Ten counter-intuitive traffic facts

[Fat Charlie]

Big roads just aim a firehose at the side streets that can't handle the flow.

[UFO]

I've been commuting the same route in Denver for almost 13 years. In that time I-25 has been widened 2 lanes, but my travel time has not changed.

It's just like you give a programmer more memory, they just code until it's full.

[litesong]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

.....#9..... says traffic increases on roads when you add a lane or two..... Adding a passing lane in rural areas helps move traffic safely around slow cars and trucks.....

Yes, adding roads to make travel faster, causes people to move out further from their work, due to lower costs of living. Then traffic builds till the added roads are jammed again.....& costs of living (& transporting) rise, again.

"slow cars and trucks" are defined by self-righteous leadfoot drivers as people going the 55mph speed limit. Self-righteousness lets leadfooters go 80+mph in the passing lane......till the traffic jams again.....or a leadfooter causes major accidents.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by litesong

"slow cars and trucks" are defined by self-righteous leadfoot drivers as people going the 55mph speed limit. Self-righteousness lets leadfooters go 80+mph in the passing lane......till the traffic jams again.....or a leadfooter causes major accidents.

Not always the case, as for instance the person yesterday driving his Cadillac at about 50-55 in the left lane (plenty of room in the other two lanes), where the speed limit is 65, and most sensible people speed up a bit over that because it's the bottom of a long hill, where you want a running start. Don't know how many people (besides me) had to swerve around him, or brake suddenly.

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by litesong

Yes, adding roads to make travel faster, causes people to move out further from their work, due to lower costs of living. Then traffic builds till the added roads are jammed again.....& costs of living (& transporting) rise, again.

"slow cars and trucks" are defined by self-righteous leadfoot drivers as people going the 55mph speed limit. Self-righteousness lets leadfooters go 80+mph in the passing lane......till the traffic jams again.....or a leadfooter causes major accidents.

You realize the population is still growing right?

As far as passing lanes, I don't know how it is where you live but the slow cars and trucks I am talking about are 20 mph under the speed limit. That is usually until the passing lane comes and then they speed up for some magical reason. Who is the self righteous one? I'm a live and let live type. Drive slow if you want, pass if you want, but try and make things as easy as possible for everyone. If I'm going slow I use pullouts, slow down when a passing lane comes up, and wait for other traffic to go by before pulling out.

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

You realize the population is still growing right?

Lovely, isn't it. Pullouts should be used more often.

[UFO]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Not always the case, as for instance the person yesterday driving his Cadillac at about 50-55 in the left lane (plenty of room in the other two lanes), where the speed limit is 65, and most sensible people speed up a bit over that because it's the bottom of a long hill, where you want a running start. Don't know how many people (besides me) had to swerve around him, or brake suddenly.

Yet another reason to look farther ahead in traffic, keep your distance, and adjust speed in advance accordingly. If you are doing it right, you never have to brake on the highway.

[litesong]

litesong wrote:
people going the 55mph speed limit. Self-righteousness lets leadfooters go 80+mph in the passing lane..... till a leadfooter causes major accidents.

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Not always the case.....

Originally Posted by Hersbird

You realize the population is still growing right?
Who is the self righteous one?

I described self-righteous leadfooters going 20+mph over the speed limit. james & Hersbird reply by describing slow pokes in the left lane(not what I was talking about), but neither mentioned the 20+mph leadfooters. james & Hersbird talk about people driving the speed limit(what I was talking about) as being slow. If james & Hersbird get tickets for speeding, please talk to the patrol officer about slow drivers.

[Hersbird]

I never complained about people driving the speed limit, you must have inferred that from my post. When I said slow cars and trucks I mean slow as in under the speed limit. I really don't care about that either, but what chaffs me is those people speed up as soon as there is a passing lane or other opportunity to pass. That is being way more self righteous then somebody going over the speed limit not affecting anybody else. I drive as a profession, I am very aware of how my driving effects others every secound, and will do everything I can to make everybody's life easier.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by litesong

I described self-righteous leadfooters going 20+mph over the speed limit. james & Hersbird reply by describing slow pokes in the left lane(not what I was talking about), but neither mentioned the 20+mph leadfooters.

I didn't mention people going 20+ over the speed limit because they seldom cause problems for the rest of us, or at least those of us who follow the "slower traffic keep right" rule.

And if rooting out self-righteousness is your goal, I suggest investing in a mirror :-)