Traffic: Flaw in Design or Drivers?
It just so happened before I embarked on what should have been a 1.5 hour drive down the NJTP, that I received an email review from The New York Times of a book entitled Traffic.
Warning or Coincidence?
Let’s just say I sat on the Turnpike for so long, that twice I thought I was being followed until I realized that car behind me couldn’t get off the freeway either. 1
I have my own theories on the ‘whys’ of traffic:
- Merging
- Failure to anticipate2
When I drive on the highway/freeway and I’m approaching merging traffic, if I’m in the slow lane,3 I move over to the middle lane to keep traffic moving. If I have to brake, so might the cars behind me.
Merging traffic is like double dutch, I drive in a way that allows people to jump in without stopping the flow. Same thing on the street. If I let one car turn left or right, even though I have the right of way, 10 cars can move on both sides again instead of holding up traffic.
I only got a blurb of the book, but Mr. Vanderbilt, the author of Traffic, says that traffic jams are not caused by flaws in road design, but by flaws in human nature. Rubber necking is caused by gawkers (people who slow down to look at accidents, dumped furniture or to dig out their cell phone to take a picture - “digi-necking”).
He also mentions in his book that because driving doesn’t command 100% of our attention, we feel comfortable multi-tasking: talking on the phone, eating, taking pictures and reading. The results? Accidents and traffic.
Okay, I admit, when I was sitting in first gear, I whipped out my camera. Maybe I learned to steer the wheel using my knees and it’s possible when traffic finally started moving, I glanced around for an explanation,4 but found none.
Who’s to blame? Road design or drivers? Here’s a video of Tom on the Today Show Video. I think my blog is about to crash.
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My name is Valerie aka Natural and I will be writing about whatever is on my mind. I love teaching, dialogue, sharing and making people laugh. I never know what I'll share here but this is me, Thinking Out Loud.
I cant deal with traffic and I LOATHE the NJTPK more than any other highway on the planet. Driving on it twice a day every day kills me.
I think 1/2 of the reasons we have traffic issues are the inconsiderate drivers sharing the otherwise open road with us. The worst offenders are the M.L.M.F. Oh they make my blood boil.
and hey…who knew you could write a book about TRAFFIC? Half of my blog posts are about traffic!
*Hope this comment doesnt spend too much time in your spam folder!*
meleah rebeccah’s last blog post..So Happy Together…
**Oh please get my comment out of the spam folder!**
It was chock full of links and we both know that means my comment was banished!!
meleah rebeccah’s last blog post..So Happy Together…
Hi Natural,
“Digi-necking”
I’m still laughing about that one. Would you use the same term if a couple was up on lover’s lane and while necking they were also on their cell phones texting, talking or taking pictures?
Barbara Swafford’s last blog post..Casual Friday - Open Mic
Hi Natural - I don’t think your blog is about to crash! And had to laugh about the digi-necking! There was a pile up of 11 cars here recently on a city freeway caused by rubber-neckers looking at something innocuous right off the road. (this is my FIRST comment made from my mother’s place with her new internet connection I just set up!)
Robin’s last blog post..Letting Creativity Just Slip In
Meleah, you know you came to mind when I thought of the Turnpike. I said this is where Meleah lives. I remember your MLMF post. Hehehehehe. Some drivers are inconsiderate, SUV drivers push little cars like mine around, truck drivers just run you over…and where are they going? Target.
Oh yes, thanks for the heads up, got your comment out, you knew it would be sitting there for days cause I don’t check.
Barbara, I don’t know who coined that phrase digi-necking…wasn’t me, but it sure fits. Would I use the same term for a lover’s lane couple? Nope. I leaning toward: arrested. busted. fine.
Robin, Yeah my blog is gonna blow. I have some weird warning on my sidebar.
Warning: Attempt to assign property of non-object in /home/ [*******]/blog/wp-includes/rss.php on line 440
Weird thing is I won’t even go into cardiac arrest like I thought I would if that happens. I remember you lost your blog, but got it back. I have a copy of it, maybe 2 days old when it was fine, I could replace the file or worse case have my hosting company restore a previous version. I better go make a back up so I won’t loose this post/comment.
11 car pile up? Whoa!! That’s wicked. I bet someone dropped their cell phone and stopped to get it.
What is it about horrible accidents that make people stop and look? I’ve never felt the urge to look at a blood and gore splattered accident scene - I always try to drive past as quickly as possible.
