It really isn't rocket science, yet so many driver's get this wrong.
It's called ZIP merging because the process should work EXACTLY like a zip!
Yet as soon as a merging point arrives along a road, drivers seem to become very angsty, the thought process of
" you better not think of cutting me up" or
"don't think I'm sitting in this lane to let you overtake me"
And in extreme circumstances, drivers will actually block the empty lane to stop other vehicles from overtaking them or getting one space further ahead than someone who's been sitting in a queue of traffic.
The reality is, that ALL the available space should be being used.
This does NOT mean that if you are in lane 3, you should move into lane 2 or 1 immediately.
What it means is that lane 3 will be closing in 800yards time.
Therefore, use the lane until the merge point!
Obviously, if there is no traffic in lane 2, then merge into lane 2 and continue with your journey, looking out for other vehicles that may still be travelling in lane 3 and overtaking you.
The reality of all vehicles moving over, the instant that they see these types of signs and filling up the remaining available lane/s just leads to congestion in those lanes. Whereas, if they utilised the entire length of the closing lane and merged at the end of the lane, then traffic congestion would be reduced.
Have been added to areas where lane closures are happening, to highlight the fact that driver's should utilise BOTH lanes until the point of merge. Yet some driver's still object to being overtaken, and think that all vehicles should move into the already congested lane at the point of the first closure sign.
This is incorrect, and taking action to "fight" another road user, or block their path is totally the incorrect thing to do.