PSA: Merging Solution

by rob on November 26, 2006

merge

The animation on the left probably looks all too familiar to you, doesn’t it? It’s probably so familiar that the animation on the right doesn’t even look possible.

Is it possible to obtain a reasonable traffic flow? Yes, there is a solution to merging.

Traffic jams on highways are often triggered where two lanes must merge into one. Lanes of cars cannot merge if there are no large gaps between cars. Therefore, drivers who create large gaps between cars will ease this type of traffic jam.

So do your part! I’m tired of dealing with my own drive-by anger management practice.

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  • Now that I've read through more of it, I see the writer's point... it isn't about saving time, it's about a steadier flow.

    To that end I agree with him and often behave similarly.

    Unfortunately the writer spends far too much time explaining a simple idea. Drivers accelerate much faster than they decelerate [in other words we overreact with our brake pedals and underreact with our gas pedals]. This causes an accordian effect which is prevented by decelerating more slowly and trying to maintain a constant speed through congested areas..
  • To say I'm skeptical is an extreme understatement.
  • Get a bigger truck. Problem solved. :)
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