Driving like a jerk reportedly helps traffic jams

wrxSIN · 08-02-2009, 02:26 AM

Courtesy of autoblog:
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/01/d...-traffic-jams/

kind of a weak argument, but interesting none the less.

Quote:

Drive like a sheep, and you get stuck. Break some rules here and there for the good of traffic flow, and everyone benefits. A new traffic study by physicists at Sweden's Umea University found that while we're all taught to obey the traffic rules no matter what, doing so just makes for bottlenecks. Mix in some maverick drivers, however, and suddenly, logjams begin to ease as the percentage of drivers willing to pass on the right or zip past a pack of trundling cars on a two-lane actually help to keep the traffic flowing smoothly.

While you might take the findings as an endorsement of behind-the-wheel jerkdom, chill out there for a second, Rat Fink. Tailgating, a behavior many impatient motorists exhibit, creates rolling platoons of cars without enough following distance to effectively brake if need be. In other words, while it's occasionally beneficial to sidestep the letter of the law, following too closely creates potential pile-ups. The ideal ratio seems to be 60-percent lemmings, 40-percent speed-addled free thinkers. That sounds like research we can put into practice pretty much immediately, though it's going to be a flimsy argument in traffic court.

i searched under "driving jerk" and came up with nothing

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saltYmirv · 08-02-2009, 02:29 AM

I drive slow even when I'm in a rush.

snobordin8 · 08-02-2009, 02:42 AM

I was just thinking the cop that pulled me over the other day was doing more bad than good. If I was driving the speed limit, I would have definitely been a bottleneck.

Qcanfixit · 08-02-2009, 03:57 AM

a ram among the sheep

vecdran · 08-02-2009, 04:17 AM

It works the other way too. "Driving like a jerk causes traffic jams."

I remember watching a TV documentary where some MIT nerds did some computer simulations of a freeway, and one person in medium congestion traffic decides to start going 10 MPH slower than everyone else, it rapidly snowballs into bumper to bumper traffic.

I witness it every ****ing day up here in Washington.

subenerd · 08-02-2009, 04:21 AM

I drive like a jerk by blocking other jerks. Glad to hear I help.

kwb1391 · 08-02-2009, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vecdran

It works the other way too. "Driving like a jerk causes traffic jams."

I remember watching a TV documentary where some MIT nerds did some computer simulations of a freeway, and one person in medium congestion traffic decides to start going 10 MPH slower than everyone else, it rapidly snowballs into bumper to bumper traffic.

I witness it every ****ing day up here in Washington.

My favorite is people who repeatedly switch lanes in a traffic jam on 405, making everyone else slow down to let them in, which just makes the jam worse. Stick to a lane ****ers!

psychoskip · 08-02-2009, 10:16 AM

PGT · 08-02-2009, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwb1391

My favorite is people who repeatedly switch lanes in a traffic jam on 405, making everyone else slow down to let them in, which just makes the jam worse. Stick to a lane ****ers!

around here, people dive to the left lane, drive 10 below the limit and go into full 'sheep' mode until their turn (driving is hard!). The far right lane becomes the 'fast lane' and you need to weave in and out of the traffic to do the speed limit as other sheep merge on and fight their way to the left.

that said, no need to drive recklessly, but 'smart' lane changes and throttle = home in a reasonable amount of time.

waktasz · 08-02-2009, 10:49 AM

I drive really slow, in the ultra fast lane.

sleeperrex · 08-02-2009, 12:12 PM

I believe much traffic is when you get these sheep drivers driving parallel to each other on the freeway and there all going 55mph.

There are many times i can see from a long distance the beginning of traffic. Cars are all going the same speed up a hill or through a slight bend.

Sure wish we had an autobahn here. These sheeps would get run over and it would be there fault for accidents.

VpointVick · 08-02-2009, 12:16 PM

I would think that more congestion would be caused by drivers going perpendicular to each other on the interstate.

yarrgh · 08-02-2009, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waktasz

I drive really slow, in the ultra fast lane.

so you can see all the handicapped people making handicapped faces?

CapeRex · 08-02-2009, 12:38 PM

The left lane is the travelling lane up here, and the other two on the right are there for occasional use, like if you want to take a nap while driving, or pass huge chunks of traffic in one 90mph blast.

EnterTheDragon · 08-02-2009, 12:42 PM

The kind of people that perpetuate traffic jams are the hard acceleration to hard braking types. In jams, I try to keep a slow speed that I can maintain while the ******** in front of me zoom and slam, but it never fails that someone jumps in the gap I create and screws it all up.

