Plan ahead when you are taking a drive. Research the areas you will be traveling for incidents of traffic accidents, road work, inclement weather, large spectator events and power outages which may effect traffic signals. These can all cause bottlenecks and can all be avoided. Listen to local news radio, perform Internet searches of the local Department of Transportation and watch the local TV news traffic report for a heads up on what to expect.
Use the U.S. Department of Transportation's method of "Go Slow to Go Fast." This method states that by slowing your overall pace of driving in merge areas, cars will more smoothly and easily mix together thus reducing the overall time it takes to merge and eliminating much of the stop and go involved in the procedure.
Drive with enough space between you and the car in front to allow for the braking, merging and slowing required to navigate a bottleneck. Many drivers close gaps between cars when traffic begins to slow. This can result in numerous short stops and restarts as other cars merge and adjust to speed. These stops and starts can reverberate down the line and cause far more delays than the merge itself.
Practice the "Zippering" method of allowing one car from each line to fold into the other in the same way a zipper comes together when fastened. This method requires the cooperation of all cars involved and does not allow for those drivers who cut the line, push ahead and utilize all manner of tactics to gain an advantage. The principle of the method depends on courtesy and order, two elements which may not always be present in the midst of a bottleneck.
