Unzipping traffic jams

OUR roads seem to be busier and more congested than they have ever been.

Roadworks lead to greater interaction between drivers. Small but necessary acts such as changing lanes or even being allowed onto a road depend on the kindness of strangers.

I can never understand the mindset of the drivers who, in stationary traffic, stare defiantly ahead, pretending to be oblivious to fellow road users as they try to join them in the queue.

Will they reach their destination more quickly if there are 47 cars ahead of them in a queue instead of a mere 46?

Does being awkward help in boosting their self-esteem?

Is this something to boast about when they arrive home and share the highlights of their day?

Surely a slight appreciation that we are not alone on the roads should elicit at least a little consideration for others. Whose day is not brightened by a quick wave of appreciation when a car is allowed to join the carriageway?

There is the effusive gratitude when not one, but two cars are invited to come out on to the road. The look of surprised delight by the driver of the second car, often augmented by a mouthed ‘thank-you’ or even a coquettish wave can be a tiny joy to behold.

Last week on the M4 I slowed down in order to allow a car to cut in front of me. Imagine my delight to discover that this was actually an unmarked police car which proceeded to give me an elaborate light show of appreciation which would not have looked out of place on top of a Christmas tree.

I am all in favour of courtesy on the roads, but I am starting to question the etiquette when a sign announces that a motorway lane will close in say 500 yards.

The decent and honourable thing to do appears to be to slow down immediately and join the queue at the back of the inside lane that remains open.

This feels like the polite thing to do when queuing for an ATM or waiting for a bus. Is it the right thing to do on a motorway when two lanes become one though?

Apparently in Germany, in such circumstances, they follow the concept of a zip, in other words, the traffic merges when motorists use both lanes until the outside lane closes and then the vehicles alternate on a one-by-one basis into the lane that remains open.

Logically this makes sense as it means that both lanes are being used as normal until the last minute and the drivers politely allow one car to proceed ahead of them.

‘Apparently’ (my only evidence is a comment on the internet) the continued use of the two lanes with no significant difference in speed between the two lanes reduces the length of the delays by around 40%, so this is great in theory.

The question remains whether we could culturally cope with this in the UK.

On the one hand, both lanes are moving at the same pace, so there is at least a sense of fairness.

At the point of the ‘zip’, assuming an absence of road rage and unreasonable behaviour, there is the opportunity for some polite ‘After you, no I insist!’.

The problem is to reach that point, it feels that something a little too close to queue jumping is taking place, which as we all know is a total anathema to us.

Or maybe I should spend less time in a slowmoving car thinking about such matters?