Solomon@ThingsI’mGratefulFor’s last blog post..Things I’m Grateful For on Friday 15 August
As an ex truck driver, I can’t tell you how bad traffic really looks from 8 feet in the air; you see so much more, and still have to anticipate everything. Road systems, for the most part, work if everyone is on the same page, and actually pay attention to more than just their CD player and cell phone.
Michael’s last blog post..The Smart Car … you gotta be kidding
Rushing to get to Target is cracking me up!
meleah rebeccah’s last blog post..Inactive
I tend to agree that it has a lot to do with human nature.
In the future, cars will be like airplanes. They will drive with an auto-driver. I’m sure things will look better then.
Vered’s last blog post..Are You A Parent? Stressed Much? You Should Check Out UpToUs
Solomon I might look, but I’m not stopping or hanging around.
Michael a truck driver!!! Cars are equipped with everything (‘cept mine), if we paid more attention to driving, we probably wouldn’t have as much traffic and a little courtesy wouldn’t hurt.
Meleah NJ traffic must be crazy as all get out if we have to blog about it. The parkway is a hot mess too, crazy, bee-hind people. I was on Rt. 22 one night around 11 p.m. and 2 cars flew past me doing at least 100 MPH, guess what? Cop caught them both, for the first time in my life I applauded a cop.
Vered I don’t understand it, but the book seems interesting (to me)…I’ll get it from the library and I won’t read it at the light.
While I think certain cities…oh, say like um, Ottawa…don’t do very good urban planning when it comes to designing the road system, I believe it’s all about human stupidity, sorry, error. Cell phone use has just been banned in Quebec, and looks like Ontario will follow suit. (Oh crap, that’s fuel for the Urbane Lion in is Quebec vs Ontario argument). Applying mascara. Geepers creepers that one gets me. It takes all my concentration standing alone in my bathroom to do that one. How the heck do women do it driving and staring into the rear view mirror. Oh, I could go on and on and on…but it’s Friday and we are about to go out on the boat…where you don’t even need to know how to drive one of those things before you get in the water!
Urban Panther’s last blog post..The beginning of the end
This made me think of something I read the other day: that building more roads to alleviate traffic problems is kind of like buying bigger clothes every time you start gaining weight. I think the solution is simply to drive less. Traffic here in Panama get worse every day, it’s amazing. I laughed at digi-necking too, you come up with the best phrases Natural
Marelisa’s last blog post..Slow Down - 32 Ways to Start Now
My uncle drove trucks for quite some time, and he taught me a valuable skill for driving — the skill of looking much farther ahead than we typically do, even when driving a normal automobile.
Truck drivers need more space and time to stop and are taught to look a great distance ahead and begin moving/downshifting/braking sooner. This leads to a safer method of driving and one that I believe mitigates traffic jams.
The problem is that other people do not seem to drive in the same manner. I do recommend trying to look farther ahead while driving and see how it affects your driving behaviors. You will probably find that you are a better driver by doing just this one thing, because it will change your driving habits.
I, too, treat merging like a dance of sorts, Natural. I prefer to see if I can drive without the need to brake/accelerate frequently (I love cruise control) or inconvenience others on the road. The book sounds like a very interesting read. I’ll have to take a look at it when I’m done reading the stack I have queued up. Thanks for writing about it.
Ian Parker’s last blog post..Open Source Gets Huge Legal Boost
I’m serious when I say I could post a whole week on my traffic theories. But in short - traffic says a tremendous amount about human nature. If everyone followed the rules, we would rarely have any problems.
Writer Dad’s last blog post..The Eighth Wonder of the World
Being a courteous driver makes all the difference in the world. I love your comment about anticipating. Good drivers anticipate the road ahead. This is a great lesson and food for thought for all the drivers out there.
Chase March’s last blog post..Welcome to My Talk Show
“I won’t read it at the light.” GOOD.
I actually sometimes see drivers reading a newspaper at the traffic light. Drives me crazy.
Vered’s last blog post..Are You A Parent? Stressed Much? You Should Check Out UpToUs
In a lot of cases a vehicle or the road didn’t cause the crash or the traffic jam..it’s the people driving the vehicles..this is from just a tick over 3 million miles in a long haul truck .. so it has some sperience to back it up…:))))
robert bourne’s last blog post..Moving
Urban Panther, I hope you’re wearing your specs…glasses rock! You can look smart w/o saying a word. Okay onto traffic. Ugggghhhhhh! Actually I’m interested in the psychological difference between men and women drives as well, which the book addresses. Like why women put on make-up while driving when they are not that good of a driver. Almost ever other person I see driving is on the phone. What is there to talk about…we can’t use them here in NJ, but people still do it.
