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Traffic Hacks: How One Driver Can Vastly Improve Traffic

trafficwaves.org

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Re: Traffic Hacks: How One Driver Can Vastly Improve Traffic

#91

Post by CWuestefeld »

rdtsc wrote: post #63
tptacek wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Indiana and Michigan, left is a passing lane. One problem here is that people driving the maximum lawful speed are still driving too slow for the prevailing speed of traffic.

So the difference is between "left is a passing lane" and "no passing on the right". In other words, it could be the slow car in the left lane that is breaking the law because it is not passing, just staying there, or it is the other cars that pass on the right that are breaking the law. I am sure the police would rather have both -- ticket those hanging out in the left lane and those passing on the right. Win-win fo…

There is no law against "passing on the right", at least not if this means "passing someone in a left lane while you're in a legitimate lane to the right of that vehicle".

For example, in the state of NY: Before you pass on the right on multilane roads such as expressways, make sure you check your mirrors, use the proper signals for lane change, and look over your right shoulder for other vehicles. After passing, be sure to check over your left shoulder, and to signal, before returning to the left lane. http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/dmanual/chapter06-manual.htm

Re: Traffic Hacks: How One Driver Can Vastly Improve Traffic

#92

Post by bokchoi »

joezydeco wrote: post #16
mrshoe wrote: post #8

This man is a saint. For years I've wished more people understood these principles. Instead, I get drivers who are angry at me for leaving a big space in front of my car. If only I pulled up right behind the car in front of me, they'd be 60 feet closer to their destination!! I wish more people would check this site out. Traffic is a real problem that wastes billions of taxpayer dollars and hours on the road every yea…

These ideas work, but only if you can get everyone else to play along, knowingly or unknowingly. In Chicago at rush hour, if you leave more than a car's worth of space ahead or behind you, it will be filled instantly.

Try it and report back to us.

Re: Traffic Hacks: How One Driver Can Vastly Improve Traffic

#93

Post by qeorge »

RyanMcGreal wrote: post #29

I changed my driving patterns after first reading this remarkable essay some years ago. Now I follow what I affectionately call the "zen of driving", to wit: leave a huge gap in front of me, drive at a constant speed where possible [1], avoid using the brakes except in case of emergency, and so on. On long driving trips through mixed traffic, I have made several observations, some obvious and some surprising: * Drivi…

Absolutely. I've tried to impart this to others, but the inescapable response is "someone will jump into the gap." If they would just try it..

I picked it up from truckers, who uniformly take this strategy.

Re: Traffic Hacks: How One Driver Can Vastly Improve Traffic

#94

Post by chr15 »

For anyone else fascinated by traffic patterns and driver behavior, I recommend reading Traffic: Why We Drive The Way we Do and What It Says about Us

The author goes into fascinating detail about driver psychology and discusses similar ideas like those mentioned in the essay.

Link to book: http://www.amazon.com/Traffic-Drive-What-Says-About/dp/03072...

Re: Traffic Hacks: How One Driver Can Vastly Improve Traffic

#95

Post by ubernostrum »

amalcon wrote: post #31
joezydeco wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These ideas work, but only if you can get everyone else to play along, knowingly or unknowingly. In Chicago at rush hour, if you leave more than a car's worth of space ahead or behind you, it will be filled instantly.

People think this about 128 in Massachusetts, too, but generally what I observe is that people leave my "empty space" about as often as they enter it. I leave a big empty space for safety reasons, and also because I actually understand how inefficient constantly accelerating and braking is. I'm usually able to maintain it without too much trouble. Whether or not it actually helps traffic, I couldn't say.

This seems like it'd create a danger if you're actually adhering to your goal of maintaining the "empty space": as soon as someone pulls into that space in front of you, you no longer have an empty space, and the only way to restore it is by slowing down to allow space to open up again. Which, as repetitively and suddenly as you'd have to do it, would pose a hazard to traffic behind you.

