I know, I know … I’ve used some harsh language to describe those who fail to merge for a lane closure until they get to the choke point, zooming past us Boy/Girl Scouts. Maybe I was hasty …
In an email to me Eric Snider of Lansing advocates zipper-merging:
“Last night I was heading west on I-96. Just past Portland there is bridge construction and traffic is down to one lane. Two miles in advance of the lane closure, signs indicate that the left lane will be closed ahead.
“Some person thought he was getting saint points, thinking he was doing everyone a favor, by driving in the left lane as slow as a truck in the right lane so drivers couldn’t use the left lane up to the merger.
“ That actually slows all traffic getting through a merge point. Traffic moves more efficiently … through merge points if all available lanes are fully utilized, and vehicles zipper-merge at the merge point.”
Snider pointed out that the prologue to Tom Vanderbilt’s 2008 book, “Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (And What It Says About Us) is “Why I became a late merger (and why you should too).”
Snider wrote: “I keep hoping for the day that MDOT will educate the public on zipper merging … and post signs that not only say ‘Left lane closed ahead,’ but also ‘Use all lanes up to the merge point.’”
