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What has always puzzled me is that how is it possible that for example in the army a unit of thousand men can move as a single unit. Yet 5 cars stopped at the t

What has always puzzled me is that how is it possible that for example in the army a unit of thousand men can move as a single unit. Yet 5 cars stopped at the traffic lights can't do this but exhibit a latency accumulating between every single vehicle. If everyone just started moving when the light turns everyone could take off at the same time!

almostarockstar 7y ago
Except, if that were the case, all of the cars would then be travelling in very close proximity to each other. This would only work if we all stopped at the lights with the same space between stopped cars as moving cars. Of course, in a fully autonomous road network this is both possible, and mostly unnecessary, as nobody has to stop at traffic lights any more. Apart from pedestrian crossings of course.
Xelbair 7y ago
It is a matter of trust. In army you trust others to move with you. In car, you know that others won't move anyway so you wait and react to their behaviour. Army also moves in cohesive manner - unit is going towards known place. Car drivers do not know where others want to drive. Even the purpose of turn signals evade most drivers - they exist so you can signal your intention BEFORE manoeuvrer - most drivers turn them just before they need to, or even during the manoeuvrer.
- ensiferum 7y ago
  Yes it was a rethoric question but anyway you said it and there's basically the answer to the question posed by the scientist. Trust and communication. In the army some chief gives the instructions. Everyone obeys the instructions (regardless of whether you trust or don't trust your adjacent soldiers to move as well). Seems the problem really is just the lack of co-operation and individualism that produces a negative externality for the society as a whole.
Timpy 7y ago
CGP Grey did a really nice, concise video on the topic of traffic and he addresses your point in the first 30 seconds. Coordination, not cars, is the problem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHzzSao6ypE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHzzSao6ypE

almostarockstar 7y ago

Except, if that were the case, all of the cars would then be travelling in very close proximity to each other. This would only work if we all stopped at the lights with the same space between stopped cars as moving cars. Of course, in a fully autonomous road network this is both possible, and mostly unnecessary, as nobody has to stop at traffic lights any more. Apart from pedestrian crossings of course.

Xelbair 7y ago

It is a matter of trust. In army you trust others to move with you. In car, you know that others won't move anyway so you wait and react to their behaviour. Army also moves in cohesive manner - unit is going towards known place. Car drivers do not know where others want to drive. Even the purpose of turn signals evade most drivers - they exist so you can signal your intention BEFORE manoeuvrer - most drivers turn them just before they need to, or even during the manoeuvrer.

ensiferum 7y ago
Yes it was a rethoric question but anyway you said it and there's basically the answer to the question posed by the scientist. Trust and communication. In the army some chief gives the instructions. Everyone obeys the instructions (regardless of whether you trust or don't trust your adjacent soldiers to move as well). Seems the problem really is just the lack of co-operation and individualism that produces a negative externality for the society as a whole.

Timpy 7y ago

CGP Grey did a really nice, concise video on the topic of traffic and he addresses your point in the first 30 seconds. Coordination, not cars, is the problem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHzzSao6ypE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHzzSao6ypE