snake maneuver

[gasti_ako]

would you recommend shifting lanes all the time just to maintain your speed?

this seems to be agressive driving for me. your opinions guys?

[Tango Charlie]

If you leave plenty of room in front of the cars you're passing, and not exceeding the speed limit, I wouldnt' call it aggressive driving. Here in the U.S., if you're going the speed limit, you aint passin' nobody. Except in a traffic jam.
Are you talking about stop and go, heavy traffic? In that case, I think it would be better to leave a buffer between you and the car ahead, and stay in your lane. I think The List refers to this as 'play the accordian'.

[cfg83]

gasti_ako -

Hmmmmmmm. In my opinion, that's a personal preference, and it is based on what your commute experience is like. Tango Charlie's advice is good.

Here is what I do on the freeways in Los Angeles. I drive in the far right line 90% of the time. Because if this, I have to watch for drivers entering the freeway. Depending on the situation, I may have to waste gas slowing down or speeding up. If I use the second to the right lane, I can avoid this, but I also have to increase my average speed, which can also hurt MPG. Staying in the far right is more stressful because I have to spend more time watching cars, but this is the choice I have made. When I have a passenger, I usually pick the second to the right lane so that they do not have to feel stressed when cars enter the freeway.

I read about your traffic jam commute. Maybe you should start timing your commutes with different driving strategies. spend a week doing "snake driving" and spend a week doing your normal driving. Without experiencing your commute I am guessing that you will improve your MPG and commute time a little, but you will be more stressed when you get there. Depending on how aggressive you are, "snake driving" sounds like it increases your chance of an accident.

There is a really good example of driving in traffic (drive slowly to reduce the jams), but I can't find it on Ecomodder right now.

Question: Are there alternate roads you can use to get to work? Los Angeles is a different city, but I like to use streets that are parallel to the main streets when I have to drive into traffic jams.

CarloSW2

[ankit]

I switch lanes a couple of times to avoid slowing down for those entering the local road, but I am well aware of my surroundings and don't go too slow or mess up the flow. So in my case I would say no it is not aggressive driving.

[groar]

Originally Posted by cfg83

There is a really good example of driving in traffic (drive slowly to reduce the jams), but I can't find it on Ecomodder right now.

Is it what you are talking about : SCIENCE HOBBYIST: Traffic Waves, physics for bored commuters ?

Denis.

[instarx]

I don't thing shifting lanes is aggressive driving, although aggressive drivers shift lanes.

All jets are airplanes, but not all airplanes are jets.

[Yaristock]

You mean like how on a bicycle going up hill you would make a series of snake like curves to ease the load on your legs going up hill, essentially make it feel as if the hill wasn't as steep. Or on roller skates going backwards you do the same thing to gain momentum. I suppose you could, but constantly shifting lanes, or swerving between lanes may make you a target for cops; who think you are drunk and avoiding imaginary cars. Besides wouldn't turning the tires fractionally increase the load on the engine and increase rolling resistance by adding a twisting force to the contact patch?

[cfg83]

groar -

Originally Posted by groar

Is it what you are talking about : SCIENCE HOBBYIST: Traffic Waves, physics for bored commuters ?

Denis.

Yes, that's what I was looking for. Here's the Ecomodder thread :

Traffic experiments: a cure for waves and jams (improves other people's MPG too)

CarloSW2

[Newton]

like ankit says i too change lanes to avoid stopping/slowing down for people turning. it seems like a complete waste to dissipate all that energy with your brakes and then have to waste even more to get back up to speed when you can easily just properly signal your way around them.