How To Merge In Traffic (Seattle, You're Not Going To Like This)

The article didn't mention this is called a late merge, zipper method, or zipper merge: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Late_merge

In Germany this is enshrined in law. It is called the Straßenverkehr Reißverschlusssystem or Reißverschlussverfahren. Basically translates to the traffic-zipper-system.

http://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rei%C3%9Fverschlus...

I find that pretty obvious.

One example: I am sitting in a car and will turn to a side road a bit ahead where the road splits in to several lanes. But due to the fact that the que is longer I can't turn on to the second lane. And it have to sit in the que and make it even longer.

This seems to fail when people do whatever they can to keep that person from merging and, sometimes, resulting in minor accidents.

Of course, it's much worse for the people that want to take an exit before the merge, who have to now sit in two lanes of stopped traffic (or drive on the shoulder, depending on the traffic temperature).

That being said, merging as late as possible is the Nash equilibrium. Embrace it! (although it's clearly better for me if you don't).

It was wild riding with a Chicago coworker visiting Seattle. Sam used the entirety of paved surfaces knowing other drivers would make way (and often apologize). Both an embarrassing and enlightening experience.