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The Late Merger
- 11/18/09
- 77
Though I don’t feel quite right about it, I just had to give it a try. It is an experiment of sorts, I guess. I just had to know what it was like to be one of the few, one of the proud, one of the obnoxious—one of the late mergers. You know these people. Most of you, when you are crawling along the highway in heavy traffic and see a sign telling you that the lane will end in one mile (or one kilometer if you’re up here in Canada), quickly bump over into the lane that will not end, glad that you’ve immediately sorted out that problem. Now you can be assured that you won’t find yourself squeezed onto the shoulder or parked endlessly with your light blinking, trying to squeeze your way out of that dying lane while everyone else tries to block your progress. Yet, as you sit there, content that you’ve done the right thing, you can’t help but notice all those people speeding by to your right, driving their cars to the edge, to the brink, to the very last car-length of the lane that is about to end. You grouch, your grumble, you remark on their complete lack of care for the other people on the road. And yet you have to admit that they will get where they are going before you will. They seem unaffected by your plight, content to further their own goals even at your expense.
I’ve been there. And I just had to try life as a late merger. I now zip down that ending lane and merge at the very last second, finding a gap in traffic and squeezing my van into it. I get the dirty looks and angry stares. But I get where I’m going sooner than they do.
In his book Traffic Tom Vanderbilt discusses this same phenomenon. He, too, became a late merger, much to his wife’s chagrin, and he found that life is better this way. “It is a question you have no doubt asked yourself while crawling down some choked highway, watching with mounting frustration as the adjacent cars glide ahead. You drum the wheel with your fingers. You change the radio station. You fixate on one car as a benchmark of your own lack of progress. You try to figure out what that weird button next to the rear-window defroster actually does. I used to think this was just part of the natural randomness of the highway. Sometimes fate would steer me into the faster lane, sometimes it would relinquish me to the slow lane.” But he made a major lifestyle change when he became a late merger.
But the days after he first experimented with late merging were not easy. “In the days after, a creeping guilt and confusion took hold. Was I wrong to have done this? Or had I been doing it wrong all my life.” Seeking answers, he headed to an online community and posed the question to the waiting masses. He was rather surprised at the response, not just in the volume of responses but also in the passion and conviction with which people spoke. Some argued that he was a goon, refusing to do the sort of random acts of kindness that benefit all of society. By refusing to merge early, he was contributing to the overall slowness of the highway and making accidents more likely. Others argued that he was simply a good steward, using the highway to its maximum capacity. After all, what is the purpose of all that asphalt if we are not really allowed to drive on it? By maximizing the use of the highway surface he was actually making life better for everyone. Politeness or fairness (real or perceived) were actually detrimental to everyone.
Later in the book Vanderbilt gives empirical evidence as to what works best—whether early merging or late merging is better in the end. And he offers up his take on how we can best keep traffic flowing.
But for now, by way of light-hearted fare, do tell me, are you a late merger or an early merger? And how do you feel about the people who do the opposite of what you do?
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
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Comments (77)
I am an early merger and the late mergers are my biggest pet peeve on the road given that I live in DC with its horrendous traffic. For me it boils down to doing to others what you have them do unto you. Also annoying is the sense of entitlement that is evident when a late merger stops at the head of the line, puts on the turn signal, and just expects drivers to let him/her through. However, I guess this situation does make for a good diagnostic for how my spiritual heart is doing on a particular day. Do I let the person in or do I jealously guard what I believe to be mine. As for the “using the asphalt” logic, if someone were to cut to the beginning of the line in a movie theater or restaurant, I don’t think that person using the “hey, I’m just being a good steward of this floor space” would go over very well.
I’ve done both, but now I’m mostly an early merger. That suits my conscience best. Funny how you hope that no one will let the late mergers into traffic!
LATE MERGER all the way. In general I can cruise down the ending lane pretty close to the end and then merge without even slowing down the car I pull out in front of. Why sit and wait in the other lane?
I’m mostly an early merger (due to a lifetime of being a “good boy,” obediently following directions and wishing every one else would also). Once in a while I feel rebellious and zoom past all those dolts just inching along, then merge at the last minute - oh how sweet it feels. But, because I am usually one of the “dolts” and know what I think about the zooming late mergers, it isn’t really that sweet. So, I go back to obediently following directions and wishing that every one else would also!!!
