermit looking at the city planner that decided that absurd scenario would be reasonable.
Not sure why people are so up in arms about this. I read this as a jab at those people who speed wildly past everyone else and cut in at the LAST moment. I still let those people in because I find it is almost always safer/wiser to be passive and yield when driving.
“Cutting in” at the last moment is what you’re supposed to do. If the traffic flow dictated everyone to merge earlier, they would make the merge earlier. This entire thread is filled with confidently incorrect. Yes, you’re supposed to “let” people in. And yes, they’re supposed to drive at the speed limit (“speed wildly”) in the alternate lane until the merge.
You yield to the merging traffic because that’s how it’s supposed to work not because you’re somehow morally superior. It’s just that one of you (not you) knows how to obey traffic laws and guidance, and one of you (you) is doing what they’re supposed to do, but only because you incorrectly think you’re being charitable.
Yeah yeah I get all that and I know how to merge. I was talking more about drivers who are overly aggressive and reckless. Especially in construction zones and when there are accidents. And yeah I guess I do think I’m probably a little morally superior to the jackasses speeding and cutting in aggressively/in really unnecessary unsafe manners in their 3-ton f250s.
I’m for the zipper if traffic is heavy, if you can’t get over early you shouldn’t be punished. What I hate is when there is enough space and time for motorists to get over, but they insist on speeding ahead and attempt to play chicken at the merge this just increases the risk of traffic slowing further due to an accident.
By “playing chicken” you mean “following the law and all the god damn driving training guides to do the most efficient thing possible with two lanes merging that would also be the safest if people weren’t possessive fuck cunts when wrapped in a car, the absolutely correct fucking zipper merge” right?
If lane 2 is closed ahead, and you’re in lane 1, I think it’s a jerk move to leave lane 1 to try to rush ahead a few cars and cut someone off when you need back into lane 1
If you erratically jump into my lane, barely a foot ahead of my car, you are cutting me off.
If you only left 16" of space in front of your car for me to merge into because you think you’ve got the moral high ground due to having merged sooner than needed, then you deserve to get cut off.
Youre letting your sense of “fairness” override good sense.
Using both of the available lanes and efficiently merging from two to one lanes at a designated point instead of at random is far safer and faster than people randomly merging from lane 2 into lane 1 when they are 34 cars back, or 16, or 5, or 105, each time stopping or slowing traffic in lane 2 and lane 1. Those people are being inconsiderate, unsafe, and inefficient. Stop blocking flowing traffic to merge poorly.
Use both lanes, especially if one is open. Dont merge early. Zipper merge at an expected and predictable point so traffic can flow safely instead of start and stop.
I don’t care about people merging who have been in the closing lane for some time, I was pretty sure the original reply was talking about the people who leave the flow of traffic to speed ahead when they know the lane will close. If you’re already in flowing traffic is there a benefit to zooming ahead and cutting someone off?
Again, that’s not wrong, unfair or at all “cutting someone off.” Thats using the empty lane efficiently and safely to speed up traffic. Its the people ignoring an open lane, crawling along that are causing an issue. Its the people merging early out of the largely empty lane that causes an issue.
There is nothing wrong at all about using an empty lane in any context to zipper merge. You thinking it is wrong is literally wrong.
No, it’s being an asshole and thinking your shit matters more. I’m not sure what you’re even arguing at this point. We’re clearly agreeing that zipper merging is most effective, but if you leave a lane to cut back in 1 or 2 cars ahead, you’re an asshole.
To clarify, by “play chicken” I mean dive into the other lane and forcing other people to slam on their breaks. Not merging when they can. My frustration is just around safety, not getting cut off or anything.
Two lanes or one will fit through a 1 lane naroowed section in a perfectly optimized way at the same speed. 1 lane cab only carry “x” cars per second. But by putting the merge at the choke point, we end up with gaps when people hit the brakes to let the other lane in and don’t accelerate at the same speed. I lane with 10 ft gaps between cars might get through a bit faster because a perfect merge with 10 ft gaps isn’t going to happen. Basically, its the Nagel-Schreckenberg effect except everyone gets stuck slowing to 15mph at the merge instead of merging early and possibly oinng through the restriction faster without issue.
Having said that, there’s no mechanism to enforce early merging other than being a good driver (or the unsung hero’s who straddle both lanes to prevent cutting). I’ve given up. If no one else will drive properly, then why shouldn’t I drive to the very front and push my way in? I’m just punishing myself by doing it the better way because it requires everyone to participate.
Eventually, we can avoid this by using dynamic signs on a gantry over the road to close/open the lane way ahead of time depending on flow and how far back the line goes.
Eh I don’t think lane straddling is a good idea either, if everyone zippered appropriately we wouldn’t need that, and if both lanes are relatively clear we wouldn’t need it either. I think driving will always suck no matter what, “safe driving” is something no one can really agree on. Not to mention there is a section of drivers who believe aggressive driving is not only acceptable, but a way to protect the ego.
This is the real solution. I spent some time in Worcester, England living with a couple there, it was so nice being able to walk to the grocery store and wherever else we wanted to go. I don’t even think I had to wait at any crosswalks or anything. Now I’m living in a big sweaty American city where sidewalks aren’t guaranteed.
This is me… Yes I am an asshole. I just got done waiting 10 minutes in the proper lane slowly inching along, with miles behind of signage saying x lane is closed. You think you can just ignore all those signs, drive to the very possible end of the closed lane and suddenly cut me off? Nope, someone else can take pity on your lazy impatient ass, fuck you. Zipper merge my ass, in reality you either get in line in the right lane asap and wait your turn or get bent trying to pull your bullshit.
It’s a zipper merge if the lane closes. Use all available lanes and alternate the right of way to keep traffic moving. It’s assholes who think they’re high and mighty that cause headaches in these situations
I swear I let people merge (to a fault) and didn’t make this meme. I didnt think very hard before sharing this one and was picturing the people in my area who ride the shoulders/blocked lanes and try to cut in front of everybody.
If there are so many bad drivers on the road, why are they there?
How are they allowed to pass their driver’s exam?
If they’re not licensed, how are they allowed to drive?
Why are the standards for getting a license or getting on the road so low?
The answer is simple, there is no alternative. Socially the thought of an alternative is considered to be looked down upon if it is even there at all.
Public Transit and Walk-able Infrastructure are fantastic alternatives for people who should not, could not, or would not drive. And with alternatives to driving in place, standards for driving can be made to rise without alienating the population from traveling.
That's because regardless of platform there is a percentage of drivers that think their understanding of the "right" way to do things is the only way, and everyone else is in the wrong. And often the problem ends up being the same drivers who "know how to drive" that mess it up for everyone else. There's a number of competing viewpoints in this thread alone and guaranteed that every one of them will agree with my point and think I'm talking about the other opinions.
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