7 ms·
ugh tell that to the idiots who give me the finger for zipper merging in Columbus, OH
by myko 2y ago
ugh tell that to the idiots who give me the finger for zipper merging in Columbus, OH
- master-lincoln 2y agoWhat's the legal situation? Where I live in the EU merging lanes demands a zipper merge according to law.
- aidenn0 2y agoVaries from state to state since traffic laws are per-state in the US, but in most states the traffic merging is supposed to yield to the traffic staying in their lane. You also are supposed to maintain a "safe distance" (where the law might be literally "safe distance" or might give a specific units) which at freeway speeds would mean leaving enough room for zippers but I don't know anyone who has ever been cited for following too closely, except after an accident caused by following too closely.
- myko 2y agoThere are signs posted explaining that zipper is the correct way to go, but I still get run off the road for doing it when merging onto the outer belt in this city
- ToValueFunfetti 2y agoProbably should prioritize telling them that red lights mean stop and that the arrow on the one-way sign points in the only direction you're allowed to go. Maybe mention turn signals too. Allegedly there are three cities with worse drivers, but I find that highly implausible
- practicemaths 2y agoWell if you're forcing them to break when you merge then that kind of requires a finger imo. Regardless Columbus has a great lack of turn signals and understanding of basic intersection rules.
- jstanley 2y agoYou're not forced to brake if you can see that 2 lanes go down to 1 and you therefore anticipate that the cars in the other lane are going to have to merge into your lane and you leave a gap to allow them to do so.
- practicemaths 2y agoIf there is an appropriate gap it is fine. However in my experience many people in the zipper lane merge without regard to what the traffic in the lane they're merging into is doing. Thus forcing people to slam on breaks and slows down the overall flow of traffic.
- jstanley 2y agoIf you don't leave a gap then you're forcing the people in the other lane to slow down and disrupt the flow of traffic. It is a mistake to think that one of the two input lanes is more entitled to the output lane than the other. 2 lanes go down to 1, neither is more privileged than the other, cars should merge in turn.
- practicemaths 2y agoIf there isn't a gap then don't force a merge. Otherwise you're the one driving unsafely and causing further traffic congestion. Your comment makes less sense when the merging lane has no one else it as well. That means the car in it that is merging over has plenty of opportunities to merge safely without causing traffic congestion however they don't.
- nkrisc 2y agoIf there’s not an appropriate gap then you are also at fault. You should always have an appropriate gap between you and the car in front of you.
- myko 2y ago> if you're forcing them to break when you merge then that kind of requires a finger i do my best to avoid forcing anyone to brake, ever usually the people flipping me off are speeding ahead of me from the other lane as soon as they see my signal go on