Mathematicians Solve the Mystery of Traffic Jams 629
mlimber writes "Do you ever find yourself in a traffic jam, thinking, 'Man, there must be a bad accident up ahead,' but as you plod along you see no evidence of any crash? Some mathematicians have solved the mystery by developing a mathematical model that shows how one driver hitting the brakes a little too hard can cascade into a backup miles behind. The mathematicians' future research will investigate how automatic braking systems may alleviate the problem."
Re:Old news (Score:5, Interesting)
I was about to write the very same... I remember several studies of traffic that showed that it only takes one driver to slow down traffic, especially on roads that are above their actual capacity. It is kind of like the Slinky effect, where you send a pulse down it and it rebounds. Car stops ahead and the cars behind begin breaking, and this begins a chain reaction... I'd love to catch this in the act at night and film the tail-lights lighting up in sequence.
What About HOV Lanes? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Old news (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:only works in certain cities? (Score:4, Interesting)
I think some mid-major cities like Indianapolis and Columbus have a good surface street infrastructure so people going in-city (or from the suburbs) take the surface streets. I think you have people living closer to work too... You also don't have entire towns communiting to the city to work, trying up the freeway (the only way) to get to work at the same time in the morning. There are very few good jobs in the town I live in, but it is the only place working class folks can ever hope to buy a house, so... the commute begins." I mean, I took a $25,000 pay raise to work in San Bernardino, but inheritied 1:15 commute each way, if I'm lucky.
When I moved to Cali we started visiting my wife's parents every Sunday, like an hour away. I lived 1:30 from my parents (in Cincy) when I was in Columbus and going home was a huge weekend affair, not a afternoon trip. Strange how that all works out.
Re:Old news (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:only works in certain cities? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Arrgh! (Score:2, Interesting)
Alas, where I live now there are lights nearly every 2/10s of a mile. It's impossible to time lights like that. When lights are every mile (like the west side of Phx) you can do it. As it is, I live in a small community of ~30,000 now and because of the lights traffic is no better than in Phoenix. It's really sad.
Java simulator (Score:3, Interesting)
The trick when driving to try and iron out these hold-ups is to keep the traffic moving, by slowing down well in advance and leaving a large gap. As soon as the impatient and selfish start driving inches behind the car in front the whole system grinds to a halt.
Re:Stop tailgating (Score:2, Interesting)
That is not to say its smart to speed up to it and brake suddenly if its red. But it is annoying when there is a guy in front of me and we both are approaching a turning lane where I know if we were sitting there during the red it would give us the arrow to go first, but he just coasts up to it and screws us all.
Not road rage annoyed mind you, just mildly annoyed.
Ask a Bicycle Racer (Score:5, Interesting)
There is nothing worse than flying along at 40+ KMh and having some inexperienced joker using her brakes to back off the wheel in front of her. It sends the riders behind her into convulsions.
FYI: that's why bicycle track racing (fixed gears) is much safer despite fantastic speeds and tight(!) groups.
Untapped potential of braking expressiveness (Score:5, Interesting)
Brake lights glowing dimly: indicates the car is decelerating slightly. (And not necessarily due to active braking by the driver. Perhaps the driver has merely begun to coast, or does not have the accelerator sufficiently depressed while driving up a steep hill. It would be a good idea to communicate these scenarios to other drivers too.)
Very bright accompanied by a rapidly flashing strobe: indicates the car is braking maximally; antilock braking system is fully engaged. (At times like this, the car should do everything possible to get the attention of other drivers.)
Re:two comments... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Untapped potential of braking expressiveness (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Untapped potential of braking expressiveness (Score:3, Interesting)
>much more information than that...
Very good idea. BMW (and Mercedes IIRC) have exactly this technology if you own one or have driven behind one. They call it "Adaptive brake lights" (Mercedes has its own trade name.) Google it for more info.
Basically with light braking one red bar lights up, and with hard braking there is two red bars with a white bar too. It is easily noticeable if you ever see it in action.
FWIW, car companies have been pretty response to stuff like this, but driving habits are difficult to change. I wish the US would go on a public education campaign against idiot driving habits, which are for some reason generally accepted. To me, it is as bad as drunk driving.
Re:Old news (Score:3, Interesting)
But to give NY drivers their due: The BQE was the very first place I ever saw true alternate merge in reaction to a lane closure (for construction). Each driver in the travelling lane was letting in exactly one driver from the disappearing lane, and nobody from the disappearing lane was trying to "jump". Smoothest construction merge I have ever seen. Everybody seemed to realize that "playing by the rules" would get everybody there faster. This is true "enlightened self-interest."
Re:Untapped potential of braking expressiveness (Score:2, Interesting)