Construction zones are a good thing – they’re a sign of progress, and better streets in our future. You’ll greet construction zones with more positivity once you start zipper merging. Traffic moves faster, more efficiently, and with fewer sudden stops, it’s a safer way to drive!
That's not a bad idea. At least it would eliminate the defensiveness you get from people that are in the through lane. Both lanes end, so you can't rightfully feel like you're defending "your" spot. But I think that would probably take an extra 300ft ahead of the construction area.TitosBuritoBarn wrote: Mon Nov 07, 2022 8:12 pm Last time I was in Minnesota, when there was a construction project on rural interstate, they placed the merge point in the middle of the two lanes and instructed drivers to zipper merge there and not sooner. It took the perception of cutting in line out of it and essentially forced everyone to comply.
I like that idea!TitosBuritoBarn wrote: Mon Nov 07, 2022 8:12 pm Last time I was in Minnesota, when there was a construction project on rural interstate, they placed the merge point in the middle of the two lanes and instructed drivers to zipper merge there and not sooner. It took the perception of cutting in line out of it and essentially forced everyone to comply.
Since you decided to drone on about this for 3 posts and with no one replying to you, I'll take the initiative since you are practically begging for a response. I completely understand that my post will be deleted by admins, and that's OK with me. Everyone else is being polite and not responding to you with what they think about your boasting about cutting in line, but I'll be the person who will say what everyone else is thinking. Since we've never met, I am only saying this as a reflection of your actions, not of you personally.Busguy2010 wrote: Mon Nov 07, 2022 10:27 pm And that reminded me, also today, before the merge thing, I was going northbound on 72nd at the Home Depot entrance just north of Ames. There's a left turn lane there that is purely for U-turns... Or so I thought. Both lanes were like six or more cars deep, and this person used the U-turn lane to pass us all and cut in front as the light turned green. I like, wasn't even mad about it. I was straight up impressed. Now, that one is against the rules big time, but I still was put aback. The 'ol shake n' bake I guess.
Are you the one I picked off? Hehe. I know I was being aggressive, but I wasn't wrong. I drive an old rusty truck too, not like I'm an entitled arse driving a new Infinity Nemesis, or a Dodge Charger Hellcat, Jeep Wrangler with the jack, etc. You get the idea. I'm not a tool.SoPo wrote: Tue Nov 08, 2022 6:56 pm Since you decided to drone on about this for 3 posts and with no one replying to you, I'll take the initiative since you are practically begging for a response. I completely understand that my post will be deleted by admins, and that's OK with me. Everyone else is being polite and not responding to you with what they think about your boasting about cutting in line, but I'll be the person who will say what everyone else is thinking. Since we've never met, I am only saying this as a reflection of your actions, not of you personally.
You were being a dick.
So if you were in a Nemesis or Charger Hellcat you’d be an entitled arse for doing it, but since you’re in an old rusty truck it’s ok?Busguy2010 wrote: Tue Nov 08, 2022 9:00 pmAre you the one I picked off? Hehe. I know I was being aggressive, but I wasn't wrong. I drive an old rusty truck too, not like I'm an entitled arse driving a new Infinity Nemesis, or a Dodge Charger Hellcat, Jeep Wrangler with the jack, etc. You get the idea. I'm not a tool.SoPo wrote: Tue Nov 08, 2022 6:56 pm Since you decided to drone on about this for 3 posts and with no one replying to you, I'll take the initiative since you are practically begging for a response. I completely understand that my post will be deleted by admins, and that's OK with me. Everyone else is being polite and not responding to you with what they think about your boasting about cutting in line, but I'll be the person who will say what everyone else is thinking. Since we've never met, I am only saying this as a reflection of your actions, not of you personally.
You were being a dick.
Aggressive, sure. Wrong, I don't think so. Definitely didn't make contact or put anybody in danger. Not like this was on the interstate and moving 60 mph. I hurt some feelings, sure did, but nothing more. I just know while everybody else was sleeping, going through the motions, ho-humming along, I got where I was going and saved myself several minutes.
And the really funny part is the person I took the spot from wasn't gonna be polite and let me in, and neither were the rest of them. Har har
Yes, you should be rooting for me hahaNEDodger wrote: Tue Nov 08, 2022 9:32 pm So if you were in a Nemesis or Charger Hellcat you’d be an entitled arse for doing it, but since you’re in an old rusty truck it’s ok?
