Traffic Tricks - 07 August 2014 (US)

Lane Weave - - - Clearly the stress was greater when weaving, HOWEVER, they were intentionally weaving to try and prove which was better. I think the normal person would probably do a combination of the two, at least I do. I tend to only weave when I can see major openings and then will stick with that lane (even when it goes slower) until I see another large opening where I can get way ahead. I don't weave nearly as much as the team was.

It was a valid test and I agree with their results, but think that only the most aggressive drivers change lanes as often as they were.

I tend to find a lane and stay in it unless I need to change for some reason (such as road work). I had to wonder why, on the first test, they didn't have admitted lane-changer Grant drive -- someone used to that technique might not stress out as much as Kari did.

I agree that the drive vs fly test could have gone either way with different conditions. Either the editing of the drive footage was sloppy, or they pulled over a few extra times to swap drivers; that in itself could have used up seven minutes.

Personally, I don't expect to see an increase in roundabouts until drivers who never dealt with them leave the roads. I was watching with my aunt and uncle. Her response to the conclusion was basically that she didn't care, roundabouts were evil and we should stick with four-way stops. But she's in her mid-70s and never dealt with roundabouts until she was an older driver ... and she turned in her drivers license a few years ago because she decided her eyesight wasn't up to the task any more.

I'd really like to know if their test drivers were completely unfamiliar with roundabouts, or if they had some experience before the practice laps. If those were novice roundabout drivers, then the test results are even more impressive.

The ones we have in Oregon look a lot like what Adam and Jamie devised. Attachment Deleted

not in my part of Oregon. the one we have here that is not in a parking lot is just an obstruction in what was originally a four way stop. - the radius is just large enough that I don't quite have to run up on the sidewalk to get my work truck through it. (I will shamelessly cut the corner if there isn't another car there)

Essentially, could it be lane weavers creating the traffic jam? I could see that happening.

As for a jam in the center lane effecting the whole highway: I think it goes back to the lane weavers. When the center lane gets jammed, drivers jump to other lanes, which will impede traffic among all the lanes.

I agree that an overhead view of a traffic jam would be interesting to look at as far as finding the cause and analyzing the aftermath. I also think it would be a really cool image.

Not sure about the one minute of stoppage = one hour of problems, though. Worth testing?

Sarcasm on, "How to make friends and influence people", sarcasm off.... well, for now anyway....

Lane weavers are hated, despised, will be actively prevented by some people (Inc. Me when it is safe to do so and to prevent them from doing something UN-Safe) and generally get themselves a bad name.
I mean just why?...
To get one car ahead.
This isnt a race track.
I followed a lane weaver for several miles, he was trying his damnedest to get ahead, through bank holiday jams that were pure weight of traffic going nowhere fast.

OK, Maybe "Mild sarcasm on"?....

So Thats several miles before I lost sight (and interest)due to other traffic blocking my view and demanding my attention.
He was the twit in the BMW, I was hauling 40 odd ton, that was on a major motorway, I think I was averaging 20mph?....
I think maybe he was averaging 21mph?... he was in my sight for 20 mins to half hour, changing lanes, tailgating, getting beeped at, chewing his steering wheel, getting red under the collar, getting filmed by passengers with mobiles, shouting stress inducing stupidity at the world in general, getting shouted back at for being a dickins, using part of the hard shoulder to pass a particularly unimpressed wagon (Not me that time...) and just being a prat.

He was late.
I was getting paid by the hour, and looking forward to the next hour, as it would be overtime, time-and-a-half... I had three hours driving left at normal speed, so maybe four at this speed, more money?...

So who is the looser there then?....

Traffic happens, find a way to enjoy it, otherwise, the plastic on your steering wheel tastes awful.
Get a good radio station, preferably one that doesnt update you every 20 seconds on how long the queue is.

Karma is a {female canine}.....
By the time I got to the source of one tailback, they were just re-opening the road.
The twits who had gone out of their way to get to the front first had been diverted around the incident and sent via side roads... I was reliably informed that the diversion they were sent on would put an extra two hours on their journey.
Laugh?...
No, not me, honestly, I wouldnt do that would I?.....

so on a short notice haul, the distance is even longer? that is reasonable.

My favorite ones are the individuals who choose to crowbar themselves in with no consideration torwards using their blinker and then flip the bird at you after you blow your horn at them.

to bring it more to traffic tricks, a great follow up would be to check what lane choice is better in a more urban setting - I.E. city streets or a freeway segment with a lot of on and off ramps. - I've seen places where the right lane (left lane for those who don't drive on the right side of the road) moves faster than the "fast" lane.