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The solution to traffic jams is to not leave transportation in the hands of clueless, distracted, reckless drivers. The solution is fast, reliable, ubiquitous p

The solution to traffic jams is to not leave transportation in the hands of clueless, distracted, reckless drivers. The solution is fast, reliable, ubiquitous public transit.

stefs 16y ago
or jetpacks!
- nphase 16y ago
  or teleportation devices
nradov 16y ago
Public transit is impractical and uneconomic in many areas. The real solution is smart roads and computer-driven electric cars.
- rbranson 16y ago
  Perhaps, but in the context of the article, traffic jams only exist because of commuters. The interstate & highway systems were not designed for commuters and should not be used for them. While I think computer-driven cars will be a boon to the environment and economy, the capital investment needed is pretty fantastic, which is going to be some decades off. In fact, a real solution to this problem that could be applied in the design of our current urban landscape would be a multi-pronged effort to spread out the commuter traffic. Alternating work and school hours could widen commuting hours and distribute load across all commuter infrastructure. Increased levels of telecommuting would also contribute to this. This would be a sort of supply-side fix to commuter congestion. Local or regional governments could create incentives to encourage these changes.
  - nradov 16y ago
    The first-generation interstate highway system wasn't designed for commuters, but everything added or upgraded in the past 40 years has been. Many new luxury cars already come with limited computer driving, in the form of adaptive cruise control. The capital investment is small and rapidly dropping, and just that one innovation could deliver a major reduction in traffic congestion. http://www.springerlink.com/content/p56714553g82r2h7/ http://www.springerlink.com/content/p56714553g82r2h7/
  - dandelany 16y ago
    the capital investment needed is pretty fantastic As opposed to, say, the multi-billion-dollar capital investment of a subway or light rail system?
- DanielStraight 16y ago
  The intersection of the set of places that get traffic jams and the set of places in which public transit is impractical and uneconomic is very small.
  - nradov 16y ago
    In the US most large suburban and exurban traffic areas have traffic jams. Those are also places where public transit is impractical for most people. Or at least people aren't willing to make the sacrifices in time and money to make public transit work. People like to be able to go wherever they want whenever they want without waiting in the rain for a bus that never comes. The problem with personal automobiles right now is that they are dangerous, slow, expensive, and have a huge carbon impact. We can find technical solutions to all those problems without restricting everyone's freedom of movement by forcing them into public transit.
    - DanielStraight 16y ago
      My solution required that public transit be fast, reliable and ubiquitous. This can easily be done. I've personally experienced it in Germany. Good public transit is freeing, not restricting. Since I drive a car, every time I go out with my wife, I have to be careful how much alcohol I consume. If I had a train or bus to take, I could drink however much I wanted. Since I drive a car, if I want to walk around town, I have to return to my car before being able to head home. If there was public transit, I could just go to the nearest station and connect from there. Since I drive a car, I have to pay to park if I go downtown (and hunt for a parking spot). Since I drive a car, I have to inconvenience a friend or pay for a taxi whenever I go to the airport. Since we drive cars, my wife and I can't meet somewhere after work unless we we're willing to have two cars. Since I drive a car, I have to pay for gas and maintenance, and there is no good alternative if my car breaks down. A bus line can just add another bus, or reduce the number of stops. The route doesn't just shut down.

The solution to traffic jams is to not leave transportation in the hands of clueless, distracted, reckless drivers. The solution is fast, reliable, ubiquitous public transit.

stefs 16y ago

or jetpacks!

nphase 16y ago
or teleportation devices

nradov 16y ago

Public transit is impractical and uneconomic in many areas. The real solution is smart roads and computer-driven electric cars.

rbranson 16y ago
Perhaps, but in the context of the article, traffic jams only exist because of commuters. The interstate & highway systems were not designed for commuters and should not be used for them. While I think computer-driven cars will be a boon to the environment and economy, the capital investment needed is pretty fantastic, which is going to be some decades off. In fact, a real solution to this problem that could be applied in the design of our current urban landscape would be a multi-pronged effort to spread out the commuter traffic. Alternating work and school hours could widen commuting hours and distribute load across all commuter infrastructure. Increased levels of telecommuting would also contribute to this. This would be a sort of supply-side fix to commuter congestion. Local or regional governments could create incentives to encourage these changes.
- nradov 16y ago
  The first-generation interstate highway system wasn't designed for commuters, but everything added or upgraded in the past 40 years has been. Many new luxury cars already come with limited computer driving, in the form of adaptive cruise control. The capital investment is small and rapidly dropping, and just that one innovation could deliver a major reduction in traffic congestion. http://www.springerlink.com/content/p56714553g82r2h7/ http://www.springerlink.com/content/p56714553g82r2h7/
- dandelany 16y ago
  the capital investment needed is pretty fantastic As opposed to, say, the multi-billion-dollar capital investment of a subway or light rail system?
DanielStraight 16y ago
The intersection of the set of places that get traffic jams and the set of places in which public transit is impractical and uneconomic is very small.
- nradov 16y ago
  In the US most large suburban and exurban traffic areas have traffic jams. Those are also places where public transit is impractical for most people. Or at least people aren't willing to make the sacrifices in time and money to make public transit work. People like to be able to go wherever they want whenever they want without waiting in the rain for a bus that never comes. The problem with personal automobiles right now is that they are dangerous, slow, expensive, and have a huge carbon impact. We can find technical solutions to all those problems without restricting everyone's freedom of movement by forcing them into public transit.
  - DanielStraight 16y ago
    My solution required that public transit be fast, reliable and ubiquitous. This can easily be done. I've personally experienced it in Germany. Good public transit is freeing, not restricting. Since I drive a car, every time I go out with my wife, I have to be careful how much alcohol I consume. If I had a train or bus to take, I could drink however much I wanted. Since I drive a car, if I want to walk around town, I have to return to my car before being able to head home. If there was public transit, I could just go to the nearest station and connect from there. Since I drive a car, I have to pay to park if I go downtown (and hunt for a parking spot). Since I drive a car, I have to inconvenience a friend or pay for a taxi whenever I go to the airport. Since we drive cars, my wife and I can't meet somewhere after work unless we we're willing to have two cars. Since I drive a car, I have to pay for gas and maintenance, and there is no good alternative if my car breaks down. A bus line can just add another bus, or reduce the number of stops. The route doesn't just shut down.