Zip it Colorado: We are begging you merge the only right way

The research is indisputable, zipper merging gets us where we want to go faster.
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[@stuwest3653]

It's called merging, not zippering.

[@Cowicide]

Zippering is the better way to merge.

[@stuwest3653]

@@Cowicide

[@_krimzen_]

First thought- people don’t let you in. Second thought- getting the finger is a buzzkill.

[@Undercaffinated]

That's why people need educating. Most of them don't know, too bad, that's my spot, not yours. Give me the finger all you want, I did the right thing, they can cry harder.

[@donjohnson1578]

I come over whether they like it or not.

[@RAZ423]

Zipper merging vs virtue merging. It is ridiculous, all the virtuous people who merge early become self righteous and won't let others who passed them merge.

[@brooks8792]

People won't let you in, would be nice, I see your point.

[@bobloblaw7465]

I've never not been let in. One after the other.

[@Undercaffinated]

They do too

[@ronaldrissel6665]

There's one big problem with zipper merging - it's trucks. They act like large cogs in a real zipper that stop the zipper from working. They take up the space of 3 or 4 cars, and they are slow to accelerate. If they merge into the right lane back far enough before traffic slows down, things go smoother. But in reality, there will always be people who want to merge early and some who want to merge late, so neither "system" will work as any simulation or thought process says it would.

[@MissMarinaCapri]

When you get to the end, if people don’t let you in, then you’re stuck really bad if there’s a lot of traffic so that’s why people do it.

[@salemhollst3884]

While so many of us assume that nobody’s going to let us in, let’s be honest: there are plenty of courteous drivers who do let you in.

[@FarmerRiddick]

I'm one of those courteous drivers. I also tend to leave 3-5 second spacing between myself and the vehicle in front of me, depending if I'm driving my car or the Dually, especially with a load and a trailer, which is often.

[@Undercaffinated]

True story. I'll let people in.

[@NicksDriving]

Dude in Dallas honked for 3 minutes at a car that merged in front of him. Road rage is real. I see it daily.

[@CrazyBear65]

The problem is, if you ride all the way up to the end of the lane, everybody's going to cuss you out for trying to get ahead and cut in line in front of them when you had all that time to get over. You could've got over way back there, why did you wait til the very last second? Do you think you're better than everybody else? You think your turn signal entitles you to cut in front of people? Didn't they teach you not to cut the line when you were a kid? _See what I mean?_ How do _you_ feel when somebody cuts in line in front of you? I know how I feel. I got over way back there, if you cut in front of me, you're an asshat. I'm not gonna let you in. Should've gotten over when you had the chance. If you hit my truck, we're gonna have a problem.

[@drh3b]

Put up signs explaining zipper merging. Everyone has to be on the same page for it to work.

[@slam44]

Why not teach this in the driver training rulebook? Add another chapter on roundabouts.

[@rcstl8815]

What a novel concept, letting someone into a through lane to speed traffic. How about earlier single lane warnings and rumble strips to make the j offs miserable as they weenie ahead?

[@Slw1111]

Zip merging is a process that only truly works in computer simulations that do not account for real world obstacles, drivers, timing, varying travel speeds or the AH who drives on the median to pass a bunch of vehicles in order to cut in line.

[@superordinate]

I think people jump lanes too soon because if you "skip" to the front of the closing lane, people in the open lane think you're trying to budge ahead of everyone and they don't let you in. It's stupid, but that's why I always figured people jumped over so soon. I always use up the closing lane's length though.

[@bobloblaw7465]

Because today's entitlement knows no bounds. People are easily jealous and short fused.

[@Undercaffinated]

What they said^

[@BrianLalonde]

They think that because that is literally what is happening. Intent aside, you are pulling ahead of everyone. This video is excellent confirmation bias for those looking for an excuse to jump a slow or stopped line.

[@bobloblaw7465]

@@BrianLalonde it's confirmation you didn't pay attention to driving school. Or the video.

