# Traffic waves: GOOD INFO :)



## SONET (Mar 1, 2002)

Here's an interesting write-up on 'traffic waves'. I started this technique a few months ago when I was commuting into LA and was wondering why I never saw anyone else doing it. I came across this site today by chance and thought I would pass it along so maybe the word can get out. Every now and then people on the road who 'dont get it' get a little peeved, but it really does work. 
:drive:

Website about traffic waves:
http://www.amasci.com/amateur/traffic/traffic1.html

Traffic experiments:
http://amasci.com/amateur/traffic/trafexp.html

Merging & breaking 'the wall':
http://www.amasci.com/amateur/traffic/seatraf.html

Traffic visualizations:
http://www.mtreiber.de/movie3d/index.html

Hey Kaz didn't you get a degree that had something to do with traffic dynamics? Maybe you could offer some more insight here. :thumbup:

--SONET


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## ·clyde· (Dec 26, 2001)

You aren't the only one that does it.

(thread moved to Gen Auto)


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## fuzyfuzer (May 30, 2004)

it sounds like game theory to me, that not competing solves many problems for many people. They actually did a good job of explaining it in "A Beutiful Mind."


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## FenPhen (Jan 13, 2004)

If more people didn't cut in front of truckers and people driving manual transmissions in traffic, the world would be a better place. :thumbup:


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

SONET said:


> Here's an interesting write-up on 'traffic waves'. I started this technique a few months ago when I was commuting into LA and was wondering why I never saw anyone else doing it. I came across this site today by chance and thought I would pass it along so maybe the word can get out. Every now and then people on the road who 'dont get it' get a little peeved, but it really does work.
> :drive:
> 
> Website about traffic waves:


I've been doing that for years.... if traffic is crawling I generally do this (partially because I drive a manual) and leave gaps in front so I don't have to screech on the brakes too much. I think a lot of big rig drivers try to do the same thing as well provided no jackasses try to cut them off.

But yes... it does make sense doesn't it... driver mentality and attitude probably has much to do with it. The lane blockage example where everyone is stopped and trying to cram into the one open lane, vs the example where everyone is smoothly merging together because there is plenty of space around them illustrates the point very well I think. Most people drive with the attitude that "I want to get where I'm going as fast as possible and I don't give a crud about anyone else."

Also, I think most people drive looking only about 12-20 feet in front of the car... what does this lead to... lots of :yikes: and jamming on the brakes, contributing to part of the problem. I've had many times where I'm driving along on the freeway and I'm looking say up to .25 miles ahead when possible, and I'll see a "traffic wave" and I'll start slowing down and giving space.... all the while, people around me are zooming by like crazy and then what happens... everyone up there starts nose-diving as the brake lights come on.


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## gek330i (Dec 27, 2001)

I've noticed these situations for a long time now. I've tried many of the things he talks about here, but they fail almost every time because you can't count on other's people impatience. I can't leave more that 1 or 2 car lengths of space in front of me, because I get cut off in about 0.000000004 seconds if I do that, so I leave what I think is the absolute minimum safe distance and lift my foot of the gas (no brake) according to the car in front of the car in front of me.
Good to see I wasn't the only one with similar observations.


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## Raffi (May 18, 2002)

doeboy said:


> I've been doing that for years.... if traffic is crawling I generally do this (partially because I drive a manual) and leave gaps in front so I don't have to screech on the brakes too much. I think a lot of big rig drivers try to do the same thing as well provided no jackasses try to cut them off.
> 
> But yes... it does make sense doesn't it... driver mentality and attitude probably has much to do with it. The lane blockage example where everyone is stopped and trying to cram into the one open lane, vs the example where everyone is smoothly merging together because there is plenty of space around them illustrates the point very well I think. Most people drive with the attitude that "I want to get where I'm going as fast as possible and I don't give a crud about anyone else."
> 
> Also, I think most people drive looking only about 12-20 feet in front of the car... what does this lead to... lots of :yikes: and jamming on the brakes, contributing to part of the problem. I've had many times where I'm driving along on the freeway and I'm looking say up to .25 miles ahead when possible, and I'll see a "traffic wave" and I'll start slowing down and giving space.... all the while, people around me are zooming by like crazy and then what happens... everyone up there starts nose-diving as the brake lights come on.


 The explanation makes sense and, just like you, I have been doing this for a long time, if for no other reason than the fact that I drive a manual and it's less stressful. However, some problems the author doesn't seem to consider (at least in the first 2 pages I read) is that when leaving such large gaps ahead of me, the inevitable morons ride my @ss, honk, get p!ssed thinking I'm slowing traffic, whatever...., and the other morons cut in front of me, forcing me to slow down some more and p!ss off the drivers behind me even more. So, while I still use this "technique," it definitely has limitations due to human nature, i.e., @ss-hole drivers.


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

Raffi said:



> The explanation makes sense and, just like you, I have been doing this for a long time, if for no other reason than the fact that I drive a manual and it's less stressful. However, some problems the author doesn't seem to consider (at least in the first 2 pages I read) is that when leaving such large gaps ahead of me, the inevitable morons ride my @ss, honk, get p!ssed thinking I'm slowing traffic, whatever...., and the other morons cut in front of me, forcing me to slow down some more and p!ss off the drivers behind me even more. So, while I still use this "technique," it definitely has limitations due to human nature, i.e., @ss-hole drivers.


Totally agree there...


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## FenPhen (Jan 13, 2004)

Raffi said:


> However, some problems the author doesn't seem to consider (at least in the first 2 pages I read) is that when leaving such large gaps ahead of me, the inevitable morons ride my @ss, honk, get p!ssed thinking I'm slowing traffic, whatever...., and the other morons cut in front of me, forcing me to slow down some more and p!ss off the drivers behind me even more. So, while I still use this "technique," it definitely has limitations due to human nature, i.e., @ss-hole drivers.


That's cause everyone else is following a greedy algorithm, and everyone loses (Prisoner's Dilemma).


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## bavarian19 (May 11, 2003)

rumratt said:


> BEcause


Are we the grammar police today :dunno:


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