3 ms·

I use this method to an extent, but the unfortunate result often becomes people zipping in in front of you when you inevitably have a bit of extra space compare

I use this method to an extent, but the unfortunate result often becomes people zipping in in front of you when you inevitably have a bit of extra space compared to those around you. This seems to leave you with two problems which are hard to solve simultaneously. The first is the one you mention where you want to keep a mostly constant speed compared to the whole group. The second is the effective need to locally keep up with the cars around you. Solving both problems simultaneously seems essentially impossible. I guess removing self-interest is the only real way (which appears to be what the ants do).

orthecreedence 7y ago
The slow-n-steady method really only works with a critical mass of participation. Unfortunately most people either don't know that it helps or don't care and are happy to just keep stomping the gas and breaks repeatedly.
- lotsofpulp 7y ago
  Slow and steady only works up to a certain vehicle density. Once that has been exceeded, slow and steady simply serves to cause congestion further back in the road than necessary. There is no way around stop and go traffic once the maximum capacity of flowing cars has been exceeded. After this, leaving extra space is just waste, which is why in more densely populated areas, people "cut" into the space in front, because the only optimization left is to use as much road as possible.
  - mixmastamyk 7y ago
    There are other benefits, enjoyment and reducing wear and tear. Increasing delay by a few % in a huge jam is not material.
    - lotsofpulp 7y ago
      If everyone did it, it would be material. But everywhere I've seen, other people usually slip into whatever space there is. Which technically does maximize the rate of vehicles passing through a point in the road, as you can take advantage of the various rates of acceleration. Whether or not the time saved is worth the wear and tear, environmental damage, increased risk of collision, I can't say. I'd say probably not, but it's going to happen anyway.
      - mixmastamyk 7y ago
        Not really, as mentioned in a sibling thread. If you’re in a big hurry, simply leave two minutes earlier you’ll be ahead of all the folks you’re worried about. There is an efficiency gained through having space to change lanes as well, which is ine cause of the slowdown.
mixmastamyk 7y ago
Someone always responds with this, but the reality is that it doesn’t matter. Will you arrive later if one car jumps ahead, or ten? Might delay you an extra minute. If that is a problem simply leave one minute earlier, haha.
- scarejunba 7y ago
  It's not that. It just makes the thing harder to do. If someone cuts in front of you, they frequently will brake too, and your previous speed will bring you up to them.
  - mixmastamyk 7y ago
    Just drop from 7 mph to 6 temporarily. It is possible because I’ve done it weekly for the last two decades, after reading about it on Slashdot.
klyrs 7y ago
> I guess removing self-interest is the only real way (which appears to be what the ants do). This is, in my utopian imagination, the best argument for automated cars. Which works great until a manufacturer, or enthusiast, decides to make an "aggro" AI which takes advantage of the selfless AI...

orthecreedence 7y ago

The slow-n-steady method really only works with a critical mass of participation. Unfortunately most people either don't know that it helps or don't care and are happy to just keep stomping the gas and breaks repeatedly.

lotsofpulp 7y ago
Slow and steady only works up to a certain vehicle density. Once that has been exceeded, slow and steady simply serves to cause congestion further back in the road than necessary. There is no way around stop and go traffic once the maximum capacity of flowing cars has been exceeded. After this, leaving extra space is just waste, which is why in more densely populated areas, people "cut" into the space in front, because the only optimization left is to use as much road as possible.
- mixmastamyk 7y ago
  There are other benefits, enjoyment and reducing wear and tear. Increasing delay by a few % in a huge jam is not material.
  - lotsofpulp 7y ago
    If everyone did it, it would be material. But everywhere I've seen, other people usually slip into whatever space there is. Which technically does maximize the rate of vehicles passing through a point in the road, as you can take advantage of the various rates of acceleration. Whether or not the time saved is worth the wear and tear, environmental damage, increased risk of collision, I can't say. I'd say probably not, but it's going to happen anyway.
    - mixmastamyk 7y ago
      Not really, as mentioned in a sibling thread. If you’re in a big hurry, simply leave two minutes earlier you’ll be ahead of all the folks you’re worried about. There is an efficiency gained through having space to change lanes as well, which is ine cause of the slowdown.

mixmastamyk 7y ago

Someone always responds with this, but the reality is that it doesn’t matter. Will you arrive later if one car jumps ahead, or ten? Might delay you an extra minute. If that is a problem simply leave one minute earlier, haha.

scarejunba 7y ago
It's not that. It just makes the thing harder to do. If someone cuts in front of you, they frequently will brake too, and your previous speed will bring you up to them.
- mixmastamyk 7y ago
  Just drop from 7 mph to 6 temporarily. It is possible because I’ve done it weekly for the last two decades, after reading about it on Slashdot.

klyrs 7y ago

> I guess removing self-interest is the only real way (which appears to be what the ants do). This is, in my utopian imagination, the best argument for automated cars. Which works great until a manufacturer, or enthusiast, decides to make an "aggro" AI which takes advantage of the selfless AI...