One Simple Thing: Use the Zipper Merge

Last weekend I was driving on the interstate on the way to Utah for a family vacation when I saw a sign saying it was going to narrow from two lanes to one. At that point, the right lane of traffic slowed to a standstill without the actual lane-narrowing signs and traffic cones anywhere in sight.

Since I'm a nerd that reads a lot about urban planning and traffic, I knew that zipper merges are vastly superior to moving over early, so I took the wide-open lane.

I passed a half-mile of traffic backed up in the right lane before I saw the sign telling people to merge.

As I drove in the scientifically, legally, and morally superior left lane, multiple cars honked at me and two pickup trucks even tried blocking me as I passed!

These folks were so mad that I was "cutting", even though I was doing the right thing and any of them could've followed suit.

So the next time you try to be "polite" and get in line early, remember: The zipper merge saves everyone time, even if they hate you for it.

The One Thing: Use the zipper merge