Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!decvax!harpo!floyd!vax135!ariel!houti!hogpc!houxm!mhuxa!/a3/c5215a/weheh/user From: /a3/c5215a/weheh/user@mhuxa.UUCP Newsgroups: net.physics,net.auto Subject: Re: physical laws of freeway traffic? Message-ID: <15@mhuxa.UUCP> Date: Tue, 14-Jun-83 09:00:02 EDT Article-I.D.: mhuxa.15 Posted: Tue Jun 14 09:00:02 1983 Date-Received: Wed, 15-Jun-83 23:29:49 EDT Lines: 20 A physical phenomenon that I have witnessed commuting to and from work is what I call the "Venturi effect" (after the physical phenomenon of fluids coursing through a pipe): if a car is stalled on a two lane highway, the fastest lane will usually be the one blocked by the stalled car. The answer to why this happens is that as cars from the blocked lane merge into the unblocked lane, the remaining cars in the blocked lane speed up to fill the vacuum. Unless the drivers in the unblocked lane are especially aggressive and unsympathetic, the cars in the blocked lane will be allowed to merge into the unblocked lane and drive around the stalled car. If a car gets stuck in the Holland tunnel, transit police will allow cars in the blocked lane to pass the stalled car until the tow truck arrives at the scene. After the tow truck has moved into place however, the unblocked lane will be given preference. R. Gordon mhuxa!weheh