DRIVERS OF DTF. DO YOU AGREE? DISAGREE?

[Stadler]

The word is "entitlement". 

[Adami]

The word is "entitlement".

According to the poll, the word(s) is(are) Kevin Moore.

[Orbert]

The problem is that even though zipper merging is now pretty well known to be the most efficient use of space, it still depends on people all cooperating and doing it.  People just don't like to do "everybody take turns" around here (Chicago).

Around here, the attitude seems to be "Ha ha, it's your lane that's ending, not mine, so it's your fucking problem.  Wait until someone is nice and lets you in."

[Cool Chris]

Around here, the attitude seems to be "Ha ha, it's your lane that's ending, not mine, so it's your fucking problem.  Wait until someone is nice and lets you in."

Or it's "You saw the sign a mile back saying your lane was ending. You've had plenty of time to try and merge."

[XJDenton]

Every single person in the diagram is an arsehole for not maintaining proper breaking distance.

[MetalJunkie]

I used to loathe people who did that, but I read something a while back stating that its the most effective use of the available road space, so it actually alleviates traffic severity.  I still find myself getting annoyed when someone tries to pass me like that because I know they are doing it just to get ahead, not because they are trying to make the best use of available road space.

It triggers a fundamental idea many of us have, that "I paid my dues by waiting in line, and now some asshole is going to get ahead for free".  Lots of social implications there.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/13/us/why-last-second-lane-mergers-are-good-for-traffic.html

[Orbert]

The first signs read, “Use both lanes during congestion.”
The next signs said, “Use both lanes to the merge point.”
When the lane was ending, the last signs read: “Take turns. Merge here.”

All good, except here in Chicagoland, the first two signs would be laying on the ground, having been taken out by people trying to pass in the construction zone.  The third one doesn't matter, because we don't take turns.  It's every man for himself.

Around here, the attitude seems to be "Ha ha, it's your lane that's ending, not mine, so it's your fucking problem.  Wait until someone is nice and lets you in."

Or it's "You saw the sign a mile back saying your lane was ending. You've had plenty of time to try and merge."

Yep.  And I used to think that way, too.  It's a tough paradigm to shift.

[SchecterShredder]

That's actually the correct way to do it. It's a merge, not a yield or exit only lane. You zipper merge at the end.

At 41 replies, i realize I'm late to the party, but DoC has it right. In any jurisdiction I've heard of you zipper merge at the end in that circumstance. That being said, it irritates the hell out of me when people do it if there's a long run up and it's been obvious for several km (learn metric) that there's a construction zone ahead. So my vote is Kevin Moore since there's no "it depends" option.

[TioJorge]

The word is "entitlement".

Yep, that's the one.

Deal with it every day whilst going into work. Especially during the morning.

Have your morning coffee, people. HAVE IT.

[PetFish]

That's actually the correct way to do it. It's a merge, not a yield or exit only lane. You zipper merge at the end.

Yep.

[Sigz]

I really don't understand how that would make someone a dick - the lane is there for a reason, it's not their fault no one is utilizing it. Not to mention the fact that it is objectively more efficient. Not just for that specific point, but also helping to reduce congestion earlier back in the roads.

[Stadler]

I really don't understand how that would make someone a dick - the lane is there for a reason, it's not their fault no one is utilizing it. Not to mention the fact that it is objectively more efficient. Not just for that specific point, but also helping to reduce congestion earlier back in the roads.

Entitlement.   

[cramx3]

I think it's a mentallity thing when you are watching someone pass you if you are waiting in the clogged lane.  It feels wrong even though it isn't.  I think most people don't actually understand that it's the proper way and the visual of being passed just leads to anger. 

[Cool Chris]

If it's the proper way, wouldn't everyone (in this example) in the left lane just move to the right lane and try and merge ahead of everyone else? Is that the proper thing to do?

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Kevin Moore

[cramx3]

If it's the proper way, wouldn't everyone (in this example) in the left lane just move to the right lane and try and merge ahead of everyone else? Is that the proper thing to do?

It's not a perfect world

[Orbert]

Most people think that if you're warned that the lane is ending, you should do something sooner than later.  They also know that if they wait until the last second to try to get out of that lane, then they're at the mercy of someone letting them in, so most people get out of that lane as soon as they can.

Then they sit there, and anyone who goes flying past them in the now-empty lane is seen as somehow cheating the system, taking advantage of all the people who abandoned that lane.  They're seen as dicks by the people who thought they were all doing the right thing by getting out of that lane.  It based in ignorance.  People don't know that using both lanes until the last possible moment and then zipper-merging is the most efficient way.  And it still depends on others "letting you in" at the end, which doesn't always happen, so people aren't necessarily wrong for playing it that way.

