Zipper people, zipper

[Anonymous]

Anyone trying to muscle into anything on a highway while driving a Prius should just stay home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was a fun morning on Cabin John Parkway at the zipper. The car on the left goes, then it's my car's turn, but not according to the beat-up Prius who tried to tailgate the car in front of him to prevent me from taking my rightful place in the single lane. But I don't think he understood my willingness to win, ESPECIALLY when I know that I'm right. Suffice it to say that I bullied my way right in and laughed all the way to work while he flashed his high beams all along the Clara Barton (at 8 am ). I got so much satisfaction knowing that this pitiful middle manager lost control over yet another aspect of his life. If only he followed the rules of the road and learned to zipper...

You’re just another asshole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This was a fun morning on Cabin John Parkway at the zipper. The car on the left goes, then it's my car's turn, but not according to the beat-up Prius who tried to tailgate the car in front of him to prevent me from taking my rightful place in the single lane. But I don't think he understood my willingness to win, ESPECIALLY when I know that I'm right. Suffice it to say that I bullied my way right in and laughed all the way to work while he flashed his high beams all along the Clara Barton (at 8 am ). I got so much satisfaction knowing that this pitiful middle manager lost control over yet another aspect of his life. If only he followed the rules of the road and learned to zipper...

You’re just another asshole.

Yup. Just another ass creating a more dangerous commute for everyone. All so that she can be first. So stupid.

[Anonymous]

I saw on the Washington Post recently (maybe Carolyn Hax?) where a woman was complaining about people who use a lane that is closed until it ends. She thinks they should move over earlier so that the backup of traffic extends back across as many intersections as possible.

[Anonymous]

Zipper merge: it's the metric system of driving

[Anonymous]

OP has classic road rage aggressive jerk driving behavior, that he gets so much glee and it made his morning, having won out on the ‘beat-up-Prius’ in the zipper lane.Cool story. This would never bother me and I try to pay it forward, to give courtesy even when not warranted.

[Anonymous]

OP, it was ONE car. That one car had zero impact on your commute. You decided to shove your car in front because you’re the a$$hole. Really, this is not the big deal you’re making it out to be.

[Anonymous]

I read an article once that interviewed a traffic management expert who had done a study on zipper merges. He said the best analogy was watching rice go down a funnel. The rice doesn't all line up one side of the funnel and wait their turn. Everyone slides in at the very end."

I remember he said something like "This won't make a lot of people happy, because so many drivers like to believe they own the lane they're in."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's courtesy, and my 16 year old daughter knows this from hearing me exclaim, "zipper in" frequently, and yes, I permit others to zipper in. But, as I said, it's courtesy, not law, and had he hit you, or worse, been injured, that would have been on you. You may want to calm down on that morning drive. Yet another reason to ditch the McMansion and just move closer in.

No, it would have been on him since I was ahead of him and had the right of way. He only begged off when he realized that I would have absolutely let him hit me and would have sued the absolute shit out of him. It's cute that you think that instead of him being a better driver, I should actually move me and my entire family for Mr. 2010 Prius. Yeah, that makes sense.

I agree with you BUT you sound like a giant self absorbed asshole.

Bingo!

The number of times I think this, living and working in this area… I should just get a stamp made.

[Anonymous]

Getting the zipper merge to work in DC is tough because it requires people to have a shared understanding of how traffic flow works, that we trust each other to fair and that we will take turns.

In a different world, one person not following the system (because they don't understand it or were never taught it) would not upset the apple cart. The rest of the drivers continue to zipper merge peacefully. It's just a single grain of rice stuck along the side of the funnel. Carry on. But we live in Beltwayville, so people get up in arms and using their cars to "educate" others.

As I remind my teenage driver: remember that about 1/4 of the cars out there have a gun. "Just move along to get along and always try to be a courteous, defensive driver. Yes, that awful person did win. It's OK."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Getting the zipper merge to work in DC is tough because it requires people to have a shared understanding of how traffic flow works, that we trust each other to fair and that we will take turns.

In a different world, one person not following the system (because they don't understand it or were never taught it) would not upset the apple cart. The rest of the drivers continue to zipper merge peacefully. It's just a single grain of rice stuck along the side of the funnel. Carry on. But we live in Beltwayville, so people get up in arms and using their cars to "educate" others.

As I remind my teenage driver: remember that about 1/4 of the cars out there have a gun. "Just move along to get along and always try to be a courteous, defensive driver. Yes, that awful person did win. It's OK."

I keep hearing how fewer and fewer households own a gun. But at the same time I’m supposed to believe that 1/4 of all cars have one?

Pick a theme.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Getting the zipper merge to work in DC is tough because it requires people to have a shared understanding of how traffic flow works, that we trust each other to fair and that we will take turns.

In a different world, one person not following the system (because they don't understand it or were never taught it) would not upset the apple cart. The rest of the drivers continue to zipper merge peacefully. It's just a single grain of rice stuck along the side of the funnel. Carry on. But we live in Beltwayville, so people get up in arms and using their cars to "educate" others.

As I remind my teenage driver: remember that about 1/4 of the cars out there have a gun. "Just move along to get along and always try to be a courteous, defensive driver. Yes, that awful person did win. It's OK."

I keep hearing how fewer and fewer households own a gun. But at the same time I’m supposed to believe that 1/4 of all cars have one?

Pick a theme.

Assume armed dangerous asshole and let them go. That is what to teach your young drivers. Getting to your destination a car or two behind is not a big deal. The asshole driver is still going to be an asshole driver if you engage or not.