Traffic Waves, physics for bored commuters
Traffic Waves, physics for bored commuters
"Don't think of it as a stupid f@#$% traffic jam. Think of it as a pressure wave which has approached your car and engulfed it."
We've all had this experience when caught up in a traffic jam that seems to have had no cause: you are sure you're going to see some reason for the traffic jam, but when traffic starts moving again there's no reason to be seen anywhere! "Where did that come from?" you ask. But then, happy to be on your way, you don't give it much more thought.
Well, this amateur traffic dynamicist has. The site is a bit of a read, honestly. But he has linked to some interesting sites, some of which are rooted in real academia. Don't miss the Traffic Simulator Applet.
2 comments:
I call that the one man traffic jam. All it takes is one idiot to slow down for no reason in the fast lane and everybody else has to find their way around them. Perhaps they think they're being traffic cops, but they're really endangering everyone else on the road. Speed limits are kept artificially low to cater to the folks who can't drive. If you cannot handle a car at speed you shouldn't be allowed to drive. Driving is a privelege, not a right. Get these yahoos off the road.
Yes, the writer manages to be at once both elitist and socialist. Everyone should moderate/dumb down their driving for the common good, oh but let *me* be the one who effects the entire process because *I* have it all figured out. If you'll all just follow *my* example, all our traffic problems will go away!
Post a Comment