Formation of a 'phantom traffic jam'

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Science & Technology

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[ZeWrAtH]

I blame the red car...

[dmix09]

so all it takes is for one asshole to needlessly slow down... terrific.

[wbeaty]

Usually you have to brake to avoid colliding. But you don't have to stomp on the gas; that's optional.

Therefore the waves are caused by people trying to "rush ahead" and drive faster than the average speed. That ends up creating stopped regions where braking is unavoidable, and the average speed is reduced. Fast driving ...is slow.

[wbeaty]

In a simulation with identical drivers, which car is the cause? We have to find the perpetrator, since obviously it's someone else and NOT ME. When I brake, it's to avoid hitting the next car ahead, but when you tap the brakes, it's because you're inferior to me and behaving stupidly. Right? Right?

:)

[EWillard44]

@dmix09 Or several to speed up only to go to a screeching halt.

[ManfredvonKarma7]

So many comments about "one asshole" when the problem is that every single driver is an asshole for not providing enough following distance, forcing a drastic reduction in speed to compensate for a brief braking by another driver.

[manguy01]

@dmix09 Or all it takes is one speedometer that reads faster than the car is going entering the road and even perhaps leaving again shortly after. (or 2, 3, or 4 next to eachother depending on the number of lanes).

[dirtjumper23]

@UnitedCorpOfAmerica ...right?

[UnitedCorpOfAmerica]

I recall my physics professor stating, that in a straight line we can maintain velocity. In an arc or circle we are accelerating due to the constant change in vector.

[utubepredator]

@wbeaty so i dont get credit for reinventing the wheel? :D

[wbeaty]

@utubepredator already happened, was in the news

goo.gl / D6KpA

But only expensive cars have ACC cruise control. It takes ~20% of the population to have ACC before jams evaporate.