[@BrianLalonde]

@@bobloblaw7465 You can make whatever nonsense claims you want. I've actually seen it.

[@daninraleigh]

Highway 82 between Aspen and Carbondale has been doing this for years.

[@blandrooker6541]

Yeah, and the people with a kindergarten no cutsies mentality will continue to be obstinately stubborn.

[@capdaviscams7169]

🤣 at 1:46 there is a COP not doing it "right"..... he understands what traffic engineers and news producers dont: people will BLOCK you if you wait until the end. Remember it's a rat race 🤣🤣

[@jackfrank303]

Looks good with toy cars. In the real world, if you're in the lane that ends, you need to force your way in when you see an opening.

[@bobloblaw7465]

Just follow what they said and you'll be fine.

[@deadwingdomain]

Never say zipper again.

[@nettieh.5705]

Love that your drew with chalk and used hot wheels! I used to do that all the time as a kid. Start zipper merging, don’t be afraid. This isn’t NYC, someone will let you over.

[@denverpikes24]

People do Not like you to merge at the last minute, they think you are cutting and not wanting to wait in line as the others have for their turns.

[@Vr4z1el]

Lets not forget the A-holes who move to the merge lane just to pass a bunch of cars and then zipper themselves back in.

[@BrianLalonde]

It seems like zipper merging tends to get used as an excuse to pass everyone, which results in the non-merging lane slowing or stopping altogether.

[@eydiefalkenhagen4434]

Exactly!

[@Mike_Plays]

But that won't be able to happen if we don't leave all that empty space in the merging lane.

[@willmartin369]

You have quite literally missed the entire point of this video fam. Many times the reporter and professor said to use both lanes and fully and correct time to merge is right at the end.

[@BrianLalonde]

@@willmartin369 And you've missed the point of the criticism: It's ivory-tower BS that doesn't work because the people in the continuing lane end up stopped, waiting for a long line from the merging lane to cut in front of them. Zipper teeth on clothes don't pass, they merge where they are because they have room. Cars tailgate and pass, and it all falls apart.

[@dumpstertelevision]

so dont drive anywhere near spear blvd

[@petebusch9069]

Doesn't matter how you merge when everyone finally gets lined up and then drives 5 mph for no reason. Everyone looks at the wrong end of a traffic jam, you need to look a the front of it and watch the cars that are blocking everyone. THAT's the problem. I bet I don't get one single comment on this.

[@Cantcan]

Pretty accurate. Don't drive just to the person in front of your be watching the cars on front of that. I spend nearly 100hrs on the road every week and can watch more than one car but I doubt that your generic driver can or even thinks to watch several cars ahead.

[@debbiedunn4477]

I just got educated in zipping

[@googleuser2426]

So according to the highway department your suppose to wait until the last minute to merge even though you see the blinking signs and barrels from 2miles back. Makes sense 🙄

[@ribstogo12]

That's 2 miles of lane going to waste and backing up traffic.. makes perfect sense to use it

[@Cantcan]

... Show me 2 miles of this and I'll show you the actual 1-2000ft 🙄 exaggeration is worthless

[@NicksDriving]

You two failed to mention the a hole that got over early and now he’s letting NO ONE in. If you stay in the right lane that’s ending and you get up to where it ends, you’re not getting over because in the other lanes eyes you’re cutting in line after they waited. i know this is not correct. I lived in Portland, Oregon for many years. One thing they have figured out up there is zipper merging. That it nothing else. Portland is over. But no one road rages on you for zippering. Funny you mention $8 lattes. People are strapped for cash because everything is stupid expensive and they’re OVER caffeinated. It’s an epidemic that is being over looked.

[@KevinCovington5453]

Southern Hospitality Has known Zipping Since The Model T Ford! There Are Some Other Things You Folks Out West Could Learn Too.... GOOD MANERS ARE FREE - Bless yer Heart"

[@Undercaffinated]

I drive professionally, not Uber, and I was complaining about how people don't know how to zipper merge and the person I was complaining to said, "what's a zipper merge?" I said it's a merge that depends on the kindness of other drivers that doesn't end in a right turn lane. Can you do proper following distance next? Cuz that would really help people get on the interstate during rush hour.

