Cruising down any major roads with light to slightly heavy traffic, you find yourself thinking about your day or whatever that you need to think about and then suddenly you see red. There are two options now, ease onto your brakes (never jam them), hope you stop in time or change lanes, the worse case scenario is you end up making out with the other cars rear bumper. Ever wondered what causes such situations? Well, I have the answer and its supported by an in depth study carried out by very very smart people. Here’s what those smart people have to say:
A team of these smart people (mathematicians to be exact) developed a smart model revealing that traffic jams are caused by idiots. Well, they didn’t put it that way but essentially its true. What those ‘mathematicians’ revealed was this, the real explanation is that unexpected events, such as, cutting lanes, required slowing below the average cruising speed required for smooth traffic flow. We all know this very well, as the car in front of you brakes suddenly, you need to brake harder to make up for your reaction time; this creates a wave that radiates back through traffic. That “backward-traveling-wave” means that because of one driver’s inattention, we all pay for it way back in the line, which eventually results in a big clustered mess up.
The results of the study conclude that we need to drive smoothly (really now?). Roads with heavy traffic volume seem to be more prone to traffic jams too, but it can be avoided if drivers anticipate and avoid sudden actions. The one way to reduce traffic jams is driver diligence, which will need training at first because you will have to counter talking on the phone, texting, putting on your make up, eating that big-mac, or whatever it is you do behind the wheel (I don’t want to know). Basically, pay attention when you’re behind the wheel, your dad or trainer or whoever wasn’t kidding when he told you that. But since we have the option of getting a car with radar based cruise control (S-class anybody?) that does all that for you, I guess you can continue finishing that big-mac.
But seriously, the one way to ease traffic jams is common sense; be a smooth driver, expect that everyone around you is an idiot, be alert and ready to make a move. When cruising, always look for a way out if the driver in front slams on his brakes, but remember to signal first and only do it if there is space available. Also, keep a safe distance from the driver in the front, there’s no reason why you have to be sniffing his a*s. Never cut lines, respect the other drivers space, give your signal whenever changing lanes and keep cool. It’s the only way we can keep from forcing the government to construct new tolled highways, which we are all going to complain about later. Be smart, be sensible, and be a man, do the right thing. See you on the road.
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