I’ve switched between them both. I have generally preferred the late merger position. The asphalt is there, why not use it? I don’t buy the argument that a late merger adds to the traffic. Additionally, there have been several times (including just this last weekend on a long drive) where signs for miles tell you of a lane closure, so you begin to get over with most others, coming close to a crawl, only to realize that the lane is in fact not closed, that the DOT has failed to to take down these signs, and a traffic jam was created where one need not have been created at all. That burns me a bit. But alas, my wife is an early merger and so I will continue to fight the battle.
I will say that I respect both sides of the issue and have several times allowed late mergers to merge in front of me. I am interested to see what the findings of the author’s evidence are.
I live and drive (a lot!) in China and we are pretty much all late mergers over here. In China 2 lanes merging into 1 often (almost always!) end up being 4 lanes merging into 2. And very rarely does anyone get angry with another driver. That’s just the way things work… and it makes for a fun commute!
I think the thing that bothers me most when I am back home in the States is that we waste so much road space. We go single file in a lane easily wide enough for two cars. The Chinese don’t have that problem :-)
I have a family member who is an over-the-road truck driver, and he swears that you are supposed to use up as much of the 2 lanes of traffic as possible. Apparently, he says, you actually cause more traffic back-up by merging too early and it is the intention of road crews for open highway to be used for better flow of traffic.
Now saying all that, I must admit that I rarely, if ever, merge late. I feel like a heel when I do it.
I’m an early merger. I think of late merging the same way I think of cutting in line.
I tend to be a late merger when I am in a hurry or just feeling impatient.
I’m an early merger when I’m just wanting to enjoy the time with people in the car with me.
Which ever one I choose - I have a feeling that I am right and people doing opposite are wrong :)
I must confess I’m a late merger. But I look for someone who isn’t following the person in front of them very closely and try not to “ask” someone to slow down and let me in. Big trucks, for example, are rarely able to stay close to the car in front of them—they can’t speed up and slow down as quickly—so they are usually my prime target. By late-merging in this way, I’m not slowing traffic down for anyone. I’m simply filling a space that is already there. Thus I late merge AND keep a clear conscience at the same time!
When I’m feeling particularly selfish and don’t much care about those others on the road, I’m a happy late merger. Of course, “particularly selfish” and “don’t much care” are not things I consider good traits for a Christian, so I don’t do it very often. I’m willing to be inconvenienced to avoid irritating others. I suppose if others didn’t mind so much, I’d merge late.
This post was interesting and made really made me evaluate my philosophy of merging. As one with tendencies toward legalism, I find I’m actually a pragmatic merger. I typically frown on late mergers. As they attempt to merge in, I might even evaluate their attitude and base my graciousness toward them on that: “Look at her speed down there to get ahead in line! Well, I certainly won’t let her over!” or “Poor woman; she probably didn’t realize what she was getting into, and now no one will let her over.” Of course, the pragmatism comes in on days I’m running late or have been sitting in traffic for a long time… now I’m suddenly a late merger, imploring with my eyes and blinker for someone to show grace to me. Yikes!
I am a middle of the road merger. Except two months ago I became a late merger. l live in Springfield, MO, and I came from big cities where we drive fast. People here come to a complete stop when merging onto highways, brake going downhill, etc… It’s a constant test of my sanctification. I was going home at 9 PM on a highway, expecting no traffic, when we came to a construction zone where we went to one lane and the speed limit was posted at 50 mpg. People were coming to a complete stop, and traffic was backed up for miles. At this point, I came to the conclusion that people had forfeited their right to a place in line by coming to an unnecessary complete stop. So I went up the left lane, until a pickup tried to block my way. So…I went into the breakdown lane and went around him. I’m pretty sure he was mad at me. Anyway, I felt guilty and haven’t done it since. Especially since we’re doing a BIble study on holiness and God convicted me about my attitude toward other drivers (regular use of the word “idiot” under my breath isn’t Christ-like)
Tim,Just remember, “The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.” I can just hear the sermon: There are no merging lanes at the entrance to heaven:[1] the narrow gate[2] the single lane[3]the soft shoulderDad
I’m a late merger, I hate to pass, and I’ll get to the right an hour early on the freeway in anticipation of an off-ramp, I’m so nervous there won’t be an opening.
I’m an early merger, somewhat. When I do, I often leave half my car in the other lane so the late mergers can’t get in front of me!
