http://ask.metafilter.com/tags/trafficjams Questions tagged with 'trafficjams' at Ask MetaFilter. Fri, 26 Nov 2004 13:58:30 -0800 Fri, 26 Nov 2004 13:58:30 -0800 en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 http://ask.metafilter.com/12207/Rubberneckers%2Dsuck%2Damirite [trafficsnarlfilter] Seattle, as I'm sure a lot of you know, has a very serious traffic problem. There are two causes that get the majority of the press (geography and highways that don't support the population) but I'm curious if folks in other metro areas have this problem: you're driving along on the intersate/highway/freeway/whatever and suddenly you come to a standstill. After a while, you come to discover that someone has been pulled over by the police or there's a tow truck on the side of the road. At the head of the pack, some wonderful lookie-loo has slowed down to see if they know this person stuck on the side of the road and caused a chain reaction that forces everyone else to slow down as well.<br> <br> This happened to me yesterday on my way to Thanksgiving dinner. It took me 45 minutes to go 3 miles. I was <i>not</i> a happy camper.<br> <br> Somehow I'd feel better knowing it's not just drivers in Washington State that are this dumb. Then again...<br> <br> :-) tag:ask.metafilter.com,2004:site.12207 Fri, 26 Nov 2004 13:58:30 -0800 highway rubbernecking traffic trafficjams glyphlet http://ask.metafilter.com/8065/Why%2Ddo%2Dtraffic%2Djams%2Dhappen Why do traffic jams happen? [mi] I can't count the number of times that I've been driving down the freeway, only to get snarled in some inexplicable traffic jam. After an indeterminite, frustrating amount of time, it seems to disappate, and I'm on my way again. I have never understood why this happens.<br> <br> I'm aware that once and a while there are accidents, closed lanes, etc., and on those occaisions I mutter to myself "stupid [accident or closed lane or whatever]" and I move on. But most of the time, I can't figure out what the problem was.<br> <br> I also may be putting too much stock in my fellow humans; my supposition is that if everyone is doing their best to travel at reasonable freeway speed, there is no reason there should ever be an extended traffic jams on the freeway. Please, someone explain this phenomenon to me. tag:ask.metafilter.com,2004:site.8065 Fri, 18 Jun 2004 23:44:13 -0800 cars cities traffic trafficjams Yelling At Nothing