[@winny1401]

Personal responsibility won't get results. Just like it doesn't prevent folks from speeding or running over cyclists. Infrastructure changes drive behavioral changes, not individual people being told to behave...

[@sgtpepperz25]

It is amazing that people fail to understand this...the ME FIRST attitude on the road has everyone mad when someone gets in front of them!

[@xxplosive656]

Amen!

[@autumnmoonfire3944]

If more people start talking about it than the word will spread, here in the north east we can laugh ruefully and say dang, those Massachusetts drivers were right all along! We can also get our state DOTs to add signs reminding people to zip it! My NBC affiliate is WPTZ and I live in northern NYS, So let’s zip in NY, VT and our Canadian friends.

[@bkarguel]

FINALLY!!! Time to teach all the transplants how this works. While NEXT is at it, do one on roundabouts and mountain passing/slow lanes too!

[@Cantcan]

I moved here and I can do it so....

[@bkarguel]

@@Cantcan 👏

[@maria44688]

For the love of God, please talk about mountain passing 🙏🙏🙏 the bane of my existence lol

[@msx701]

most don’t let you in and honk if you wait till the last second to merge, they think you are cutting them off and then road rage starts. Your math isn’t representing reality

[@justjeff4186]

Beg people to let the mergers in. Cause they don’t! Blaming the wrong drivers says something about your privilege.

[@bkarguel]

"What we know is that Colorado crashes and fatalities were skyrocketing, that 2022 was the most deadly year on our roadways in recorded history," - Skyler McKinley (AAA Regional Director of Public Affairs) The amount of ppl from other states and countries that moved in since 2020 should incentivise CDOT and DMV to implement a mandatory driving course within 1 year of residency

[@lindabenton1051]

I experienced zippering in Vancouver, BC for the first time and it worked beautifully!! I was amazed that everyone did it orderly, it was expected, and it was efficient.

[@Cantcan]

This was great. Zippers work. Been all over, watched them work in bigger metro areas with way more, much more aggressive traffic. The whining about it not working is entitlement and cry babies that are too scared to even try or they don't want to get a random stranger mad at them for merging properly.

[@jeremywest5433]

I've seen lots of people try to run you off the road, or block both planes way ahead of the lane closure. There's some mentality like "I got over way ahead of time, now you're cutting me off." Mauve they should teach truck drivers to do it properly first, and others would follow suit? I don't know why this is so difficult a concept, but it seems to be. It definitely makes me VERY apprehensive to do any lane filtering on my motorcycle once that becomes legal. It's the same mentality.

[@eydiefalkenhagen4434]

I was in a lane closure/merge the other night. The people ahead of me, in the ongoing lane, let in all the "zipper" vehicles. I felt resentful and more delayed than I believed I should have been. I think you are trying to justify opportunistic selfish drivers taking advantage of courteous drivers. If zippering really is more effective, it should be that every other car from the ongoing lane should let a merger in.

[@Cantcan]

Now that's just your entitlement complex kicking in. You just felt owed that lane and that forward movement and your didn't get it so you felt cheated and somehow that's the fault of everyone else. No. Get over it.

[@ll.111]

😂😂 Colorado drivers are too inept to navigate anything with efficiency. Watching them at a 4-way stop is 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@bkarguel]

The majority of ppl in CO urban areas are no longer from here, blame all the transplants

[@ll.111]

@@bkarguel 😂 sure thing. Coloradoans are pretty pathetic at many things not just driving.

[@Cantcan]

This is referring to Texans

[@lesliegibbons6917]

To many Me First idiots on the road for this to work. Colorado used to have a law that if you gave someone the finger and you called CHP with tags they would put them in jail for 8 hrs for aggressive driving.

[@Cantcan]

That's stupid. No wonder they don't do that anymore, it may be done in irritation, but it's freedom of expression. Lots of you seem to only like freedom for yourself and not for others.

