Random How Do Traffic Jams Work? (10 items)

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  (#1) Drivers Don't Maintain Consistent Speeds

  One of the biggest detriments to the smooth and unimpeded flow of traffic is the fact that drivers don't maintain consistent speeds. Unless you're using cruise control, you're constantly slowing down and speeding up, often subtly and without even realizing your speed is fluctuating. This phenomenon is less attributable to driver error and more owing to human nature. One study found that the lack of consistent speed is a collective phenomenon, meaning when one driver's speed fluctuates, whether wildly or imperceptibly, others respond in kind.
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  (#2) Obstacles On The Road Present Issues

  The obstacles a motorist encounters on their commute will have a direct bearing on whether traffic jams develop. Car accidents are among the most common culprits. Road work and lane closures are also responsible for bottlenecking traffic. Even a minor obstacle, like a road narrowing slightly, can cause traffic to slow considerably. Conditions like these cause around half of all traffic jams that occur on any given day.
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  (#3) When There's A Break In Traffic, Drivers Accelerate To Catch Up With The Vehicle In Front Of Them

  If you drive in heavy traffic on a regular basis, there are likely some things you're doing, however unknowingly, to contribute to the problem. One driving faux pas that many engage in occurs when there's a break in traffic. In this situation, drivers tend to speed up to get closer to the vehicle in front of them. Once they catch up, they naturally slow down to avoid a collision, but slowing-down becomes a problem. After you close the gap with the car in front of you and reduce your speed, drivers behind you have to slow down too. As a result, traffic congestion grows.
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  (#4) The Vast Majority Of Motorists Think They're Superior Drivers

  Another common reason for traffic is simple human hubris. 93% of motorists think they're better-than-average drivers. Obviously, this high number is an issue—and a mathematical improbability:

  "To make it a little clearer, only half of a group can be better than average at something, while the other half must be worse than average, and anyone falling in the middle is truly average; since most Americans think they are better than average at driving, it says something about our cognitive bias to overestimate our positive qualities and underestimate our negative qualities."

  The bottom line is that few drivers are as skillful and adept behind the wheel as they think they are. That confidence can lead them to think they're handling traffic effectively when they're really not.
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  (#5) It's Easy To Dehumanize Other Drivers

  When a driver gets behind the wheel, they're entering a small, enclosed space that feels private and secure. This perceived safety can create a disconnect between drivers on the road, and such a disconnect makes it less challenging for people to dehumanize other motorists. It also makes it easier for any given driver to engage in less-than-kind behavior. When one doesn't see the full humanity of others, cruelty can rear its head with surprising speed. So drivers are more prone to be disrespectful and just plain mean because their understanding of and empathy for other drivers is minimized. When a motorist acts like a jerk and does jerk-y things, traffic issues like congestion and jams result.
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  (#6) There Are Too Many Cars

  There's no getting around the fact that there are too many cars and not enough road. More cars plus limited space naturally equals increased traffic congestion. This is a major problem for most large cities around the world. In Beijing, for instance, there are a million new cars on the road every single year. The government finally decided to only issue a certain number of new license plates annually through a lottery system. If this approach caught on stateside, traffic would decrease. But let's be honest: there's a slim chance of the approach taking off here—Americans love their cars way too much.
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  (#7) Most Drivers Don't Understand The Zipper Merge

  Done correctly, the zipper merge can be the commuter's best friend. Unfortunately, few understand how the zipper merge is supposed to work. This is how journalist Sam Machkovech explains the late merge, also known as the zipper merge:

  "It works as follows: in the event of an impending lane closure, drivers should fill in both lanes in equal measure. Within a few car lengths of a lane ending, both lanes' cars should take turns filling in the open lane and resume full speed."

  The operative words here are take turns. A lot of drivers, seemingly under the impression that driving is some sort of bloodsport, are totally unwilling. Taking turns and letting others into your lane is the secret of zipper merging, and it could reduce traffic mightily if more motorists mastered it.
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  (#8) People Are Resistant To Public Transportation

  Public transportation is, for the most part, safe and reliable. But many are resistant to utilizing it, and experts have found that such resistance is often rooted in issues of race, class, and social stigma. Yet the fact remains: if more people took public transportation, there would be less traffic and fewer traffic jams. Research suggests that traffic wouldn't magically disappear, but it could be reduced slightly or even just in the short-term, both of which would be preferable to the situation as it stands presently.
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  (#9) The Bulk Of Traffic Happens At Specific Times Of The Day

  The concept of rush hour is not a new one, but it does explain why traffic gets bottled up more easily at certain times of day. Again, this is a matter of too many cars on too few roads all during the same few pivotal hours. During evening rush hour, drivers tend to be tired and stressed after a long day, and it's no secret that the two combined can cause accidents. When there are accidents, other drivers must slow down or stop, and it's human nature to want to look at the crash, all of which contribute to the insanity of rush hour and the jamming of traffic.
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  (#10) One Small Action Could Influence The Entire Flow Of Traffic

  In science, emergent phenomenon is the theory that small, seemingly insignificant actions can have larger, wider-ranging ramifications. From the perspective of traffic jams, it means that a tiny misstep by just one driver could negatively impact the entire flow of traffic. Conversely, it also means that a tiny preventative measure by just one driver could positively impact the entire flow of traffic. So next time you tap on the brake when there's no real reason, or you let someone in your lane when you don't necessarily have to, you may be contributing to how easily or uneasily the traffic around you flows. In short, be aware and make decisions that benefit everyone on the road.

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