Re:Do drivers who keep gaps in stop-and-go traffic worsen it...
by abduhl on Tuesday December 08, 2015 @07:11PM
(#10700854)
I'm upvoting you so that others can see an example of incorrect thinking for traffic problems.
Throughput is only one goal for traffic. One can see immediately that a minute of flow at 15mph is equivalent to a minute of stop/go traffic at 30mph equally divided. Similarly, a minute of flow at 15mph is less than a minute of stop/go traffic at 45mph. The latter is NOT the goal of a congruent traffic system because it will result in decreased safety. Eliminating gridlock is a priority for all traffic engineers.
The more important goal for traffic is safety. It is also immediately evident that constant, predictable traffic patterns result in lower accident rates than unpredictable changes like those found in stop and go traffic. Stop and go traffic encourages tailgating, aggressive lane changing, and aggravated driving.
The phrase "you have more space you have more time" does not imply "MORE traffic". It is actually the people driving with this type of mindset that create the traffic, not the person in front.
Throughput is only one goal for traffic. One can see immediately that a minute of flow at 15mph is equivalent to a minute of stop/go traffic at 30mph equally divided. Similarly, a minute of flow at 15mph is less than a minute of stop/go traffic at 45mph. The latter is NOT the goal of a congruent traffic system because it will result in decreased safety. Eliminating gridlock is a priority for all traffic engineers.
The more important goal for traffic is safety. It is also immediately evident that constant, predictable traffic patterns result in lower accident rates than unpredictable changes like those found in stop and go traffic. Stop and go traffic encourages tailgating, aggressive lane changing, and aggravated driving.
The phrase "you have more space you have more time" does not imply "MORE traffic". It is actually the people driving with this type of mindset that create the traffic, not the person in front.