Sunday, November 25, 2012

Z is for...




This is my last entry for the Alphabet Game. I am finally at 'Z'. Unlike my friend Jane of the messy hair, from whom I got this idea, who finished her series in a timely fashion, it has taken me 1 year, 9 months, 15 days to get through mine. Once again, if you haven't been following along all this time and would like to see the other entries, there is a link on my side bar under the heading 'stuff about me'. If you are from the link, keep clicking on 'older posts' at the bottom until you finally get to A.


Z is for...zany, zebra, zone, zipper


Z is for zipper.

I have a pet peeve. It's one shared by many people, I think, only my peeve is in direct opposition to theirs.

The peeve in question is how drivers act when approaching a lane ending sign on a highway.

Quite a few people believe that as soon as they see that sign they should, must, move over to the lane that continues even if it doesn't end for another 500 or 1000 yards. They dutifully move over as the traffic gets slower and slower as it approaches the merge point.

And they get angrier and angrier as they sit there 'doing the right thing' in their minds while other drivers speed on by to the merge point. A lot of road rage is generated this way with some people in the continuing lane edging over to try to prevent drivers from passing them in the lane that is ending further up.

I don't get that. What is the purpose of abandoning a perfectly good lane long before it ends just to get slowed down to a near stop as you creep toward the merge point? Perhaps they see it as good manners on their part and bad manners on the other driver's part.

Me? I'm one of those drivers that speed along to the merge point and then move over.

There are also overpasses where highways intersect that take you from one freeway to another, and these ramps often start out as two lanes and merge down to one. No one is moving over long before they get on the ramp even knowing it will merge down to one lane. No one gets upset, no road rage, no one trying to prevent other drivers from passing them before the merge point. The two lanes simply merge at the merge point and people continue on.

It's like a zipper. You take turns. One car from this lane, one car from that lane, one car from this lane, one car from that lane. Easy.

So why is it different when a freeway or highway or even a surface road loses a lane and traffic must merge? Because there is a sign that alerts you to the loss of a lane?

It's a zipper, people! Just keep going til you merge at the merge point. Be polite, take turns, don't be a jackass if you choose to move over early and get slowed down by the drivers passing you and merging before you.

Now, those people who use the shoulders to pass a long line of slow traffic and then barge in in front of drivers in an actual lane is totally different.

I'm all for paint balling them as they pass.

If I had a paint ball gun that is.



18 comments:

  1. your peeve made me laugh. thanks, ellen!

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  2. Now every time I see this sign I'm gonna think "zipper." It's a zipper. The only time I was ever passed on the shoulder by a speeding car was in Texas. Please do get a paintball gun and feel free to use it!

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  3. My problem is, Do the others know when it's my turn?

    This was a delightful post.

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  4. Even the highway patrol say you should keep using the closing lane for as long as possible. It keeps the flow of traffic moving faster than if everyone tries to get over at the first sign of a merge. I'm with you. I don't get it cause it's just good common sense to use both lanes for as long as possible. Ah well.

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  5. I must admit I've been in both places. I feel guilty driving ahead of everyone else in line, but I also get mad when I'm in line and people are pulling ahead of me. Perhaps the driving manuals need to make expectations clear and uniform for everyone?

    The manuals should just say, "It's like a zipper, people!" :)

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  6. Where is my paint ball gun? I know it is around here somewhere!!
    Ha
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  7. Well. I never thought about it that way. Until now I've been the one to "do the right thing" and merge before the lane ends, thinking those who drive right to the end are in some way cutting into the line.

    How ridiculous!

    From now on, I'm driving to the merge point. Hell yeah.

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  8. You are funny! However, my pet peeve is about those who insist on squeezing in even after the 2-lane line is gone but the lane remains somewhat wide. I don't think I'll be one to continue on in the right lane; it just seems to be risky business.

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  9. Tut tut, Ellen,
    The only good driver on any road is ME.
    Anyway, that’s my excuse for driving the way I do.

    I do both things, whichever seems to be the one which takes me fastest to the point I want to get to.

    I don’t do road rage, I am always polite, but I swear at slow drivers (from the safety of the inside of my car.)

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  10. Tut tut, Ellen,
    The only good driver on any road is ME.
    Anyway, that’s my excuse for driving the way I do.

    I do both things, whichever seems to be the one which takes me fastest to the point I want to get to.

    I don’t do road rage, I am always polite, but I swear at slow drivers (from the safety of the inside of my car.)

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  11. I actually agree with you - especially if there's road construction. Use the two lanes the good Lord provided until one ends!

    My daily pet peeve that I was talking about on my blog is people who don't seem to realize that their lane ended - they just drive as though I have to merge with THEM instead of the other way around. Either speed up & get in front of me or slow down & get behind me you eedgit!

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  12. :) yes, on the paintball gun. I don't understand all the anger on the road until I get it myself ;)!

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  13. Ah thwer only life so simple as a zipper. I long for the days of zippers. They have been replaced by Velcro which is also analogous to traffic where we now rip and tear at each other.

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  14. I merge whenever I easily can rather than coming to a complete stop at the end of the merge lane and hoping someone gives me a turn. That has worked for me. But it does mean everyone needs to eventually slow down to add the traffic.

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  15. Oh YES.

    Don't they teach "zippering" anymore?!!!

    Pearl

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  16. Unfortunately, Zipper101 is always the last on the list.. nobody gets that far.. except you, of course. You made me laugh. Merging will forever more be zippering, to me now.

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  17. my son calls it 'deck of cards'
    just shuffle in like a deck of cards people!!

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I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.