Re: Traffic Hacks: How One Driver Can Vastly Improve Traffic

#96

Post by murrayb »

RyanMcGreal wrote: post #29

I changed my driving patterns after first reading this remarkable essay some years ago. Now I follow what I affectionately call the "zen of driving", to wit: leave a huge gap in front of me, drive at a constant speed where possible [1], avoid using the brakes except in case of emergency, and so on. On long driving trips through mixed traffic, I have made several observations, some obvious and some surprising: * Drivi…

I've been doing the same thing for some time now as well. As well as what you have observed I have observed that you really can actually hack the traffic to reduce congestion. I've seen a gap that I brought to a merge point allow 8-9 cars to move and several hundred meters of stationary traffic was able to pick up speed enough to merge, I could see both lanes continue to flow in my review mirror.

Instead of competing to get ahead the game has changed to strategising to keep the traffic moving. It's beautiful and fun and transforms the whole driving experience, very zen.

Re: Traffic Hacks: How One Driver Can Vastly Improve Traffic

#97

Post by amalcon »

ubernostrum wrote: post #95
amalcon wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People think this about 128 in Massachusetts, too, but generally what I observe is that people leave my "empty space" about as often as they enter it. I leave a big empty space for safety reasons, and also because I actually understand how inefficient constantly accelerating and braking is. I'm usually able to maintain it without too much trouble. Whether or not it actually helps traffic, I couldn't say.

This seems like it'd create a danger if you're actually adhering to your goal of maintaining the "empty space": as soon as someone pulls into that space in front of you, you no longer have an empty space, and the only way to restore it is by slowing down to allow space to open up again. Which, as repetitively and suddenly as you'd have to do it, would pose a hazard to traffic behind you.

The typical solution to that situation is more like "Wait 30 seconds. The person who just pulled in front of you catches up to the car in front of him, and moves out of the lane to get around."

In the rare situations where this doesn't happen, I usually have a longer space than I actually need, so I just eat the difference.

Re: Traffic Hacks: How One Driver Can Vastly Improve Traffic

#98

Post by RyanMcGreal »

pbhj wrote: post #89
itistoday wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm constantly surprised by how few people have heard of the "3 second rule". The rule is simple and works for any traveling speed: pick any arbitrary mark on the road, watch as the car in front of you passes it, and count 3 seconds. You want at the very minimum, 3 seconds to pass before you pass that same mark. This not only has the advantages described by the OP (he's definitely following it, if not calling it by n…

"only a fool breaks the 3 second rule" (takes roughly 3s to say)

Mr. T's Guide to Safe Driving

Re: Traffic Hacks: How One Driver Can Vastly Improve Traffic

#99

Post by RyanMcGreal »

radu_floricica wrote: post #70
RyanMcGreal wrote: post #29

I changed my driving patterns after first reading this remarkable essay some years ago. Now I follow what I affectionately call the "zen of driving", to wit: leave a huge gap in front of me, drive at a constant speed where possible [1], avoid using the brakes except in case of emergency, and so on. On long driving trips through mixed traffic, I have made several observations, some obvious and some surprising: * Drivi…

I accidentally get a similar effect when I try to drive a patch of road with the car in neutral. It's a very non-intuitive experience: from the engine sound I'd think I'm slowing down considerably, but from looking at the numbers I stay at pretty much the same speed for a looong time. When I do this before stoplights I sometimes catch a green light with road to spare, and I'm able to avoid stopping at all. This helps…

IANAM (I am not a mechanic) but I've heard that it's bad for an automatic transmission to coast in neutral. Apparently the transmission isn't being lubricated in neutral, there's a risk of overheating, and it can be damaging to shift back into drive at high speeds.

In any case, you're not really saving any gas over coasting in drive or, alternately, setting the cruise control.

Re: Traffic Hacks: How One Driver Can Vastly Improve Traffic

#100

Post by RyanMcGreal »

teej wrote: post #71
RyanMcGreal wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except it doesn't. Like I said, I rarely experience drivers cutting in front of me.

In what part of the US do you live? Having just completed a cross-country move, I can assure you that driving behaviors wildly vary from coast to coast.

My observations are limited to highways in Ontario, Quebec, New York State, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.
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