5 ms·

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 ar

• 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.