Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!floyd!vax135!ariel!hou5f!hou5a!hou5d!hou5e!mat From: mat@hou5e.UUCP Newsgroups: net.physics,net.auto Subject: Re: physical laws of freeway traffic? Message-ID: <557@hou5e.UUCP> Date: Mon, 13-Jun-83 23:55:38 EDT Article-I.D.: hou5e.557 Posted: Mon Jun 13 23:55:38 1983 Date-Received: Wed, 15-Jun-83 16:20:08 EDT References: ihnss.1561 Lines: 42 Regarding the question of waves through traffic, and driving habits: This effect is documented, and is, I believe, well understood as a topic in civil engineering. Regarding especially driving habits -- we are poorly trained when taught to drive. As an example, consider two situations. One is the typical heavy traffic situation. We tend to gun the gas to accellerate quickly, and end up braking when the driver ahead comes to his peak speed. The person behind is worse off than we are. The problem is often compounded by automatic transmissions that upshift with the engine just above idle and suddenly lurch the car forward faster. In really heavy traffic (say 5-20 mph, or even up to 35 mph) I pull my slushpot down to 2 or 1, keeping the car moving faster if need be with a little gas. As a side benefit, the chargine system in my car, which is none to zoftig, is allowed to turn at a speed where it is almost fullt effective. Also, if the driver ahead of me is tailgating, I keep about 2-1/2 seconds back so that I won't end up magnifying his quick and sudden but small speed corrections as I drive. If he has plent of room, I will move up to about 1-1/2 seconds behind because he will hot need to stop or slow down suddenly. I also watch two or three cars ahead (at least). The other situation is Red Bank. For those who are not familiar, Front Street runs east-west through RB, crossing first the southbound lanes of Route 35 (a Major Artery). About two blocks later it crosses the northbound lanes of 35, and after another block or so, it intersects Broad street. All of these intersections are controlled by traffic lights. These lights do not appear to be synchronized, so that one usually ends up waiting for several cycles at all three lights. It is important here, as in any city driving, to quickly (but safely) pull out when the light turns green, and pull with a little haste right up to the car in front of you. Most drivers take their sweet time, and as a result, traffic through RB remains backed up for a half-mile or more in each direction on Front Street. Note that on the crowded highway, where patience and reserve would speed traffic, most people drive aggressively, driving the stakes into the heart of their timetables. In Red Bank, or other city driving, where a certain amount of informed assertiveness would speed traffic vastly, most people figure that there is nothing they can do, and as a result screw up the folk behind. Mark Terribile Duke of DeNet