Quote:
Originally Posted by mdm
By your logic, I should merge into the left lanes immediately just because all other drivers feel that it is appropriate for them, right?
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By MY logic:
A single file line of cars can pass through the single lane "eye of the needle".
A line two cars wide cannot.
If we assume that at the "eye of the needle" there is a physical barrier that will STOP the second row IF it has not merged yet.
It is more efficient to merge before the physical barrier
to be assured that ALL cars are single file, and there will be no pause to let a "late comer" into the line.
It less efficient to wait for the last second to try to merge because the drivers are HUMAN and are less likely to maintain the proper order and EVENTUALLY the car in the lane trying to merge WILL get cut off and have to stop.
This breaks the continuity of the flow.
It is not 'might', it WILL Happen about every other car IF the cars are FORCED to comply at just ONE point in the flow.
It is MORE efficient to allow the merge to happen 10, 20, 50 yards BEFORE the physical barrier because WHEN some asshole breaks the pattern and refuses to let someone in it DOES NOT STOP THE ENTIRE OPERATION.
This is the 'Buffer area I am talking about.
If you wait to the last second to merge you INCREASE the chances that a ****head that wont let someone in will cause a chain reaction that brings the whole thing to a stop.
What is the chance of the chain reaction happening when everyone is bunched right up TO THE Barrier? 100% - Because HUMANS.
The chance is far less if the merge is occurring back a ways and the flow WILL be smoother UNTIL some jackass trys to dart around everyone and force his way in.
I am NOT talking about when traffic is moving along at 20, 30 or even 50 MPH.
My specific example is when two lanes are CREEPING up to the on ramp at a walking pace.
There is ZERO benefit in forcing yourself right up to the barrier in this case.
It does not make the operation smoother, it increases the chance of a fuck up.
And my example #3 above is EXACTLY what happens every day on the road out of Boulder CO towards denver.
Just imagine two steady streams of ball bearings falling into a funnel.
Which one will pass through the funnel more smoothly?
Two streams that were merged before the funnel into a single stream, or two streams dumped into the funnel where the funnel has to force the two streams to be single file.
Answer: The stream that was organized BEFORE it was forced into the funnel.