[bout to crash]

To me this is no different than someone waiting in a long line at a grocery store because of some weird phenomenon that happens in which people group up together because it seems right (or something) when there is another lane open. Then someone walks up to the open lane and people bitch and moan despite it being totally fine and the fastest way to do things.

Also has been mentioned, there's without a single fucking doubt an inherent "I have to be first/I was first/I deserve to be there faster/etc. ad infinitum" thought process that always goes into this for anyone that has to let someone else in regardless of the situation or legality/rules.

So many people will say yes.

Many people are also mindless dullards. So y'know. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Welcome to humanity and the road. MAD MAX PART 2: THE MERGE, COMING SOON.

I've missed your rants 

I used to loathe people who did that, but I read something a while back stating that its the most effective use of the available road space, so it actually alleviates traffic severity.  I still find myself getting annoyed when someone tries to pass me like that because I know they are doing it just to get ahead, not because they are trying to make the best use of available road space.

It triggers a fundamental idea many of us have, that "I paid my dues by waiting in line, and now some asshole is going to get ahead for free".  Lots of social implications there.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/13/us/why-last-second-lane-mergers-are-good-for-traffic.html

 

Also I love the end. That's so Colorado for somebody to throw a burrito at a car. What a douche.

[Stadler]

If it's the proper way, wouldn't everyone (in this example) in the left lane just move to the right lane and try and merge ahead of everyone else? Is that the proper thing to do?

The proper way is to do like Disney; move into the merge zone and move to the front expeditiously.   The irony for me is that the guy in the right lane, sitting, and throwing burritos at the car passing on the left is the one that made the bad decision.

Sorry, Stadler Alert! but I think this is a microcosm of our society today.  WE make bad decisions, and rather than take responsibility for them we lash out at others and try to bully them into making them conform to our mistakes.     

[cramx3]

If it's the proper way, wouldn't everyone (in this example) in the left lane just move to the right lane and try and merge ahead of everyone else? Is that the proper thing to do?

The proper way is to do like Disney; move into the merge zone and move to the front expeditiously.   The irony for me is that the guy in the right lane, sitting, and throwing burritos at the car passing on the left is the one that made the bad decision.

Sorry, Stadler Alert! but I think this is a microcosm of our society today.  WE make bad decisions, and rather than take responsibility for them we lash out at others and try to bully them into making them conform to our mistakes.   

You've used the word entitlement before, and I agree with that, but another word I'll use for this, ignorance.  I just flat out think people don't know that doing the merge at the merge point is the correct and best way to do things.  Ignorance and entitlement leads to burritos being thrown.

[Nick]

Throw burritos and call me entitled all you want, but here are some key points:

1. I don't care if any of you think I'm an asshole on this because
2. I'm getting where I need to be more quickly and
3. You're getting angry for no reason because
4. I'm doing things the right way while you're stuck in a self righteous stew.

Not directed at anyone here in particular, just summing things up for myself.

[cramx3]

I don't think anyone is calling you the entitled one for driving efficiently.

[kaos2900]

I've been seeing signs around Omaha now saying to stay in your lane until merge point, so they so they're trying to get the word out that this is most efficient way to merge. There will always be assholes who don't follow it, but at least they're trying to educate people.

[Implode]

How do you guys deal with the self-righteous people who straddle the middle lane, veering to cut you off if you try to pass in the second lane?

[King Postwhore]

I don't think anyone is calling you the entitled one for driving efficiently.

I can call Nick entitled for so many other things........

[Podaar]

I don't think anyone is calling you the entitled one for driving efficiently.

Especially because I wouldn't want him to give me the finger. Seriously, have you seen it?

How do you guys deal with the self-righteous people who straddle the middle lane, veering to cut you off if you try to pass in the second lane?

I give 'em the Nick finger.

[Nick]

How do you guys deal with the self-righteous people who straddle the middle lane, veering to cut you off if you try to pass in the second lane?

This usually happens on the highway, and if we're near enough to the merge point I won't worry about it, but otherwise I will use the shoulder and go around them. The irony of this, of course, is that they are trying to create an arbitrary merge point behind them, which I find hilarious. They are literally just saying that traffic will be forced to backup 100ft more than it otherwise would.

[lonestar]

How do you guys deal with the self-righteous people who straddle the middle lane, veering to cut you off if you try to pass in the second lane?

Now that is an asshole.

[Herrick]

How do you guys deal with the self-righteous people who straddle the middle lane, veering to cut you off if you try to pass in the second lane?

Now that is an asshole.

Indeed.

[bout to crash]

Yeah, same here Nick. I will just use the shoulder to go around and really piss them off

[Stadler]

Yeah, same here Nick. I will just use the shoulder to go around and really piss them off

Let's hope your screen name isn't prescient.