Marelisa, I’m on my way to slowing down in about 10 minutes. It was mentioned in the article that we have more places to drive as well. Don’t want Walmart, drive to Target. Oh digi-necking is not mine, I saw it in the review, but cute isn’t it?
Ian Parker, hello and welcome. I like seeing new “faces”, especially male faces, creates a nice mix. It’s true you have to look and think ahead, we’re not on the road by ourselves. If I see a car wants to turn, I will flash my lights ASAP, letting them know I will ease up off the pedal and you better turn before I get there
. Nobody communicates on the road or even pays attention to opportunity. I need to go tend to my book, as well. Will check you out later.
Writer Dad, we could have less problems if people paid attention and communicated more while driving. Please use your turn signals people…how many times do you sit and wait to turn for a car you think is going straight, but they don’t…they just turn in front of you. I’m having mad issues right now.
Chase March, I’ve gotten pretty good at anticipating car movements. I know those that weave, the cars that look lost (i stay away from) and the ones that can’t drive. It keeps me alert I guess.
Vered, I do read at the lights, BUT I try to keep a cushion of cars in front of me so I can blame the hold up on them. LOL. If I’m first in line, I don’t read. I shouldn’t be reading period though.
Robert, true true. Besides scaring people in little cars like mine, I know as a trucker you’re a good driver. Human nature for sure.
I spoke w/a friend who studied traffic for a while, himself. There’s also sometimes a domino kind of effect where the 1st person in line may have tapped their brakes for a second. The person behind them does it for 2, behind them for 5, behind them for 8 & the next thing you know, no one’s going anywhere. No merging, no construction, no accident. Just too many cars.
Lana’s last blog post..Random Stuff & a Shout Out
I think that warning is saying your blog needs some valium - no… valeriem - no… that’s you! (sorry - it’s getting late)
It is illegal to use mobile phones while driving, here in Australia - but lots of people do it.
Robin’s last blog post..Letting Creativity Just Slip In
my friend was killed 2 years ago reading a map. He had gotten lost going to his brother’s funeral. A student changed his radio dial and the back of a boat he ran into killed him instantly - definitely multi tasking losing your attention- becoming complacent..sk
sandy’s last blog post.."Get your motor runnin..head out on the highway "
LOL Valerie - I’m trying to imagine you using your knees to steer. That sounds quite complicated.
I wish this book would be distributed in Mexico. I saw a lot of bad driving while I was there and several crashes.
Cath Lawson’s last blog post..Join The Blog Express
This book sounds like a very interesting book:
“Would you be surprised that road rage can be good for society? Or that most crashes happen on sunny, dry days? That our minds can trick us into thinking the next lane is moving faster?”
One of things I’ve noticed here in the states (compared to other countries with a lot of cars) is the relative ease that one can pass the test and obtain a driver’s license–”just know how to parallel park and you pass” it seems.
I also remember reading about case where the road testers were unable to drive themselves, or had some issues with their own driving records…
I guess in the end it’s all good for the insurance companies.
o.d.’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday #3: Digg Shouts and Upskirts
Daniel Cox (Notions from the Left of Far Right) did a blog about ‘anti-traffic’ driving back in May. The theory being that if you drive slower and leave bigger gaps, you actually keep the flow going better and get there just as quickly, if not quicker - it was inspired by an article in Reader’s Digest by a guy named William Beaty. This new book sounds like a similar theory.
Sometimes there simply are too many cars for a road layout, or the planners get it wrong, but usually it’s people being selfish or impatient or just plain incompetent.
I use the ‘one for one’ rule when merging, or letting people out of a stagnant side turn. If everyone did it the traffic would move so much better. But so many are concerned only with ‘right of way’. *Sigh*
Yep, totally true! Traffic is caused by people and not road designs or too many cars. Like Vered, I too see a lot of people reading books and newspapers while in traffic…One thing that drives me crazy though is that if I’m already going 20 miles over the speed limit, why are you still up on my butt! Geeeesssshhhhh…
chris’s last blog post..To Blog Or Not To Blog
Re: Mr. Vanderbilt’s assertion that “traffic jams are not caused by flaws in road design, but by flaws in human nature” such as rubbernecking. In general this might be true, but when I consider at least one specific case — driving in Houston where the highway system forms a circle around the downtown — this is a case of poor design greatly lending itself to traffic jams!
I never looked at it like that, “driving doesn’t take 100% so we’re more comfortable to multi-task”. I think my problem is day-dreaming.
