Slow traffic may be your own fault

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mntetn · #1 Post by **mntetn** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 8:13 am

There was a study recently about cell phone users aggravating traffic congestion because they do not respond quickly enough in heavy traffic. I assume you'all have read it so I won't link it here. But I saw living proof of it last night.

I went out to observe a problem intersection during the evening rush hour. It is a neighborhood intersection of two 2-lane streets, perhaps the last one many encounter before arriving home. The signal is traffic responsive and can stay green up to 40 seconds, which is enough for 15 to 20 cars. Yet the light was often cutting off after 5 or 6 cars. Meanwhile, traffic backed up 25 to 30 cars deep. Why?

The approach to the signal includes a long upgrade, which levels off about 100 feet before the intersection. If you're stopped on a hill, it takes an extra punch to get moving and up to speed. If you don't react quickly to the car in front of you, a gap opens up. Multiplying this effect over just a few vehicles, we wind up with a wide space opening up about 150-200 feet in advance of the intersection. If you just watch the intersection, you won't even see the problem.The signal is handling all the traffic it "sees". If you stand 200 feet away, the problem becomes obvious. The cars just aren't getting there.

The cell phone connection? Easily 3 out of every 4 drivers were talking on a cell phone as they drove by.

gsabc · #2 Post by **gsabc** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 8:20 am

This phenomenon isn't new. Chuck Jones got the idea of having the Road Runner zoom away in pieces (head, body and lastly feet) from seeing cars gradually move after a traffic light turned green. People yakking on their cell phones obviously aggravate the situation.

#3 Post by **littlebeast13** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 8:21 am

Cell phones are evil....

lb13

PlacentiaSoccerMom · #4 Post by **PlacentiaSoccerMom** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 8:26 am

Everything is my fault.

themanintheseersuckersuit · #5 Post by **themanintheseersuckersuit** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 9:05 am

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:Everything is my fault.

I haven't noticed you slowing down!

PlacentiaSoccerMom · #6 Post by **PlacentiaSoccerMom** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 9:13 am

I can't see the picture.

themanintheseersuckersuit · #7 Post by **themanintheseersuckersuit** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 9:17 am

[quote="PlacentiaSoccerMom"]I can't see the picture. http://www.tosky.co.uk/wp2.jpg

PlacentiaSoccerMom · #8 Post by **PlacentiaSoccerMom** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 9:26 am

Thanks

marrymeflyfree · #9 Post by **marrymeflyfree** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:04 am

mntetn wrote:Easily 3 out of every 4 drivers were talking on a cell phone as they drove by.

This is one of my favorite things to do on the road...counting the number of people talking on their phones. Or better yet - texting! (Though I must confess, I do occasionally talk and drive myself...)

My other favorite thing is counting the number of passengers in big SUV's. Most people say they must have them for their families, but it's usually just the driver about 80% of the time. I have a new one for SUV's...counting the number of them that have dented rear bumpers on the right side. Keep your eyes open for it, and it's easy to see how many people have trouble backing up in such big vehicles.

peacock2121 · #10 Post by **peacock2121** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:15 am

NY is a hands free state.

I still can't get how talking on a handfrees phone is any different than talking to a passenger in the car. It has got to be less distracting than talking to your toddler in the back seat.

Jeemie · #11 Post by **Jeemie** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 11:21 am

peacock2121 wrote:NY is a hands free state.

I still can't get how talking on a handfrees phone is any different than talking to a passenger in the car. It has got to be less distracting than talking to your toddler in the back seat.

I believe studies have shown that talking on a cell phone, even hands-free, is more distracting because the person is not there for you to pick up cues, etc (which you can pick up even peripherally, it seems).

Therefore you concentrate more on a cellphone conversation than you do a conversation with someone in the car.

Also, even after the cellphone conversation has ended, your mind spends 10-20 seconds consoldiating what you were talking about. Such consolidation apparently also does not occur when the person is there with you.

Don't ask me how they tested for that. I don't know- I can't even find the links to the stories anymore.

But apparently, cellphone converstaions are distracting even shortly after they've ended.

As for the "failure to respond" situation, I don't know how many times I'm sitting in a long line of traffic at a light, and when the light turns green, the person at the front of the line takes at least 5 seconds to respond and go.

Leading, of course, to the light turning red just as I get up to it!

I have also not only seen people calling and texting on their phones, but also watching TV, reading their newspapers, brushing their hair or applying makeup, or using their laptop computers while driving!

Luckily, never all at the same time! Bad enough that they do those things individually!

WWTBAM Bored

Slow traffic may be your own fault

Slow traffic may be your own fault

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