Traffic Queue

Vagus | 15:54 Fri 08th Sep 2023 | ChatterBank

12 Answers

When you come up to a sign on the motorway, or other two or three lane road, and a sign tells you your lane will be closing, do you immediately join the end of the queue on the lane which will remain open, or do you carry on until just before your lane closes?
Lots of roads like this have signs which say ‘merge in turn’ but many don’t, and I believe it’s sometimes referred to as zip merging.
I know what we do, but what do you do? Who’s right and who’s wrong??

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Barsel

I would merge in as soon as I saw the sign.
It's one of those things that annoys me when people just carry on in the hope someone will let them in. Chancers!

ToraToraTora

I go right up to the cones to optimise the available road space. A lot of drivers don't know how to merge and get irate at this.

Barmaid

Zip merging keeps the traffic flowing. Merge in turn whilst using the soon to be closed lane to its full extent is correct.

The trouble is, many people see those using the "to be closed" lane to its near end as chancers and will not let them in. This is part of the cause of delay.

Vagus

Question Author

I’m with you TTT, a lot of people seem to feel like Barsel does though and see it as ‘pushing in’.
We always let people in, and 99.9% of people let us in. I’m just curious as to the feeling on AB (and I’m bored)

1581960

Sorry Barsel, I may have annoyed you somewhere in the past. If a sign says lane closed in half a mile that indicates that it is open for half a mile!
How long before the closure do you think it's time to que in one lane, quarter of a mile?, half a mile? five miles? Use the lanes that are open until they are closed I say. Then merge in turn.

ToraToraTora

I did an advanced motorcycling course with the Dorset police years ago but this came up regarding cars. many seem to take it as "pushing in" I was assured by the experts that it's better for the traffic if the road is utilised right up to the cones. Not an issue with bikes anyway of course.

douglas9401

The experts don't have to look at the thick-necked chancers speeding towards the cones then going blue in the face when their 'turn' is delayed.
Like most things the usual suspects feel they have a right and the rest of us should yield, bow or simply evaporate.

Road rules combined with a little foresight, courtesy and respect help things along, even in a Jaaaaag.