random traffic jams

[MountainManJoe]

I'm pretty sure I see an Astro in there.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Suugn-p5C1M[/youtube]

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1 ... -time.html

[astroturf]

Well that answers everything...

It's the Japanese Drivers.

[MountainManJoe]

On a more serious note, most people drive in this stop-and-go manner when there's a column of slow moving or standstill traffic. They quickly accelerate up to the car ahead of them and then abruptly slow down. If everybody looked further down the road and adjusted their speed according to overall traffic, I think it would move much smoother, cause less stress and rear-ending, make lane changing easier, burn less fuel, prevent unnecessary brake wear etc. I have personally tried it, and I find it more pleasant than alternately pressing gas-brake-gas-brake-gas-brake. Of course the people behind you probably get annoyed because they think YOU are slowing them down.

Food for thought. :-k


EDIT: wrong smiley!

[mdmead]

On a more serious note, most people drive in this stop-and-go manner when there's a column of slow moving or standstill traffic. They quickly accelerate up to the car ahead of them and then abruptly slow down. If everybody looked further down the road and adjusted their speed according to overall traffic, I think it would move much smoother, cause less stress and rear-ending, make lane changing easier, burn less fuel, prevent unnecessary brake wear etc. I have personally tried it, and I find it more pleasant than alternately pressing gas-brake-gas-brake-gas-brake. Of course the people behind you probably get annoyed because they think YOU are slowing them down.

Food for thought.

When I would occassionally have to commute down Rte 128 near Boston, I was always amazed at how poorly traffic moved during rush hour(s). It was never faster to travel in the left lane during this time. Middle lanes or sometimes the right lane was always faster. Logically to me, this makes no sense... except people are stupid. It seems that people in the left lane always wait until the last minute to start moving over to exit, which means they would slow, sometimes stop, to get into the next lane. Arghh!

As for maintaining a steady pace, this sounds good in theory. But in experience, I always find that every time a gap opens up in front of me, cars will fill it up. Slowing me down further.

My solution? Avoid this kind of traffic. I'd rather drive an hour longer and many miles out of my way to stay out of stop and go traffic. This stuff just boils my blood and takes years off my life. (I like small town life here in Central WA. We have very few traffic jams and rush hour is more like rush 1/2 hour!)

[MountainManJoe]

I always find that every time a gap opens up in front of me, cars will fill it up. Slowing me down further.

Look at the bigger picture. I see a pattern. If everyone thinks like this: "I must not let anybody in front of me because it slows ME down". The result will be...

people in the left lane always wait until the last minute to start moving over to exit, which means they would slow, sometimes stop, to get into the next lane. Arghh!

If those people need to merge, to get off the highway, then give them space!

I'd rather drive an hour longer and many miles out of my way to stay out of stop and go traffic. This stuff just boils my blood and takes years off my life.

I live in the suburbs, and I hate city gridlock too. Luckily, most people stick the main routes. I too am perfectly happy taking the scenic route around lakes, parks etc. I had the flexibility at work to start work earlier so I could avoid rush-hour traffic. But if I happened to work later, I would hang around a bit longer after work, or get some shopping done etc just to wait out rush-hour.

I don't know about WA, but around here people don't seem to understand the freeway concept that left lane=fast lane. That irks me to no end.

[mdmead]

I always find that every time a gap opens up in front of me, cars will fill it up. Slowing me down further.

Look at the bigger picture. I see a pattern. If everyone thinks like this: "I must not let anybody in front of me because it slows ME down". The result will be....

I'm certainly not opposed to someone moving in front of me in the course of their travels, but in the circumstance I'm referencing, it is the matter of them taking advantage to get ahead. I do have a problem with that.

people in the left lane always wait until the last minute to start moving over to exit, which means they would slow, sometimes stop, to get into the next lane. Arghh!

If those people need to merge, to get off the highway, then give them space!

The problem is one of selfishness. It's really easy to work your way over to the right lane over the course of a mile or two. There are natural breaks in traffic to do this. But so many of these people wait until the last possible minute, dragging traffic down to a standstill, just because it is convenient to them. Personally, I go out of my way not to do this. If I make a mistake and need to get over at the last minute, if the road isn't clear, I go on down to the next exit and turn around.

When I moved to New England back in '03, I was just coming back from South Korea. I experienced the driving there and thought it was pretty bad. I've got to say it was good practice for driving around Boston. I've never lived anywhere that had such inconsiderate, only lookin' out for number one, drivers.

I don't know about WA, but around here people don't seem to understand the freeway concept that left lane=fast lane. That irks me to no end.

Yeah, it seems to get worse all the time.

[MountainManJoe]

Wow, I definitely would not wait for the next exit.

Again, I think you need to look at the bigger picture. It's difficult to explain without visual aids, but sometimes (not always) it is more efficient to utilize two lanes instead of everybody piling into one like sheep. If everyone is courteous and two lanes merge in a smooth manner, it is better to do so "at the last minute". Plus, how do you know if someone is trying to take advantage or is in the course of their travels? Even if the car is trying to "cut in", if you don't let them then you are making matters worse for the motorists behind it.

But back to this congestion topic...
In a single lane of traffic (such as in the video), you don't have to worry about cars filling the gap in front of you. If there are two lanes that are moving at roughly the same speed, generally people don't bother lane jumping. Yes, there are the "weavers", but they can knock themselves out. I prefer them in front of me where I can see and avoid them