Comments on: How to cure traffic jams

By: Aaron

Aaron — Fri, 16 May 2008 18:23:27 +0000

The method is depending on their being enough non-cheaters in the next lane over to not fill in your space and help create a plug. In Seattle where I used to live yes I would say it is possible. In LA where I live now, forget it. The difference in the way people drive is night and day. 90% of the drivers are so-called 'cheaters' and you just can't open huge spaces.

Plus in your article, you refer to places like the 520 and the ship canal bridge as being 'north of Seattle.' Unless things have changed in the past few years the northern border of Seattle is 145th Street.

By: dave

dave — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 18:45:06 +0000

bill beaty:

"Ya gotta actually READ the traffic article, not just leap to conclusions. It–™s not about any theory, it–™s about what actually happens when I try different things..."

Well, actually I read the article several times. I appreciate the fact that your personal experiences are important to you - everyone's are, including mine. I am sure that you did not "...leap to conclusions...", but read my response and carefully considered it, as I did your response. What puzzles me is that I am not sure that you address any of the issues I raised. I am disappointed that you do not find them of more interest, as they do represent 40 years of professional driving in 12 states, which includes Manhattan, the Chicago Loop, and Washington, D.C.

Cordially,

Dave

By: JFitpzatrick

JFitpzatrick — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 12:44:00 +0000

Several years ago there was an interesting article in Discover magazine about traffic flow/traffic theory. The most interesting part was the relationship of traffic flow to solids, liquids, and gases. A complete jam up is like a solid, atoms rigidly fixed. A sparce highway is like a gas, atoms widely spaced and random in movement. Smoothly flowing traffic is a liquid, a range of motions and speeds with a more reasonable span between atoms.

The scientist discussing the theory believed (and I agree) that the more liquid like the configuration of traffic the smoother it flows. This would fit with the description in your post of cars maintaining a large, but not absurd spacing in between each other.

By: Di

Di — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 08:39:49 +0000

Yes, it does work. I use this technique all the time – to me it makes more sense to simply move slowly than to not move at all. It ends up cutting down on quite a bit of my time in traffic.

By: bill beaty

bill beaty — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 08:57:56 +0000

Ya gotta actually READ the traffic article, not just leap to conclusions. It’s not about any theory, it’s about what actually happens when I try different things. I’m commuting, so I’m very familiar with each of the jam I approach. I’m bringing in relatively enormous spaces (enough for ten or more cars, not just a tiny space that one or two people could fill.) And most important, I’ve tried the trick hundreds of times over several years and watched it in action. In most jams it works more than half the time. In a few jams it never works, and in some jams it’s guaranteed to always work. And in some rare jams, just one single driver can evaporate the gigantic mile long jam. It depends on the particular situation. Anyone who says “it doesn’t work” needs to tell us how many typical jams they encounter while commuting, how many times they’ve tried it, and how many times it failed/succeeded. (I suspect that some people only try it once, and only open up a tiny space, and as soon as someone jumps into that space, they give up and never try it again.)

By: dave

dave — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 13:36:04 +0000

What a terrible idea! This is exactly what you get when someone is trying to review memos and talk on the cellphone while they drive – a single car moving slower than traffic with a large gap in front! I have seen this on I270 in STL, the Eisenhower in Chicago, and the Beltway in DC. How about an alternative suggestion: On the GW Parkway in DC commercial traffic (i.e., trucks) is prohibited. The traffic moves continuously at high speed (unless you come across a bus!). the inability of large vehicles to easily maintain speed (on steep slopes, etc) or change speed (when traffic accelerates) appears to me to be a major contributor to the problem.

By: Chanpory

Chanpory — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 08:17:31 +0000

Thank you everyone for the insight. I think this is the year for me to finally learn how to drive, despite how frightening it seems.

I agree with many of you about the need for better public transportation. Here in San Francisco, it seems like public transportation, instead of getting cheaper, is becoming more and more expensive.

By: Erno Hannink

Erno Hannink — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 06:10:02 +0000

In Europe it is the same. I live and have to deal with traffic difficulties in the Netherlands. Since I am in Sales, it is part of my living. The last few months I have become more relaxed in the car. We will all get there, and the people in front of you also want to get there, maybe 5 minutes later but what does that matter in a lifetime? There will always be people that are in more of a hurry than you are.

Leaving a gap between you and the car in front of you will give people the possibility to merge in when two lanes come together. Also it gives you the ability to let go of the gaspaddle and not hit the breaks immediatly. People react on the breaklights in their lane. So if you let go and try to use the breaks as less as possible by mainting a large enough gap with the car in front of you, it will minimize the traffic wave issue. So from my personal experience I can say it works.

Oh and "other people will fill up the gap" and "it needs to be done be everyone", yes that is correct. However, You will just have to start doing it. And other people will follow.

Of course mass transport (ie. public transpotation) is also part of the remedy that I believe in. And that it quite good in Europe. The only thing that needs to be changed is to make public transportation for free. So that everyone is really tempted to take the train, bus ...

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 21:59:46 +0000

I agree with Omri. Being a recovering LA driver. I have always tried to leave some space. It is just a better driving habit. But, when you do leave that space it is always filled by someone thinking that it is going to get them further faster. When Omri brought up cheaters, I clearly pictured the many offenders driving over islands and on the shoulder in order to get ahead. I think everyone knows this rule but are more afraid of being taken advantage of when a cheater approaches. Maybe if we spread the word and remind everyone of the benefits of a slow flow vs. stop and go, which eventually leads to accidents. I am all for it but will everyone else cooperate.

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 18:53:52 +0000

It works in Southern California, but not always. I'd say about half the time, people cut over to get in front of you and fill in the space you're leaving. But when they don't, it's great.

I've noticed that it works better during regular workday commutes as opposed to holiday traffic. My guess is that there are fewer jerks during the daily commute.

Even when it doesn't work, it's almost a traffic-zen like state--not trying to ride the car in front of you, and going with the flow.