Why Block The Lane?

There is no "Production quota for the day.

We sometimes blocked off lanes to force a emptying of everything ahead all the way up to the single lane bypass of construction and accidents etc. People don't understand by merging miles early and in a particular zipper style (Too much to expect of a herd of cats and dogs...) they can breeze through the problem ahead.

Had a bullhauler here in Arkansas do that to the right lane and shoulder in my face when I was using same to get to a ramp to get off a blocked highway due to a fatal. Unfortunately bullhauler failed to use his turn signal and indicate he wants off too. Just a little bully. No big deal It's still three lanes all the way right up to the Trooper blocking the left and then again on the right and again at the ramp. It's a cluster mess. Always has been.

Maybe someday with the computer cars and some intellect they will no longer have backups like that.

 

Good question.

I've told this story in other threads, but it bears repeating here. Last year on northbound I-35 in Oklahoma I came upon a stop and go four mile backup because two lanes merged into one. I bided my time in the right lane and of course the left lane was jammed up as well, with everyone wanting to merge into the right lane at the last second.

Along came two patrol cars in the left lane, lights flashing. When the lead car came even with me he signalled me to roll down my window. He told me to get in the left lane and create a rolling road block with the truck in front of me. He then zoomed on ahead and the rear patrol car hung back to let me over. Then the rear patrol car went around me on the right and the two of them continued to set up more rolling road blocks up ahead and I noticed several behind me.

I got even with the trucker that was in front of me and explained to him that we were deputized to block traffic.

Pretty soon the crawl started to move. About a dozen cars were on my tail as we got within a quarter mile of the merge at about 30 mph. I gunned it to get ahead of the other trucker and none of those following four wheelers tried to follow. My last look back there was a zipper merge going perfectly at least another quarter mile behind.

Since then I have seen LEO's do this a few more times in construction zones. Many of us locals start doing this as a matter of habit now. It greatly reduces the chance of accidents when traffic comes to a complete stop because self centered mindless clucks just have to rush up and jam the last second merge.

Sometimes you have to protect stupid from itself.

 

Depending on the nature of the traffic blockage, blocking a lane can increase the overall flow of traffic, or slow it down. I've seen it work both ways. In general most people are terrible drivers, when I get in this sort of traffic I just figure out what lane I need to be in, and pray some idiot doesn't hit me.

 

Don't ever hesitate to ask a question. That's how you learn. If fact carry a little note book so you can keep it as a reference. After 20 years I would still have the need to ask questions. I'm retired now and I never did learn it all.

 

You are right. However every time I saw the blocking causing the backup to get worse the idiot trucker/s was blocking the wrong lane. I am telling the truth here. There are a lot of pinheads operating CMVs. I often wonder if some of these guys are smart enough to get in a sleeper to sleep? Or for that matter how to get in the sleeper.

 

A zipper merge is 'the absolute most efficient way to merge. Unfortunately it rarely happens because people treat it like a competition, or somebody decides everyone should have merged a mile back and is not going to let anyone it because that's where they merged.

No rolling road blocks are needed if everyone just used both lanes to the merge point and then alternated vehicles. It really is that simple. Getting some others to understand it... That's a whole lot more difficult

 

X2.... f that, x 20!

 

Yeah isn't that the job of the DOT highway workers job anyway? Here PennDOT comes out with either dump trucks with that big black caution sign with yellow flashing lights to block the lane with an arrow flashing to get over. Or they use the tow behind flashing signal sign.

 

One, that is illegal. I see my fellow truckers doing it all the time, blocking a lane just because a sign say "Right Lane Closed in 5 miles". They shouldn't because it makes a bad situation WORSE. Until the lane is closed, it is OPEN and should be used. Drivers are supposed to use the lane up until the merge point and begin the 'zipper' merge.

When the lane is blocked, a line of cars that might be 1 mile long split between two lanes, become 2 miles long only using one lane. Now an entrance ramp that would have been clear might get back up exacerbating Le Problema.

 

Blocking a lane only helps those in front of said "blockage". If you were to block a lane you would get out of traffic much sooner.