Ah, the great merging debate! Few things divide drivers as much as deciding when to merge, especially when traffic is crawling and patience is thin.

If you’ve ever felt like the “zip merge” was just an invitation for everyone else to cut in front of you (while you sit there grumbling about queue-jumpers), you’re not alone. using both lanes and merging in turn is actually better for everyone on the road.

Yes, it feels like breaking some sacred driving code, but there’s a method to the madness. Let’s dive into the zip merge and why it’s time we all make peace with it.

In the U.S. and other parts of the world, it’s called zip merging. But what does it mean, and what should you do?

Zip Merging

Zip merging means taking turns as the lanes merge. You can see the cars merging together at the same point that the lanes come together.

It’s not appropriate to use at high speeds (more on that later), but it’s what you should do in slow-moving traffic.

Many people believe this is queue-jumping and therefore try to merge early, but there’s a problem with merging early: you end up with one long queue instead of two shorter queues.

Benefits

The benefits of having two queues of cars at a junction, like traffic lights, is that when the lights turn green, you can get more cars through the light than you could with just one queue of cars trying to get through.

Roads aren’t cheap, and they take up a lot of space, so when extra money has been spent on adding another lane to improve traffic flow, it’s a waste not to use it.

The problem with having just one queue is that it has a greater chance of backing up, which means junctions behind are more likely to get clogged up.

I know that cars shouldn’t be blocking the junction, but it does happen—and it happens a lot.

Another problem with only using one lane when there are two is that if somebody wants to use both lanes (as recommended in the highway code), it can look like they’re queue-jumping, which can anger other drivers.

But they’re not. There are two separate lanes and two separate queues; they’re just choosing the shorter one.

Would you choose the longest queue in a supermarket? I don’t think so, and the longest queue wouldn’t be much longer anyway, because in supermarkets, people just pick the shortest queue available, so all the queues end up being roughly the same length.

If this one long queue instead becomes two shorter queues, not only does it get cars past the junction, but it also means anyone arriving later can’t take advantage of an empty lane and has to queue up behind everyone else.

Some drivers try to enforce their own version of the highway code by straddling both lanes, forcing the road into one queue—this is not what the highway code recommends.

At Speed

However, merging in turn isn’t safe at high speeds. It’s really only meant for queues of slow-moving traffic.

For example, if I’m on a 70-mph road and one of the lanes is about to close, I would leave that lane or make sure I’m not in that lane—as soon as I can. Now, with a 50-mph section coming up, the sign actually says this lane is closed in 800 yards, so I’m going to try to leave this lane as soon as possible.

I’ll look for a safe opportunity and take it now, rather than waiting until it’s too late.

Just about everyone else has done the same thing. Now, 200 yards ahead, the lane closes, and nobody is in that lane from this point onward.

When it’s really busy, like up ahead where there are traffic lights, there are two lanes at the lights to help traffic flow, and both lanes go in the same direction. It’ll be interesting to see if everyone’s using both lanes or just the right lane.

We’ll find out when we get there. Just before the lanes split, there’s actually a yellow box junction, so I must make sure I keep that clear.

Actually, it looks like most people are using the right lane, so I’m going to use the left lane since it’s shorter. It will also help traffic flow by getting more cars past the light when it turns green.

It may look like I’m queue-jumping, but I’m not—there’s one queue on the left and one on the right. I’m making sure I leave the junctions clear. I think I can move forward now because I’m not going to block anyone if I go up here.

When the lanes merge again, you might say, “Well, if you have to merge again, doesn’t that defeat the purpose?”

But it doesn’t, because you’re still shortening the entire length of the queue by having one section with two lanes.

Also, while the light is green, more cars can pass, and then they can merge afterward. It just so happens that here, the situation is particularly bad, and even after the lights, the traffic continues for quite some time.

So, next time you’re on the road and see someone zipping up that “empty” lane, don’t let the rage build—remember, they’re not the enemy; they’re part of the solution!

Embracing the zip merge might not turn traffic into a dream, but it will cut down on the jam, get more cars moving, and probably lower everyone’s blood pressure. And who doesn’t want that?

Next time you see a self-declared “lane enforcer” straddling the lines, you’ll know they’re fighting a losing battle with highway science. Drive smart, zip safe, and enjoy the flow!