The ones who upset me the most aren’t late mergers, but the early mergers who let them in up front.
I am an early merger. I believe we have an obligation to obey posted traffic signs. If the sign says the lane is ending we need to merge then we should do it. Its as simple as that. However, I resist the temptation to cast judgment on those who late merge. I do not get upset or bent out of shape when they fly by me as I’m waiting in line. In fact, I keep a car length away from the car in from the car in front of me so that cars can easily merge when the chose to do so. I haven’t always been this way. I used to be the grumpy, self righteous driver that refused to let people merge. But I realized that attitude was pointless. Let grace and mercy rule!!!
Thanks for the thought provoking post.
I would consider myself half and half. Sometimes I do one and sometimes the other, but I’m with Kent on this one…look for the big trucks and there is an easy target to get in front of. It doesn’t slow anybody else down or cause people to have to yield to you.
Hmm. I haven’t really thought about whether I’m a late or an early merger. I just do the best I can depending on the driving conditions — sometimes that means I’m an early merger and sometimes it means I’m a late one. And, I guess, I assumed all the other drivers are doing their best to get where they need to go, too. I never even considered that there may be some selfish driving going on. However, if I’m late merging, then I always give the “thank you wave.” If I’m early and let a late go ahead, then I expect the wave in return. I really appreciate the wave. WAVE, PEOPLE!
I’m an early merger and I pray imprecatory psalms for all later mergers.
I am an early merger. That said, late merging would work better IF everyone just maintained their position, then each one let one go ahead. We could all reach our destinations with a lot less frustration.
I have taken courses in traffic engineering technology and from what I know it definitely slows down traffic overall.If everyone got into the lane as natural openings happened then it wouldn’t slow down traffic. The slowdowns happen when one person has to brake to let someone in. Traffic can slow down very quickly but takes a whole lot longer (read: all rush hour long) to speed up again.Have you ever notice that the traffic speeds up again after the merge lane ends? It shouldn’t because there are now more cars in less lanes but it does because no one is braking to let people in.
Having said that, I do stay in the merge lane a little longer than I probably should.
I’m a confirmed late merger - I agree wholeheartedly that you should use both lanes and then alternate when two lanes merge into one. BUT, what I am not is what I call a “skoochy-skoochy” driver. On one of my available routes in to the office (which I now avoid because it makes me so mad) there is a long, long line of traffic leading up to the last exit at the toll plaza. The lane to the left goes through the main toll plaza. This isn’t a merge - IT IS A LINE (a queue, for you Anglophiles). Everyone is waiting their turn to get up to the booth. There’s a ton of a.m. traffic, more than the toll booth can handle so we ALL HAVE TO WAIT. Of course, many folks do the ‘skoochy-skoochy’ and drive up to the barrier in the left lane (blocking the folks who are trying to go through the main toll plaza in that lane) and then put on their blinker. This behavior makes me insanely angry, so much so that I avoid that route to work though it would reduce my travel time by 10 minutes. There’s a difference between merging and waiting in line for your turn!!
Late merging for all is the most efficient. I just recently traveled through Pennsylvania and they had signs telling every one NOT to get over until the lanes actually merged. I can also remember traveling in Indiana a number of years ago when they put cones between the two lanes so people could not cross into the other lane until the lanes merged. In practice I do both, but I certainly don’t feel guilty for late merging and the self-righteous stares I get don’t bother me because I know that they are wrong.
I find #16 & 17 being right next to each other funny.
Philippians 2:3-4 says that we are to “do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
How can we drive in a way that shows that we count others as more significant than ourselves? As Christians we can disagree on how this works out but our attitude toward other drivers should be that of humility and love.
And as for your question, most of the time I’m a early merger who lets the late mergers in. Sorry Gale (#16)
I’m a late merger, and I pretty much agree with the idea that it’s ridiculous to merge a mile and a half ahead of time. For example, if the right lane ends, you merge left, if you merge early you just make that lane that much longer. I’ve done a lot of driving in Germany, and for one thing they are just better at driving that Americans are, but thats a different discussion. Everybody merges at the last second, and there is a law there (the “zipper” law) that as the person gets to the end of the merging lane, that those in the lane that is being merged upon must give way, but only to one car at a time. So you get a: you, then me, then you effect. It works great, and I think a law like that would do us all some good. Everything is “einordnung,” or in order. Nobody is mad, and everybody knows ahead of time what’s coming. And traffic keeps moving, no matter how slow, you don’t find one lane completely stopped while the other flies by at 50 mph (which is unsafe, undoubtedly). So I don’t feel guilty when I merge late, because I just don’t care if you think I should have merged earlier because you weren’t aware of how long 2 miles actually is. If you want to merge that far ahead, that’s fine, but I’m still driving ahead to merge where we’re supposed to. It’s not against the law to follow the lane to its end, so why does everybody get so bent out of shape about it?