Tondy’s last blog post..Sometimes you just don’t have a title and this is one of those times!
that’s about the only good thing about living in the South…traffic really isn’t an issue. Most highways are 4-lane in my area…when we start getting to 6-lane interstates my palms get sweaty…8-lane…i’m pulling out the Xanax…if there’s one with more than 8, call Quincy (the coroner from that 70s TV show) cause I’m gonna be DOA!
Roschelle’s last blog post..Americans - Divided and Conquered
Lana, I wonder if people speeding and then running into those that are not causes people to constantly tap their brakes. Quite interesting…don’t understand traffic on the highway though.
Robin, it was a feed coming through causing the error. I had to remove it..I’ll take the valium though.
Sandy, how sad. It happens that quick too. It’s a wake up call for sure.
Cath, I should say, in shame, driving with my knees is not all that complicated. Only on the highway though. Driving is an art and some people are coloring with crayons. It’s more than just getting from one place to another, but communication with other drivers. It’s a dance.
O.D. I’ll probably get it from the library and take a peek inside. I’ve always wondered about traffic (uh am I that dull) and how come we just can’t go. There are many reasons I guess, should be interesting. Yeah you need to know the rules, what the lines mean and how to parallel park…that’s it. Thanks for stopping by.
Jay, really, never heard of him…will Yahoo it and see if I can find it for a quick read. Thanks. There could be too many cars as well. I again, just got off the NJTP and there were more cars than you could shake a stick at (whatever that means, lol). Lots of cars. One for one works, but people seem to like the me first, you next rule.
Chris, I blame people more than the design, although I do think at every light there should be a signal and even a lane for the people who need to turn, get them out of the way first. That could use a redesign. Okay wow, I won’t read any more.
Brenda, I’ll have to believe you on the Houston highway since I don’t know. I think we all can do a little more, including the designers. If I know the area and I see a lot of cars, I go down another street to avoid traffic. I travel on a winding one line narrow road up a mountain to work and if anything hiccups, that’s it..traffic is backed up.
Tondy, Ohh, I do the same, I think too much and a whole bunch of other things I’m ashamed to list, but yet I feel I am always aware of everything that’s going on around me.
Roschelle, southern driving is way different. It’s peaceful to me, I love driving on the highway, it’s a great place to think. Nobody is whizzing by you to be first in line at Wal-Mart (except my mom). Not too many people think and drive, they just drive.
You crack me up, Roschelle. 8 lanes? Beautiful, I bet.
I think gawking while driving is a huge problem. People need to humble themselves and realize that when there is an accident on the side of the road - it’s not important for them to look at it.
It slows traffic, and hurts other people. I say, let’s all do an act of kindness while we drive and not gawk.
Nice article. Good presentation.
Bamboo Forest’s last blog post..How to Live a Life of Freedom
I heard the same theory that Lana was saying - basically, it’s faster to brake than to accelerate, which means one person slowing down can propagate back to other cars that are behind and the slowdown can grow. Jay’s comment about leaving spaces to absorb those up-and-down slowdowns helps traffic (but when it gets real busy, people will just merge into those gaps).
By the way Natural, my condolences with your NJTP commute. I had a brief stay in NJ and that was one my worst memories.
Al at 7P’s last blog post..The Hero with a Thousand Jobs
Natural -
I can relate to your experience easily. I have driven on an average 50K miles every year since mid 90’s. I lived in NJ briefly when I worked for J & J and then I moved to Atlanta but traffic is utterly exasperating in Atlanta as well. I’m not sure if traffic jam is always attributed to human behavior because I have seen that our government is not the brightest when it comes to planning and developing highways.
Shilpan
Shilpan | successsoul.com’s last blog post..Mark Twain’s Thoughts on 3 Topics You’d Rather Not Discuss
the Parkway IS a hot mess. Those people are CRAZY. And the lanes are sofa king narrow. I hate HATE the Parkway. Even more than that whore of a Turnpike!!
meleah rebeccah’s last blog post..Backing Up Our Blogs
Ya know… Coming back from Pismo Beach I actually witnessed (from the passenger seat) a man in the truck next to us yakking on his cell phone (which he was holding up to his ear, which is illegal in CA) and TEXTING with ANOTHER cell phone. I’m not sure what he was using to drive but I’m thinking it was his knees. IDIOT. Did I mention that we were on a freeway and driving no less than 70 mph? I kid you not. THAT’S an American driver. Infuriates me every time I think about it.