The traffic engineer's perspective is that a road needs to move as many cars through as possible. And for a motorist to not take advantage of an open lane is to create unnecessary traffic. That is why a merge point was not placed further back to perpetuate some farcical entitlement to having a place in line among variable speed traffic.SoPo wrote: Tue Nov 08, 2022 6:56 pmSince you decided to drone on about this for 3 posts and with no one replying to you, I'll take the initiative since you are practically begging for a response. I completely understand that my post will be deleted by admins, and that's OK with me. Everyone else is being polite and not responding to you with what they think about your boasting about cutting in line, but I'll be the person who will say what everyone else is thinking. Since we've never met, I am only saying this as a reflection of your actions, not of you personally.Busguy2010 wrote: Mon Nov 07, 2022 10:27 pm And that reminded me, also today, before the merge thing, I was going northbound on 72nd at the Home Depot entrance just north of Ames. There's a left turn lane there that is purely for U-turns... Or so I thought. Both lanes were like six or more cars deep, and this person used the U-turn lane to pass us all and cut in front as the light turned green. I like, wasn't even mad about it. I was straight up impressed. Now, that one is against the rules big time, but I still was put aback. The 'ol shake n' bake I guess.
You were being a dick.
Yeah me neither, thats what happened to me up by the Home Depot. Dude used the turn lane to cut like 12 people. He executed it perfectly though. And it happened so quick, I didn't even have the time to be mad about it. And come to think of it, he was headed in the direction of Immanuel, so maybe it was an emergency.Greg S wrote: Wed Nov 09, 2022 10:41 am I don't mind traditional zipper merges or when they are in a construction zone. What I have no tolerance for is when you have a turn lane and a traditional lane, and some try and use the turn lane like a zipper merge, especially at the last minute when you don't expect someone to jump into your lane at a higher speed with little to no spare room.
Greg
I wasn't there to know how "aggressive" your move was. But I have found that I don't need to be aggressive to execute a zipper merge. And the lack of aggressiveness reduces the chance of triggering someone else's road rage. I proceed at a normal speed to the end of the closed lane and slow down to the pace of the other lane with blinker on and at most I have had to wait for two cars before someone lets me in. Usually I just casually merge right in with no wait. Maybe my next merge will be different but so far I have had no problems. Road rage is funny until it isn't.Busguy2010 wrote: Wed Nov 09, 2022 1:18 am Thinking about it, yes, I'd hate to do that to someone I know and like. But its just ridiculous that we have one lane with 30 or more cars in it, and the other with 1 car. This whole looking like an arsehole thing would be totally avoided if half the people in the left lane had the guts to use the ending lane. I'm finding out the move I made might have been considered brave, bold, brash, rude, etc. When at the instant I decided to do it, it just felt like the smart thing to do. Definitely sometimes I think we hoomans get in out own way, and this is for sure one of the instances.
I mean, it really wasn't aggressive. Was moving like I said, at a craw... And Usually I never have a problem, but the person at the front was defending their spot. The only aggressive aspect was that I didn't get over early and wait my turn in that long line. It made no sense to. 4 of 5 times I don't have an issue.guy4omaha wrote: Thu Nov 10, 2022 4:22 pm Usually I just casually merge right in with no wait. Maybe my next merge will be different but so far I have had no problems.
Try that with me and see how that works out for ya. If you’re courteous and use your signal, I’ll let you in. Try to put your nose between my car and the car in front of me, you’re not getting in without running into me, and you’ll be paying to fix my car.Busguy2010 wrote: Thu Nov 25, 2021 9:09 pm "If you ain't first, yer last"
I'm the guy when I see a line, I get out of line and cut back in at the front
There's nothing in there that is considered defensive driving. They are all equally as wrong as inserting yourself in the front of a zipper merge. Being aggressively defensive is just as wrong as being aggressively aggressive. We all have a different flavor of wrong I guess. You'd really rather get into a wreck with someone than take a little blow to your ego? It doesn't make sense to me.EricHaley wrote: Sat Nov 12, 2022 4:05 pm Try that with me and see how that works out for ya. If you’re courteous and use your signal, I’ll let you in. Try to put your nose between my car and the car in front of me, you’re not getting in without running into me, and you’ll be paying to fix my car.
