ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – There’s a statewide campaign to get drivers on board with the zipper merge technique when approaching crashes or road work. 

Transportation officials even went to the trouble of putting-up a billboard on I-25 just south of Paseo. It says: “Zippy Loves a Zipper Merge.”

The zipper merge is telling people to alternate, like a zipper. It’s best not to merge too early because that causes more of a backup and can lead to more dangerous situations.

KOB 4 went out to talk to people about it, and the story took a left turn. That’s because people are worried that this won’t work in Albuquerque.

“I wish a lot more people did that,” said Robert Craig, an Albuquerque driver. 

“I just thought that was common knowledge, that everybody did that,” said Delysia Nicasio, another Albuquerque driver. 

People who study traffic say the zipper merge method is important.

“If there’s an opening next to me, I let them in. It’s just courtesy,” said Jerome Leeway, a driver in Albuquerque. “But people don’t always let people in. No. No. Not in this city.”

That’s the problem, if people do it, it works, but if people don’t:

“They get offended like I think that I’m better than someone else, and I’m just trying to merge into the lane,” said Nicasio. 

Lots of people KOB 4 spoke with say this is in line with all the road rage problems we report on in Albuquerque. Problems many people feel are getting worse.

“Well, I’ve actually had a guy point a gun at me once,” said Leeway. “That was pretty scary. I pulled over right away.”

Leeway is fine, but he’s just concerned now. 

“I just think it’s scary, as someone who drives around by myself. I’m scared to even honk if the light is green, and they’re not going,” said Nicasio. “You don’t know what anyone is capable of these days.”

Some people, who don’t signal, do like using certain hand signals.

“It’s out of hand, people always flipping people off for simple, stupid stuff,” said Luis Montoya. “I just try to mind my own business, stay in my lane.”

Then there’s speeding, making everything worse.

“People in this city have the Unser mentality,” said Leeway. “They were always up in front. That’s what the people in this city want to do, be up in front.”

Five people told KOB 4 they think if people here had to re-take their written driving test, most would fail.