Dugen

Good to see you've gotten your optimism in check.

There are a lot of things that can make a similar problem. Before you bend things, check and make sure there is a gap between the plates when the door is closed. If there isn't, this will not work.

the safest way to create a zipper merge where one doesn't exist is to pace the full lane until the unfilled lane ends.

This cannot be repeated enough. If you want zipper merges, this is the way to get them. Rushing to the end to cut the line is perpetuating the problem, not solving it.

Similar good analogy:

The difference between Java and Javascript?

It's like the difference between a car, and a carpet.

Found the jerk who likes to cut the line.

Edit: If everyone force zippered it would simply be a proper zipper merge. You are objecting to the actual solution you are proposing. The only reason to get mad at forced zippering is if you like to cut the line.

I get that there are those who don't understand why the forced zipper makes everything faster but it does. You have to wait slightly less than if everyone zipper merged because already merged traffic passes through a single lane faster than traffic that merges as it passes through. By staying in your lane you are helping speed things up because traffic doesn't spread out so much since you and the car next to you can overlap and you keep people from jamming into an already established zipper pattern making things orderly, safe and predictable.