I've gone back and forth on this one in the past (not literally driving back and forth between the closing lane and the non-closing one ;-) ), but I am in agreement with you. In general, all my opinions on driving habits are in regards to traffic flow. I've ALMOST updated my personal website on many occasions to evangelize my views on driving convention, but there's no point -- not only am I too lazy, but nobody sees my website, least of all someone whose driving habits might be swayed by my [potentially obnoxious] opinions. I actually find myself getting mad if people try to cut in to the non-closing lane early, because it exacerbates the battle between those who are either trying to "be good" and cut in as soon as the lane closure announcement is visible, or just trying to get in early and keep moving leftward as soon as possible (naturally I'm speaking of US fastlane-on-the-left setup, not UK), and those who will not move over until they risk driving up onto the shoulder... and this battle impedes traffic flow. I am also of the [controversial?] opinion that in all but the rightmost lane, intra-vehicle gaps must be minimized (as much as is safe for the prevailing speeds), because this discourages lane-weaving and therefore improves traffic flow. Never mind that every driving advisory recommends a much larger following distance, in practical fact, if you leave open enough space, someone will cut in, and it will be a much more dangerous situation than following a little closer would be. At least, this is true in Silicon Valley, CA (and most other parts of CA) -- in less traffic-heavy areas, I drive more like a human ;-) You may safely assume I have much more to say on the subject, but I will spare you all unless asked or provoked ;-) Cheers, Ankhst > X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.1.0 (2005-09-13) on lists.looneylabs.com > X-Spam-Level: > X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.0 required=5.0 tests=AWL autolearn=disabled version=3.1.0 > X-Original-To: something@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > Delivered-To: something@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=domainkey-signature:received:received:message-id:date:from:sender :to:subject:mime-version:content-type:content-transfer-encoding :content-disposition:x-google-sender-auth; bh=par7pRYbK4sLIMHsLKmLN+jrXmo0bJ/RM/8upPYZcjY=; b=Ktyc3gitMjO9BiQorbB9i7rwU/yK8Ykru0J9/LC/4hnxfjNvlxju2mGHZYPTtEDKyp +yRGsxWk3DmZm5yLhJ+ehRJSjG2If3ZlteHL/CV4DiJ7i1h8yrLVRRIKEJ9aa9Kj5lX3 K3dWTjvBTSUbNCyYzmO07J5fTXht8Wp0q4tzM= > DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=message-id:date:from:sender:to:subject:mime-version:content-type :content-transfer-encoding:content-disposition:x-google-sender-auth; b=yG8uMPYGNi1P7sSRRIPQk5U86eHwtewjCLHfqHm6To7wCjZwo2yTf5uA0CuKE5zVS1 Bgo6zOLPpZohzSGMHtEPAfJjyO7vd46xiiiWnI1UMi8hZcjSUFd+C9Wg9WPiSXqW4XxU r9lolXMuzG2BDRQ/AqF0TsHODM9LeA+SJ148E= > Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:41:49 -0500 > From: "Timothy Hunt" <games@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > To: "General Wunderland.Com Discussion List" <something@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > Content-Disposition: inline > X-Google-Sender-Auth: c006f7bbf2f30d97 > Subject: [Something] driving annoyances > X-Barracuda-Encrypted: AES256-SHA > X-ASG-Whitelist: Sender (Per-User) > > So I looked that list. One thing in particular struck me. > > "[drivers] who stay in a lane that's closing due to construction until > they reach the orange cones... these people really piss me off." > > Why? > > You see, in the UK, we're actively encouraged to use all available > lanes until they are unavailable, and then merge "zipper-like" > (alternating one car from the left, one car from the right going into > the remaining lane). > > After all, if the lane was meant to be closed a mile before the orange > cones, why didn't they put the orange cones a mile back? > > The lane is still open until the cones show it's closed. The signs > say it *will* close, so you're not caught out, but until the orange > cones block the lane off, it's not yet closed. > > So if you're silly enough to move over with lots of other people, > really early, why should you get mad at people who are driving, > perfectly legitimately, in a lane that's still open? > > Incidentally, given my experiences of the British "use all available > lanes, then zipper-merge" system and the American "move over early, > leaving an open lane almost empty, then be really annoying and try not > to let people in who used that open lane because they moved faster > than you" system, the British one allows for much better traffic flow > overall. > > Timothy > On 6/20/08, Christopher Hickman <tophu@xxxxxxx> wrote: > > Next he'll invent a sport where you put lots of perfume on baby insects. > > > > > > On Friday, June 20, 2008, at 05:24PM, "Eric Zuckerman" <zuckermn@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > >Eeyore wrote: > > >> Andy wrote: > > >AJL> > I actually made the classic mistake in this case == I > > >AJL> meant for that to > > >AJL> > go only to Carol. Normally I try to keep my cell > > >AJL> phone # secret... :( > > >> > > >ECE> I didn't even know you *had* a cell phone. =^> > > >ECE> > > > So, that's two down from Andy's Hate List: > > >http://wunderland.com/WTS/Andy/Leftovers/hatelist.html > > > > > > Dog, check. > > > > > > Cell phone, check. > > > > > > Who's got the next item from the list in the > > >inevitable betting pool? I dibs spectator sports! > > >;-> > > > > > >EZ > > > > > >P.S.: Bonus on-topic nugget: Carol, I know I've > > >given you my cell phone number at some point in the > > >past. Do you have it handy? > > > > > > > > >> End of Origins Digest, Vol 35, Issue 20 > > >> *************************************** > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >_______________________________________________ > > >Origins mailing list > > >Origins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > >http://lists.looneylabs.com/mailman/listinfo/origins > > >The Link for the Origins Schedule is: > > >http://www.looneylabs.com/events/schedule/schedule.html?event=Origins2008 > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Something mailing list > > Something@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > http://lists.looneylabs.com/mailman/listinfo/something > > > _______________________________________________ > Something mailing list > Something@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > http://lists.looneylabs.com/mailman/listinfo/something