Merging on the Roads – We Are Too Polite It Seems

February 10, 2017, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

Recent reports on our Canadian politeness and driving habits have confirmed what we know – we are often too polite to each other. We like orderly lines and we like to take turns. Apparently though, this is a problem on our roads and highways.

It appears we merge completely incorrectly in Canada – the traffic experts agree. When we see a lane closure up ahead we like to get into the other lane almost immediately, and then we crawl along.  And then we get nearly religious about protecting the line from people driving up the ‘free’ lane and cutting in. This way of doing things is old fashioned, and apparently, it’s dangerous as well.

The zipper merge is the preferred method around the world and traffic experts in Canada are pushing hard for its adoption here. The idea is that we continue in the two lanes until the last minute, and then the lanes take turns entering the single lane at the end. It’s like a zipper.  This reduces the congestion and the traffic backups, allowing cars to keep moving constantly. There is a great video produced by the State of Minnesota who is leading the ‘zipper crusade’ in Canada.

About Deutschmann Law

Deutschmann Law serves South-Western Ontario with offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Woodstock, Brantford, Stratford and Ayr. The law practice of Robert Deutschmann focuses almost exclusively in personal injury and disability insurance matters. For more information, please visit www.deutschmannlaw.com or call us at 1-519-742-7774.