5 ms·

It’s also just not realistic. If everyone was that defensive (5+ seconds distance) on such a busy road it would severely lower its capacity, leading to constant

It’s also just not realistic. If everyone was that defensive (5+ seconds distance) on such a busy road it would severely lower its capacity, leading to constant traffic jams. Leaving that gap will just mean others taking it.

saalweachter 4y ago
Saying "driving safely lowers the capacity of roads" is like saying that not jamming pennies in a fuse box lowers the capacity of the wiring.
- DangitBobby 4y ago
  Is it like that because it's true?
  - saalweachter 4y ago
    I mean, it's true until your house burns down. Then your wires stop carrying any current.
abigail95 4y ago
In my opinion the optimal following distance for traffic flow is probably slightly higher than what people are doing. There might be a "laffer curve" where increasing the follow distance of other cars and limiting overcorrections would increase capacity, rather than decrease it, at the current level. If we're getting regular "phantom jams", we're probably following too closely.
- m_mueller 4y ago
  there definitely is such a curve. I just can't imagine its optimum is at 5+ seconds between cars, at least at the highway speeds we drive in dense/often congested areas (~60mph / 100kph where I live). Intuitively I'd put it around 3 seconds.
- projektfu 4y ago
  I agree there. There's a lot an individual can do to dampen the compression waves if they leave 3 seconds instead of 2. I was being facetious with 5 seconds, but in some situations the 3 second distance is still not enough time to react. For example, when there is a stationary obstruction and the car in front obscuring it swerves instead of braking. Additionally, there's a lot to be said about vehicles not acting like they have human drivers. This Tesla basically acted like a psychopath. I have one car with regular cruise control and one with adaptive cruise. I am more relaxed with the standard one because I get the signals I need visually to know if I need to pass the car in front or not. I can't tell if my other car is going to drop from 80mph to 60mph all of a sudden until it's basically happened. Better autopilot could help, but then would I end up in this situation?

saalweachter 4y ago

Saying "driving safely lowers the capacity of roads" is like saying that not jamming pennies in a fuse box lowers the capacity of the wiring.

DangitBobby 4y ago
Is it like that because it's true?
- saalweachter 4y ago
  I mean, it's true until your house burns down. Then your wires stop carrying any current.

abigail95 4y ago

In my opinion the optimal following distance for traffic flow is probably slightly higher than what people are doing. There might be a "laffer curve" where increasing the follow distance of other cars and limiting overcorrections would increase capacity, rather than decrease it, at the current level. If we're getting regular "phantom jams", we're probably following too closely.

m_mueller 4y ago
there definitely is such a curve. I just can't imagine its optimum is at 5+ seconds between cars, at least at the highway speeds we drive in dense/often congested areas (~60mph / 100kph where I live). Intuitively I'd put it around 3 seconds.
projektfu 4y ago
I agree there. There's a lot an individual can do to dampen the compression waves if they leave 3 seconds instead of 2. I was being facetious with 5 seconds, but in some situations the 3 second distance is still not enough time to react. For example, when there is a stationary obstruction and the car in front obscuring it swerves instead of braking. Additionally, there's a lot to be said about vehicles not acting like they have human drivers. This Tesla basically acted like a psychopath. I have one car with regular cruise control and one with adaptive cruise. I am more relaxed with the standard one because I get the signals I need visually to know if I need to pass the car in front or not. I can't tell if my other car is going to drop from 80mph to 60mph all of a sudden until it's basically happened. Better autopilot could help, but then would I end up in this situation?