Oh boy . . . traffic the topic of Group Therapy Thursday today!

Dear Ted and Amy,
This is kind of a different issue for Group Therapy Thursday - I’ve got a bone to pick—and it’s with drivers here in Syracuse who treat merging like a competitive sport rather than a cooperative process. When lanes are ending—especially in construction zones—many people merge early, clogging one lane while letting the other sit empty. It might feel polite, but that behavior actually slows traffic, triggers road rage, and increases safety risks. The more efficient—and kinder—strategy is called the zipper merge (or late-merge technique). In this method, drivers stay in both lanes until the merge point, then take turns—like the teeth of a zipper—to enter the remaining lane. It’s shown to reduce backups by 40% and smooth the flow of traffic. I get it—late merging feels wrong. Drivers often label it “rude” or “cutting,” because it defies our ingrained habit of lining up early. But as one Montreal commentator put it: everyone benefits when we all act together: “If all drivers use the zipper merge, all drivers benefit... Nobody is cheating.” We don’t need to shame folks; we just need better signage and public awareness. In Minnesota, for example, zipper merging is officially promoted and has cut backups by around 40% So, drivers of Syracuse: let's give zipper merging a chance. It’s safer, fairer, and smarter. I’d love to hear your comments on zipper merging.
Signed,
Merge Maniac in Minoa

 

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