3 ms·

Isn't the real problem that a lot of people drive to, and then back from, work at the same time?

dkokelley 18y ago
The real problem is that a lot of people drive on the same roads at the same time. What they're doing on the roads is irrelevant (although work is probably the biggest cause of the demand for road usage. I assume you're attempting to make a case for staggering work hours so "rush hour" is spread over a longer time). Roads are an interesting economic model. There are basically 3 primary factors: current demand, current supply, and price. Price is especially interesting because price isn't necessarily dollars (or your currency of choice). Price = Demand/Supply So if demand goes up (rush hour, popular events, etc.) or supply goes down (construction, accidents blocking lanes) then the price goes up. Part of the price is paid in taxes that goes to build and maintain the road, the other component of price is time. How much time will you spend driving. If it's rush hour and there was a collision blocking the left lane and you're on your way to a baseball game then the demand is pretty high, and the supply is pretty low, so the price will go up. If this isn't a toll road, then the additional price you're paying is 100% time. Of course the beauty is that you could in theory take a toll road and pay in currency instead of time, although there aren't always toll roads as options. <sarcasm> I suppose the best solution is A: don't go anywhere, or B: get a transporter like in Star Trek.</sarcasm>
- demallien 18y ago
  Actually, I wonder if anyone out there has tried making toll-roads where you pay more the more time you spend on the toll-road, as opposed to the more distance you travel. That would certainly provide a nice economic signal to avoid congestion. Of course, you'd also need to install a large number of speed cameras, to stop the obvious method of gaming the system...
  - ks 18y ago
    I think that would lead to dangerous situations. You would see people constantly changing lanes to try to maximize their speed. Accidents would happen more frequently.

The real problem is that a lot of people drive on the same roads at the same time. What they're doing on the roads is irrelevant (although work is probably the biggest cause of the demand for road usage. I assume you're attempting to make a case for staggering work hours so "rush hour" is spread over a longer time). Roads are an interesting economic model. There are basically 3 primary factors: current demand, current supply, and price. Price is especially interesting because price isn't necessarily dollars (or your currency of choice). Price = Demand/Supply So if demand goes up (rush hour, popular events, etc.) or supply goes down (construction, accidents blocking lanes) then the price goes up. Part of the price is paid in taxes that goes to build and maintain the road, the other component of price is time. How much time will you spend driving. If it's rush hour and there was a collision blocking the left lane and you're on your way to a baseball game then the demand is pretty high, and the supply is pretty low, so the price will go up. If this isn't a toll road, then the additional price you're paying is 100% time. Of course the beauty is that you could in theory take a toll road and pay in currency instead of time, although there aren't always toll roads as options. <sarcasm> I suppose the best solution is A: don't go anywhere, or B: get a transporter like in Star Trek.</sarcasm>

demallien 18y ago
Actually, I wonder if anyone out there has tried making toll-roads where you pay more the more time you spend on the toll-road, as opposed to the more distance you travel. That would certainly provide a nice economic signal to avoid congestion. Of course, you'd also need to install a large number of speed cameras, to stop the obvious method of gaming the system...
- ks 18y ago
  I think that would lead to dangerous situations. You would see people constantly changing lanes to try to maximize their speed. Accidents would happen more frequently.