I’m firmly in the late merging camp. It’s all about increasing the flow of traffic.
More lanes means more space, which means more cars can travel safely at any given speed. Fewer lanes leaves less space for cars which means that cars either must get closer together (less safe) or they must slow down (reducing the flow of traffic). Early merging effectively reduces the available lanes, forcing cars to slow down even more and increasing traffic.
The late merge need not be unfair or selfish. If the cars filter into all of the available lanes when they encounter traffic and use the ‘zipper’ method at the actual merge point, the cars should get through the merge point in the same order as they entered traffic.
I am an early merger. I believe that later mergers are rude and inconsiderate. I absolutely will not allow a late merger to merge in front of me and whenever possible I try to straddle both lanes so that I can keep my proper spot in the correct lane and block enough of the restricted lane that others are not able to get past me and merge in front.
I believe it boils down to a respect for authority. As soon as you seen the sign to merge left or merge right, so should obey the direction. If you zip past me, you are either failing to submit to authority, or not paying attention to the road. In either case I don’t want you driving anywhere near me.
NEITHER! I take the bus, as *should* most the other people on the roadway where I live. Sharing the ride is better for the environment, for travel time, for sanity, for saving money. . SHARE THE RIDE — SOLO RIDERS ARE SLOW!
the purpose of a merge lane is to get to a speed that does not impact the traffic flow so, use it to the degree that it allows you to do that. When it is rush hour and everyone is crawling anyway, it does not in my opinion matter when i merge in so, for the most part I take full advantage of the merge lane and do not feel ill of those who do the same. when I am on the freeway, I avoid the right lane to make it easier for others to merge into traffic
What drives me up the wall is when people move INTO merge lanes to pass people. If you’re already in the lane that ends, that’s one thing, but there’s a spot on the inner loop of the DC Beltway where people routinely move into the merge lane to bypass other cars. It was a patience growing experience when I had to deal with it every day.
Well It depends.Scenario 1:When traffic is slow (very slow but still moving quite constantly), i’m usually a late merger. Hey, somewhere down the road, there is bound to be someone who is extremely cautious and thus keep a wide enough space between cars.. ;-) Scenario 2:When there is traffic jam (ie. cars are moving so slowly it’s almost coming to a halt) AND I am in a hurry, then I’m a late merger.Scenario 3:When there is traffic jam AND I am not in a hurry, then I’m a early merger.I do feel bad in scenario 2, thus i’ll usually show appreciation with a hand gesture of thanks.
so, do early mergers think that the merge lanes should be essentially empty?
I use the zipper method on a daily basis to get past everybody breaking to turn right. I have no problem getting cut off or cutting others off, provided the cutter don’t slow the cuttee down. However I usually don’t like to wait till the very end of the merge lane, as in my experience this will result in 1) me waiting far too long for an opening OR 2) a risky squeeze in my SUV. A sports car would be nicer in those cases.
I used to be an early merger and I would get all bitter about the late mergers. Then I became a highway engineer in my state and realized that we often encourage late merging.
On some highways we will give notice up to 10 miles prior to the lane closing to warn people; along with periodic warnings. In order to prevent the backup from stretching too far back and plugging other intersections we encourage both lanes to be used right up to the point of the merger. At this point the drivers are “supposed to” alternate turns.
I still feel somewhat guilty that I am a late merger, but only because the rest of the drivers don’t understand that it is the recommended movement.
I am both but lean towards staying in whatever lane I happen to be in at time I reach the warning signs. I believe late merging works best if everyone alternates. In fact here in Sudbury I have now seen signs stating to use both lanes until the merge point. I say about time!
I’m an easy-going merger. LOL. I don’t care. I’m an early bird so you won’t find me losing my cool in any lane. I had to learn that once children came along. I can give myself a heart attack trying to figure out if I’ll shave 30 seconds off my commute by late merging or I can just chill out and not worry about it.