I drive very defensively due to all the stupid drivers. Some examples:
If I’m two car lengths behind the car in front of me on the interstate and I see someone who’s going to try and squeeze in there, I’ll close the gap.
If someone tries to merge into my lane acting like they have the right of way, they’re ending up on the shoulder.
Ride my behind? Better be ready for me to give you the scare of your life. It’s hilarious to watch in the rear view. I don’t do that one much as the conditions have to be just right. Instead I’ll just box them in. Had one dude the other week that got so frustrated he went into the opposing lane on Dodge lol
I have places to go too.
Yep. I’m not going to be bullied.Busguy2010 wrote: Sat Nov 12, 2022 4:55 pm You'd really rather get into a wreck with someone than take a little blow to your ego? It doesn't make sense to me.
Interesting. I go more with a "you win some, you lose some" mentality. If someone "cut" (it's all relative) in front of me at a merge, I'm not going to run into them just to prove a point. And I'm definitely not going to brake check someone who's riding my |expletive|, I'm going to go faster or concede and let them by me. You catch my drift? I'd never get into an accident or play road rage for any spot. What you say you'd do in those situations sounds way worse than what I did. Way less safe and more playing into the ego of the other driver. That all sounds very dangerous. Way more than tipping my nose into a gap moving at 3 mph.EricHaley wrote: Sat Nov 12, 2022 5:27 pmYep. I’m not going to be bullied.Busguy2010 wrote: Sat Nov 12, 2022 4:55 pm You'd really rather get into a wreck with someone than take a little blow to your ego? It doesn't make sense to me.
They've been shutting down various parts of Pacific between 72nd and 90th for several weeks(months?) now and it's become pretty annoying. I try to use Center going West and even there they'll randomly close down a lane.Busguy2010 wrote: Thu Mar 27, 2025 12:43 am I encountered a ridiculous merge point on Pacific today. The right lane is closed just west of 78th street, after the light. Almost everybody out in rush hour traffic traveling westbound was in the left lane, to the point it was backed up to what would be 73rd or 72nd ave. Whatever that light is.
It had to have been 50 cars deep or more, two cars in the right lane. The people at the end of that line had to have missed at least two cycles, and multiple cars merging in as early as possible. I just don't get why people are like afraid to be in the empty lane, or overly defensive when in a long line.
Must be related to this:
Google has been going gangbusters all over the westside area. We basically went from no fiber options to 3 or 4 in less than a year. Google is doing it different than the rest. Its 100% underground and all in the front yard (Our neighborhood still has wires on poles in the back yard). They are basically going up one side of the street putting a junction box on every other property line and then boring it over to each house on the opposite side over the street. Our across the street neighbors have the junction box and we have a dead ended conduit buried in our front lawn.EricHaley wrote: Thu Mar 27, 2025 10:28 amMust be related to this:
Beginning Monday, March 24, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., South 78th Street between Howard Street and Pacific Street will be under flagger operations South bound for utility work in the West section by Ervin Cable Construction for Google and will be in effect for four (4) days.
https://publicworks.cityofomaha.org/str ... -revision/
Could be the redirected traffic from the 72nd & D bridge reconstruction project. You also have the high school at 60th & L that may be letting out at that time.ThreeGGG wrote: Fri Mar 28, 2025 7:46 pm Can anybody explain what is going on with 60th street going south in the late afternoon? It is backed up from Center Street well past I-80. The past 2 days it has taken me 20+ minutes to get from Center Street to the I-80W exit. But the backup goes much further past the I-80 entrances & exits. Ridiculous wait times.
I went through this area yesterday and 60th south bound is down to one lane around F. St. But, I also imagine with 72nd being out a lot of traffic is diverted to 84th and 60th, I shot down Grover from 72nd to 60th and was stuck in traffic for nearly 20 min. It was a mad house of people trying to sneak through the light but getting stuck in the middle of the intersection due to traffic and just generally creating a bigger mess. I'm so glad I work from home and don't have to deal with traffic on the daily.ThreeGGG wrote: Fri Mar 28, 2025 7:46 pm Can anybody explain what is going on with 60th street going south in the late afternoon? It is backed up from Center Street well past I-80. The past 2 days it has taken me 20+ minutes to get from Center Street to the I-80W exit. But the backup goes much further past the I-80 entrances & exits. Ridiculous wait times.