Qcanfixit · 08-02-2009, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EnterTheDragon

The kind of people that perpetuate traffic jams are the hard acceleration to hard braking types. In jams, I try to keep a slow speed that I can maintain while the ******** in front of me zoom and slam, but it never fails that someone jumps in the gap I create and screws it all up.

don't forget people that immediately jump out of their lane because of a small obstruction.

people feel they are entitled to cut off other people if their lane becomes blocked for more than 3 nano seconds...
this is turn forces you to slow down, then everyone behind you to slow down... then those people start jumping out of your lane, forcing other lanes to slow down...all because of some rubbernecker or some guy yapping on the cell phone or some other bull****.

if people had some self restraint and simply dropped that greedy, narcissistic me first attitude... traffic jams would not exist.

rogue · 08-02-2009, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PGT

around here, people dive to the left lane, drive 10 below the limit and go into full 'sheep' mode until their turn (driving is hard!). The far right lane becomes the 'fast lane' and you need to weave in and out of the traffic to do the speed limit as other sheep merge on and fight their way to the left.

that said, no need to drive recklessly, but 'smart' lane changes and throttle = home in a reasonable amount of time.

Word.

I saw this article online and thought it was incredibly poorly phrased.

Guess what? Passing does not make you a jerk. And that's all this article seems to cite... passing on the right or passing a line of slow cars on a two-lane road.

Passing on the right is... zomg... LEGAL! And perfectly smart. As PGT said, the left lane around here is usually for stupid sheep. I get home much faster with judicious use of the left lane and HEAVY use of the right lane.

People here jam into the left lane and live there, often running into left-turners who are blocking their progress. There are several bits of main road here where you can reliably slip by a hundred cars at a time if you stick to the right lane.

Prod · 08-02-2009, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PGT

around here, people dive to the left lane, drive 10 below the limit and go into full 'sheep' mode until their turn (driving is hard!). The far right lane becomes the 'fast lane' and you need to weave in and out of the traffic to do the speed limit as other sheep merge on and fight their way to the left.

that said, no need to drive recklessly, but 'smart' lane changes and throttle = home in a reasonable amount of time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogue

Word.

I saw this article online and thought it was incredibly poorly phrased.

Guess what? Passing does not make you a jerk. And that's all this article seems to cite... passing on the right or passing a line of slow cars on a two-lane road.

Passing on the right is... zomg... LEGAL! And perfectly smart. As PGT said, the left lane around here is usually for stupid sheep. I get home much faster with judicious use of the left lane and HEAVY use of the right lane.

People here jam into the left lane and live there, often running into left-turners who are blocking their progress. There are several bits of main road here where you can reliably slip by a hundred cars at a time if you stick to the right lane.

Yup. That's how it works in the MAIC area. Here in FL, the left lane typically works for its intended purpose.

KATastrophic · 08-02-2009, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prod

Here in FL, the left lane typically works for its intended purpose.

i wish that was the case for my 1 week vacation down there. fl drivers are the worst ones ive encountered by far.

but yes, passing on the right is where it's at. you just have to be a bit more cautious.

Prod · 08-02-2009, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KATastrophic

i wish that was the case for my 1 week vacation down there. fl drivers are the worst ones ive encountered by far.

but yes, passing on the right is where it's at. you just have to be a bit more cautious.

I didn't say they were good drivers. But on the section of interstate I drive to work everyday, I'm doing most of my passing in the left lane.

WhiteH2O · 08-02-2009, 02:31 PM

Quote:

percentage of drivers willing to pass on the right

In WA this isn't illegal to pass on the right, and I do it all the time. It is illegal to drive in the left lane while not passing, though, and I am SURE that doesn't help traffic.

Uncle Scotty · 08-02-2009, 02:34 PM

it is ALL the local pigs fault

they dont ticket the REAL ********....who CAUSE the road rage in people who know what they are doing and just want the ****ing idiots outa their way

and then the pigs ticket the WRONG drivers because it it politically corrent to ticket aggressive driving but not to ticket the stupid sleeping ass holes who are backing up traffic for 20 miles

**** that

WhiteH2O · 08-02-2009, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Scotty

it is ALL the local pigs fault

they dont ticket the REAL ********....who CAUSE the road rage in people who know what they are doing and just want the ****ing idiots outa their way

and then the pigs ticket the WRONG drivers because it it politically corrent to ticket aggressive driving but not to ticket the stupid sleeping ass holes who are backing up traffic for 20 miles

**** that

Wow, I have never seen this stated so.... perfectly.

MUGWUMP · 08-02-2009, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Scotty

it is ALL the local pigs fault

they dont ticket the REAL ********....who CAUSE the road rage in people who know what they are doing and just want the ****ing idiots outa their way

and then the pigs ticket the WRONG drivers because it it politically corrent to ticket aggressive driving but not to ticket the stupid sleeping ass holes who are backing up traffic for 20 miles

**** that

LOL

I'm frustrated just reading all these reports of lemmings in the ****ing passing lane. It's bad enough around here, but most people seem to get it. I would go crazy driving in the NE.

rice h8r · 08-02-2009, 03:26 PM

I've seen a situation where a car was doing 60MPH in the left lane with 3 or 4 cars following that were all tailgating each other. The first car kept brake checking the cars behind it. I honked at the first guy as I blew by in the middle lane, which was empty along with the right lane.