[@jessg2128]

Boulder used to do this very very well. Not anymore

[@LUKEc16v31]

This is "I need to get where I need to go as fast as I can" privilege. We have enough of this already on the interstates. Better to be safe than to get into an accident and drive-up (pun intended) car insurance rates.

[@timeout...4nva]

what? too busy on my phone while driving.

[@sophierobinson2738]

Yell about Alabama, too. Try zipper merging here and you get cut off.

[@terrilyndel]

I love this, they don’t teach merging in drivers ed

[@keekeedobalina]

It's hard to teach old Coloradoans new tricks!

[@bkarguel]

It's not Coloradoans - check out the drivers doing it wrong or even the out of state plates....definitely gives you a clue

[@youbewb5581]

He’s way too skinny to be flexing so hard Lmao

[@jdc8352]

Goobers

[@dpharr100]

I love all of the people that stay in the closing lane untill the last second and force their way in That's the problem with your zipping theory

[@bkarguel]

That's EXACTLY what they are telling you to do, try re-educating yourself on it

[@superordinate]

Look at the 🧠 on this one!

[@CarlCrazy19]

Denver’s uptight

[@Cantcan]

Seriously. The whole problem seems to be about entitlement. "That's my spot and you can't have it cuz it's MINE!" 🙄 yeesh.

[@Vista-fg4ij]

Works if the traffic is MOVING! Lane closures are by intersections, gridlocked with traffic and everyone waiting their turn at a light. Zippering cuts everyone who's been already waiting and makes you a complete A hole.

[@bkarguel]

They are telling you to do EXACTLY what you think is wrong - USE THE LANE TO IT’S FULL EXTENT - it does not matter what construction/lane closure/accident is happening

[@ribstogo12]

Using all lanes until they end will move traffic faster to begin with

[@presidentcamacho]

This is the mentality that forces people to merge early. I don't want to be told I'm wrong and get yelled out by an entitled driver.

[@Clubsub256]

Some people are too SPED to understand zipper merging🙄

[@banalpedant41]

How adorable. ha! Some dude took the time to understand what people actual do in real time but still thinks he can make improvements despite having to get them to what? Merge as we all learned about when getting our licences? This is nothing more than another planner unable to see the problem because it's so darn simple.

[@jaridkeen123]

NO I hate when people do that. they cut the line and hold up traffic even more

[@sgtpepperz25]

No it is called staying in the lane until it has ended...

[@jeremywest5433]

@jaridkeen123 your mindset is the problem. You'd literally get there faster, along with everyone else if you figured this out. Don't like people going around you in the lane that's ending? Stay in it until it ends then merge, it's that simple.

[@Cantcan]

Lots of entitlement complex in Colorado

[@doverbeachcomber]

This professor is wrong. All he’s doing is moving the merging problem a hundred yards. He’s not accomplishing a thing to improve traffic flow.

[@rsethc]

You know what's even faster? Adequately funded public transit.

[@Cantcan]

It would be nice not to wait 20-30min between trains. This is supposed to be a major metropolitan area.

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

This may be the dumbest video I've ever had the ill-fortune to click on. *NO* type of merging works well, and that's for about 3-6 reasons. The most important reason of all is the fact that if you have 60 cars split into two lanes, but now they need to fit into one, this obviously takes more space and time, period. The second most important reason is that there is *NO* chance that 100% of drivers will behave exactly the way you desire them to do so. It's impossible. And if even a small percentage of drivers "F it up", then the entire process grinds to a halt. END OF STORY. Conclusion: it doesn't work. Deal with it. Accept it. #copium

[@bkarguel]

Hmm do i listen to the ones that have statistically accurate information or you that has a singular, emotionally based opinion, you figure it out

[@Cantcan]

😂 People won't behave the way I want. Worst reason not to do something I've ever heard. I feel like this person didn't actually pay attention then took the test and it's now complaining about why they didn't pass. I'm dying 😂😂😂💀 comic relief.