Corrina’s last blog post..Happy Monday
Hi Natural. The double dutch metaphor is perfect. I’d be willing to wager a guess that most of the problem is in the driver’s hands, but I can see how a small part of the problem is volume and bad roadways.
I’ve seen some pretty scary drivers out there, that’s for sure. I hate driving! Let me reframe that… I hate driving when there are other drivers on the road. I’m one of those terribly extra cautious drivers who probably “drives” (no pun intended) most other drivers crazy.
As luck would have it, I don’t own a car. I use transit or my feet and am quite happy that way.
Davina’s last blog post..I Dreamt I Died
Bamboo Forest, it’s kind of difficult not to look, I see what I can as I’m driving but without slowing down. Sometimes I think I look to make sure it’s no one I know.
Al at 7P, I think people are driving so fast that they have to brake more causing others to brake. I can travel a great distance without stepping on the brake (on the highway) just by taking my foot off the accelerator to control my speed – or shifting to a lower gear. The minute you see someone’s brake light, what do you do? Step on your brakes and so on and so on. Al the NJTP is the devil.
Shilpan, well no not always attributed to human nature, I see some flaws in design, but which one is easier to change, the design or the way we drive?
Meleah, I need wine after the Parkway. I just shake my head and wonder where are people going so fast. Zipping in and out…I pass most of the maniacs when I go through EZ Pass, so what was all that for. Zip, zip, zip, wait in line.
Corrina, well I don’t advocate driving with your knees…while texting AND on the phone….well period. That’s over multi-tasking. Kind of scary, actually.
Davina, I guess with driving it’s how fast you decided to turn the ‘rope’, slow enough to let them in or fast enough to keep them out. With some people, it’s always me first. The light can be red and no cars will let you cut in…have to push your way in and show them the ‘please’ face
First off, I just want to say thanks to you for moving over into the middle lane to allow passers to pass, and to facilitate the flow of traffic.
Why more people won’t do that, I will never know.
And it’s true, most people do not pay complete attention while driving.
Ever get stuck at a green light behind that guy talking on his phone, eyeballing some woman walking by or the woman busy putting on make up?
Who ARE these people??? :O
The Fitness Diva’s last blog post..Mememe
LOL, I do move over, really…..okay maybe if I don’t, people would run me over, but we know they have to merge in, they need a lane, let them in so they can speed off.
Yeah a lot of guys spend seconds gawking at women walking and forget those that put on make-up while driving….i only read at stop lights.
In the same way that frustration is misdirected at traffic wardens (mere soldiers under orders from concealed policymakers), the underlying cause of hostility on the roads is often missed. The bad attitudes seem to me less an expression of drivers’ true nature than their nature twisted by intrusive traffic controls. The rules of the road make us act against our better nature and better judgment. In all other walks of life we take our turn in the sequence in which we arrive. Not so on the road, where we have to fight for survival, gaps and green time, and where commonsense and common courtesy are discouraged, even outlawed. The fatal flaw at the heart of the system is main road priority. It defies basic safety principles and social custom by licensing main road traffic to plow on, regardless who was there first. To interrupt the priority streams to enable “inferior” side road traffic and pedestrians to cross, lights are “needed”. But remove priority, and you remove the “need” for lights, and the need for speed. Then all road-users can do what is natural and safe: approach gently, watch the road and take it in turns. Simultaneous filtering is not only infinitely more civilized than stop-start consecutive queuing, it is infinitely more efficient.
Thank you Martin for sharing your thoughts. I find that when I leave early enough, lights are not an issue for me. If one turns red, I have time to wait. People do seem to play beat the light, I’ve done it when I’m in a rush. I wonder if your “nudge theory” would work, I don’t see it happening, it would take some deprogramming of the “me first” mentality, but wouldn’t it be nice.
Thanks Valerie. My firm belief that people relax and behave better when they are free to exercise choice is based on observation and experience. Currently I’m pushing for an extended lights-off trial in pursuit of robust evidence. Even if you’re not in a hurry, why should you have to stop and pollute the air if you can see it’s safe to go? Good blog by the way, good community of people.
Hi Martin, on that point I certainly agree. If we all can relax a little, plan better and stop leaving things to the last minute, then yes the no light thing could work. I had a great drive into work this morning, it didn’t matter that an accident held up traffic, I had a few minutes to wait. The person behind me drove like a manaic on the other side of the road (on coming traffic) just to go around…and do what? Speed to go sit at a light.
The people here are great. We can talk and have fun too. Thanks for sharing your views, it would be interesting to see if what you propose works. I’ll keep my eye on your blog.
Natural’s last blog post..Here’s To You…and Me