Ever heard of an alternate merge?

[JHZR2]

Ever heard of an alternate merge?

Well, apparently Delaware driver's havent.

Really, truely, please help me out. Am I in the wrong? Two lanes are coming together. No yield just two lanes turning into one. As far as I know, you drive up to the merge point, then alternate in.

Ive gotten more ****** off, had more people swerve at me, try to beat me by speeding up and blocking me out, try to force me off the road by just going up to the merge point, with blinker on, and trying to get in (speed synced)... am I in the wrong? If you alternate merge correctly, traffic slows slightly but things keep moving. When these jerks try and act tough, and not let people merge as designed, the whole rest of traffic behind often stops, and these idiots often have to slam on their brakes anyhow.

In PA, I was on a road, and there were BIG red/orange signs that stated that there was a merge ahead, use both lanes. Then it kept reminding the drivers to use both lanes. Then, at the merge point, there was a similar sign that said merge here, take your turn.

It worked! People actually figured it out.

Well apparently in Delaware, people cant figure it out, and just have to try to be mean... doesnt help when you have guys driving SUVs and sports cars, both vehicles used as symbols that they are small in brainpower, muscle and down below the belt, and need to make up for it by being a toughguy driver.

In all my time driving in north NJ, where a couple inches is plenty of space, Ive never been swerved at, attempted to be run off the road, or just plain squeezed out when Im trying to alternate in, the way that they do in routine driving in Delaware.

OK< enough complaining... ever heard of an alternate merge? How do you deal with the idiots who feel compelled to get 1/4 of a carlength ahead and as a result obstruct and destroy the whole rest of the flow of traffic?

JMH

 

[moribundman]

The old zipper-system isn't too popular in the Bay Area. Try fitting your 15 foot vehicle in a 10 foot gap at 60 mph. I recommend 580 during rush hour(s) for a truly shocking driving experience.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

The car salesman told me to enjoy my new car, I said, "Impossible, there are other drivers on every road."

 

[HardbodyLoyalist]

"Impossible, there are other drivers on every road."

You need to move to West Texas.

 

[Rick in PA]

The only time I've seen an alternate merge work was... When a state cop (who looked like an ex-Marine DI) was standing at the merge, scowl on face (probably from having to babysit the immature drivers). I've never seen drivers sooo polite, everything was flowing super smooth. It was funny.

 

[brianl703]

Chapter 5 in this document has more than you'll ever want to know about merging:

http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/4945-2.pdf

http://tti.tamu.edu is filled with all sorts of interesting papers and documents about highways and traffic.

CHAPTER 5
EVALUATION OF INNOVATIVE MERGING STRATEGIES
AT LANE CLOSURES
This chapter documents the evaluation of innovative merge strategies at lane closures. The focus
group and telephone survey results both indicated that merging, whether at lane closures, entrance
ramps, or other situations, was one of the highest stressors in the driving environment.
Merging at lane closures created by construction or maintenance activities was the focus of this
study. Motorists are confronted with many different types of traffic control plans approaching a
lane closure, and the rules in this situation do not seem to be as well understood as those in other
traffic situations (e.g., four-way stop controlled intersection). In fact, the high-stress environment
of a lane closure coupled with the lessened understanding of rules often creates a situation where
drivers experience frustration that can lead to aggression and/or rage. The cartoon below (Figure
11) provides a humorous way of looking at the dilemma motorists face when trying to make
decisions about where, how, and when to merge on the approach to a lane closure.

 

[JHZR2]

Yes, that is it... PA got it right because they made it happen on a not so rural, heavily traveled highway. It was noted in the paper:

5.1.1 Late Merge Strategies
The static Late Merge is a traffic control concept developed by the Pennsylvania Department of
Transportation for use in work zones, typically on four-lane rural interstate highways (33). The
Late Merge is designed to encourage drivers to use both lanes to the merge point and then take
turns merging. Figure 12 shows a photograph of the ‘USE BOTH LANES TO MERGE POINT’
sign. Figure 13 is a picture of the ‘MERGE HERE TAKE YOUR TURN’ sign drivers see just
prior to the beginning of the taper for the lane closure.

 

[Shannow]

the use both lanes approach is great, until you get a ******* jump a spot and someone brakes, losing speed, and can't merge.

When they designate a lane that has priority, it is great, until some ******* forces the other guy (because "I have priority") to come to a standstill, and they can never merge.

I've seen cities where either works (due to culture), and places where neither works (due to culture).

If we all acknowledged an equal right to get where we were going, rather than an adversial right to get there first, traffic would not exist.

 

[JHZR2]

Exactly, well put.

I just can't stand dealing with the idiots who are obviously more important or just plain better, who feel the need to screw everything up in order to ensure that they are half a car length ahead. I always do my best to let merging people come in. I leave space so that 1-2 cars can get in, but thats really just a function of the braking room that I typically keep. Ill often block people that are trying to rush ahead from behind to cut in, they cause problems as well, but the average person trying to sync up speed will always be allowed in when Im driving, and I never have to step on my brakes when its done right...

JMH

 

[labman]

Anything works in light traffic. Nothing works in heavy trafic. I think I have seen everybody forming a single lane work in heavier traffic than the alternating method.

I have encountered the alternative merge in Pennsylvania on I 79 between Pittsburgh and the factory close out mall near I 80. It was a mess.