It's actually really simple: early merge with cars going the same speed in all lanes is always better. You'll always get maximum throughput in the lanes remain

It's actually really simple: early merge with cars going the same speed in all lanes is always better. You'll always get maximum throughput in the lanes remaining open, because the merge happens over a distance and so is smoother. But that's in theory, with people actually cooperating. In reality no matter what education campaign for early merge some few percent of people are just dicks, and when they see an open road ahead will zoom through at twice the speed and this is what causes the merge problem (see the green car in video). When people espouse late zipper merge it makes me sad because of what it says about human nature.