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08-02-2009, 02:29 AM	#2
saltYmirv Scooby Newbie Member#: 165457 Join Date: Nov 2007 Chapter/Region: SCIC Location: Here Vehicle: '01 CBR F4i Red '89 4Runner Black	I drive slow even when I'm in a rush.

08-02-2009, 02:42 AM	#3
snobordin8 Scooby Newbie Member#: 64984 Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: IN	I was just thinking the cop that pulled me over the other day was doing more bad than good. If I was driving the speed limit, I would have definitely been a bottleneck.

08-02-2009, 03:57 AM	#4
Qcanfixit Scooby Specialist Member#: 135762 Join Date: Dec 2006 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: Fortress of Solitude, NYC Vehicle: 4002 Maximahhhhhhhh Q Wheel Drive	a ram among the sheep

08-02-2009, 04:17 AM	#5
vecdran Scooby Specialist Member#: 162932 Join Date: Oct 2007 Chapter/Region: NWIC Location: Mercer Island, WA Vehicle: 2003 WRX WRB	It works the other way too. "Driving like a jerk causes traffic jams." I remember watching a TV documentary where some MIT nerds did some computer simulations of a freeway, and one person in medium congestion traffic decides to start going 10 MPH slower than everyone else, it rapidly snowballs into bumper to bumper traffic. I witness it every ****ing day up here in Washington.

08-02-2009, 04:21 AM	#6
subenerd Scooby Specialist Member#: 72630 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: CA Vehicle: 2004 STi	I drive like a jerk by blocking other jerks. Glad to hear I help.

08-02-2009, 10:16 AM	#8
psychoskip Scooby Specialist Member#: 78408 Join Date: Dec 2004 Chapter/Region: SCIC Location: Führer Burger Vehicle: 5 minutos de Cres

08-02-2009, 10:49 AM	#10
waktasz Scooby Guru Member#: 86356 Join Date: May 2005 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: Gotpunchedbyacopatwawaville Vehicle: 02 Penis Extension Red	I drive really slow, in the ultra fast lane.

08-02-2009, 12:12 PM	#11
sleeperrex Scooby Newbie Member#: 19466 Join Date: May 2002 Location: san diego Vehicle: 2002 wrx/hybrid silver	I believe much traffic is when you get these sheep drivers driving parallel to each other on the freeway and there all going 55mph. There are many times i can see from a long distance the beginning of traffic. Cars are all going the same speed up a hill or through a slight bend. Sure wish we had an autobahn here. These sheeps would get run over and it would be there fault for accidents.

08-02-2009, 12:16 PM	#12
VpointVick Scooby Specialist Member#: 93193 Join Date: Aug 2005 Chapter/Region: South East Location: Charlotte Vehicle: '07 Impreza Wagon CGM	I would think that more congestion would be caused by drivers going perpendicular to each other on the interstate.

08-02-2009, 12:38 PM	#14
CapeRex Scooby Specialist Member#: 81070 Join Date: Feb 2005 Chapter/Region: NESIC Location: Yarmouth,Maine Vehicle: 95 M3	The left lane is the travelling lane up here, and the other two on the right are there for occasional use, like if you want to take a nap while driving, or pass huge chunks of traffic in one 90mph blast.

08-02-2009, 12:42 PM	#15
EnterTheDragon Scooby Guru Member#: 6511 Join Date: May 2001 Chapter/Region: NWIC Location: 360	The kind of people that perpetuate traffic jams are the hard acceleration to hard braking types. In jams, I try to keep a slow speed that I can maintain while the ******** in front of me zoom and slam, but it never fails that someone jumps in the gap I create and screws it all up.

08-02-2009, 02:34 PM	#22
Uncle Scotty Scooby Guru Member#: 16200 Join Date: Mar 2002 Vehicle: bah straw and coal straw and coal as always	it is ALL the local pigs fault they dont ticket the REAL ******....who CAUSE the road rage in people who know what they are doing and just want the ing idiots outa their way and then the pigs ticket the WRONG drivers because it it politically corrent to ticket aggressive driving but not to ticket the stupid sleeping ass holes who are backing up traffic for 20 miles ** that

08-02-2009, 03:26 PM	#25
rice h8r Scooby Guru Member#: 94524 Join Date: Aug 2005 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: I'll be here forever!	I've seen a situation where a car was doing 60MPH in the left lane with 3 or 4 cars following that were all tailgating each other. The first car kept brake checking the cars behind it. I honked at the first guy as I blew by in the middle lane, which was empty along with the right lane.