Ready For This? You’re Probably Merging Into Traffic Wrong

Mind = BLOWN. 

You're on the highway, and you see that elusive sign: *blank* Lane Closed Ahead. You know you're going to have to merge. You know that the traffic is going to be backed up, and there's nothing you can do about it.

You politely slow down as the lane starts to narrow, turn on your signal (remember those things? Aren't we all supposed to use them?), and wait for somebody to let you in...and then, it happens. Some jerk flies by you, drives all the way up to the front of the cones, pops on his/her signal and merges. You swear, you honk, you may even flip them off.

Guess what? They're doing it right. And you're not.

*I'll give you a second to process this, because it took me a minute, too*

It's called a "zipper merge," and the Colorado Department of Transportation is trying to convince people that it's the right way to merge into traffic. It actually creates about 35% less congestion when people wait til the very last minute to merge, because they're not leaving any of the lane unused.

I KNOW, RIGHT????!!!!! I couldn't believe it when I read it...but it makes total sense. I've got a LOT of four-letter words and hand gestures that I'd like to apologize for.