I prefer chillin’.
I am definitely an early merger whether I’m running late or early - my conscience doesn’t allow for lapses based on my time frame. Always have been and late mergers used to be my biggest pet peeve. But then I realized, thank God, that I cannot control everyone’s actions on the road, only mine. So I continue to merge early and pray each time for a change of heart and attitude, remembering that being Christ-like starts in my heart.
I also live in DC, like Paul up above, but I am an avowed late merger. It really does make life easier and keeps the flow of traffic going. EXCEPT, if you’re coming down New York Ave from MD into the district and the right lane at around New Jersey Ave turns into a parking lane. To be a late merger there is just a rookie move that impedes all other traffic and shows your lack of general knowledge of the cities local traffic ethos. Shame on those late mergers.
It’s worth noting that, at least in Minnesota, lane closures on high-traffic freeways have signs saying to use both lanes and alternate at the merge point. That should say something about the civil engineering aspects of this, and is consistent with what I’ve gleaned elsewhere - using the road and merging at the end keeps traffic flowing the most rapidly and smoothly. Unfortunately, many people decide the signs aren’t worth heeding and merge early anyway.
It’s funny how people moralize traffic merging. Is it illegal to drive on that part of the roadway? That should be the only question — not who should be first or last or who is being greedy or discourteous or whatever.
It’s funny how people moralize traffic merging. Is it illegal to drive on that part of the roadway? That should be the only question — not who should be first or last or who is being greedy or discourteous or whatever.
I’m an early/slow merger. I merge very early and I merge halfway so that the late mergers can’t jump ahead of everyone. Maybe I’m the evil one.
Since you will always have motorists braking, slowing to allow the mergers to enter, the point of merging is relatively unimportant. Either way traffic will slow to a snails pace to allow for the newcomers. What is of interest here is the early’s view of the late, and vise versa. Keep in mind that if traffic did not slow down, no one would care, and we wouldn’t be having this conversation. It’s interesting that the one camp often thinks the other is the cause of the slowdown - it is inevitable, you know. I’m with Pops, though, and I’m guessing this is part 1 of 2. Or at least it could make for an engaging segue….
I do both. It depends on the traffic, the day, the mood I am in, and whether I am reading emails or watching the road at the time. =)
Love this post. Always wondered if other people spent as much time thinking about it as I do.
I’m more of a middle merger. I cruise at the same speed as the slower traffic and keep my signal on, waiting for someone to be neighborly. I’ll let late mergers in as long as they use their signal. It is really annoying when someone stalks in the left lane, waiting for the gap to grow, then cutting folks off without so much as blinking a signal. And if they’re on the phone…whoa. I might get mad enough to honk!
Tim, you gotta talk about airplane etiquette. The whole approach - boarding, seating, armrests, overheads - there’s much to discuss.
Tim I am shocked! I would not have guessed you to be a late merger. I drive 75 miles each way to work in Nashville, so I am well versed in merging. I usually try to merge as early as possible, so then I can either sit back and relax OR maneuver into another lane if it is available. Like any decision we make, I think it is the intent of the heart. If we merger late and laugh at those who are slowing moving in the merge lane and we merger at the last second in an effort to circumvent some delay at the expense of others, then that is an issue. If we are simply utilizing the merge lane while proactively looking for an opening to merge, but can’t find one until the end, then I think that is a different circumstance. I must repent here publicly of my disdain for most late mergers. Pray for my heart as well.
It’s funny how people moralize traffic merging. Is it illegal to drive on that part of the roadway? That should be the only question — not who should be first or last or who is being greedy or discourteous or whatever.
That’s what I’m thinking, too. I don’t think there is any kind of biblical morality we can apply to the decision whether to merge early or late! But that doesn’t help me when someone squeezes me at the last moment…
cuss words flow through my mind and sometimes right out of my mouth like a river when i see someone merge late. My horn becomes the key feature of my car when someone late merges in front of me.
this is too funny. I really like #20 Doc B.
As for me - totally depends on the context. I do whatever seems to fit best with the traffic situation - in congestion I merge early because I feel too bad passing people that are sitting.
But what really burns me are the prematurely over eager early mergers - the ones that cross a solid white line on an entrance ramp to get around the cars in front of them that are trying to merge into traffic.