How Much Road Capacity is Wasted Due to Poor Driving?

Anyone want to take a guess as to how much of our existing road
capacity is wasted by LLBs, poor mergers, Sloths, rubberneckers,
people who don't speed up when the traffic ahead of them does, etc.
etc.?

I'd say the waste is at least 40%, i.e. that our roads never achieve
more than 60% of their true capacity due to incompetent drivers.

What's your guess?

"Scott en Aztlán" wrote:
>
> Anyone want to take a guess as to how much of our existing road
> capacity is wasted by LLBs, poor mergers, Sloths, rubberneckers,
> people who don't speed up when the traffic ahead of them does, etc.
> etc.?
>
> I'd say the waste is at least 40%, i.e. that our roads never achieve
> more than 60% of their true capacity due to incompetent drivers.
>
> What's your guess?

Don't forget to add in the waste that is caused by rude and
inconsiderate drivers who jump lanes at intersection, who
squeeze people out who are trying to merge, and who
constantly switch lanes in an attempt to get ahead in slow
traffic situations.

Ed

"C. E. White" > wrote in
:

>
>
> "Scott en Aztlán" wrote:
>>
>> Anyone want to take a guess as to how much of our existing road
>> capacity is wasted by LLBs, poor mergers, Sloths, rubberneckers,
>> people who don't speed up when the traffic ahead of them does, etc.
>> etc.?
>>
>> I'd say the waste is at least 40%, i.e. that our roads never achieve
>> more than 60% of their true capacity due to incompetent drivers.
>>
>> What's your guess?
>
> Don't forget to add in the waste that is caused by rude and
> inconsiderate drivers who jump lanes at intersection,


> who
> squeeze people out who are trying to merge,

These are part of the PROBLEM;they screw up and expect others to slow,or
stop,and make way for them,CAUSING slower traffic flow.


> and who
> constantly switch lanes in an attempt to get ahead in slow
> traffic situations.
>
> Ed
>



--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

"Jim Yanik" .> wrote in message
.. .
> "C. E. White" > wrote in
> :
>
> >
> >
> > "Scott en Aztlán" wrote:
> >>
> >> Anyone want to take a guess as to how much of our existing road
> >> capacity is wasted by LLBs, poor mergers, Sloths, rubberneckers,
> >> people who don't speed up when the traffic ahead of them does, etc.
> >> etc.?
> >>
> >> I'd say the waste is at least 40%, i.e. that our roads never achieve
> >> more than 60% of their true capacity due to incompetent drivers.
> >>
> >> What's your guess?
> >
> > Don't forget to add in the waste that is caused by rude and
> > inconsiderate drivers who jump lanes at intersection,
>
>
> > who
> > squeeze people out who are trying to merge,
>
> These are part of the PROBLEM;they screw up and expect others to slow,or
> stop,and make way for them,CAUSING slower traffic flow.
>
>
[snip...]

Not always Jim, sometimes the others disrupt traffic flow in a desperate
attempt to get in front of the merger at all costs.

In fact, I've seen multiple times where I'm already up to speed in the merge
lane and well ahead of the car in the right lane as the solid line of the
merge lane becomes a dashed line, but the idiot in the right lane decides to
accelerate such that they near-miss pass me AS THE DASHED LINE OF THE MERGE
LANE HAS COME TO AN END.

So, they are the problem because they very recklessly cut off my legitimate
merge opportunity due to their own MFFY tendencies.

"Daniel W. Rouse Jr." > wrote in
:

> "Jim Yanik" .> wrote in message
> .. .
>> "C. E. White" > wrote in
>> :
>>
>> >
>> >
>> > "Scott en Aztlán" wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Anyone want to take a guess as to how much of our existing road
>> >> capacity is wasted by LLBs, poor mergers, Sloths, rubberneckers,
>> >> people who don't speed up when the traffic ahead of them does,
>> >> etc. etc.?
>> >>
>> >> I'd say the waste is at least 40%, i.e. that our roads never
>> >> achieve more than 60% of their true capacity due to incompetent
>> >> drivers.
>> >>
>> >> What's your guess?
>> >
>> > Don't forget to add in the waste that is caused by rude and
>> > inconsiderate drivers who jump lanes at intersection,
>>
>>
>> > who
>> > squeeze people out who are trying to merge,
>>
>> These are part of the PROBLEM;they screw up and expect others to
>> slow,or stop,and make way for them,CAUSING slower traffic flow.
>>
>>
> [snip...]
>
> Not always Jim, sometimes the others disrupt traffic flow in a
> desperate attempt to get in front of the merger at all costs.
>
> In fact, I've seen multiple times where I'm already up to speed in the
> merge lane and well ahead of the car in the right lane as the solid
> line of the merge lane becomes a dashed line, but the idiot in the
> right lane decides to accelerate such that they near-miss pass me AS
> THE DASHED LINE OF THE MERGE LANE HAS COME TO AN END.

How can they accellerate quickly enough to keep you from merging,if you are
"well ahead" and moving faster than them?

If you were "well ahead",what were you WAITING FOR????
The opportunity to merge was there,and you dawdled,and lost it.
And then you expect them to hold back and make way for you.
It appears you are a "last-minute merger".

>
> So, they are the problem because they very recklessly cut off my
> legitimate merge opportunity due to their own MFFY tendencies.
>
>
>

No,it's that you apparently never learned how to merge properly in the
first place,and expect others to make way for you in spite of your errors.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

"Jim Yanik" .> wrote in message
.. .
> "Daniel W. Rouse Jr." > wrote in
> :
>
> > "Jim Yanik" .> wrote in message
> > .. .
> >> "C. E. White" > wrote in
> >> :
> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > "Scott en Aztlán" wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> Anyone want to take a guess as to how much of our existing road
> >> >> capacity is wasted by LLBs, poor mergers, Sloths, rubberneckers,
> >> >> people who don't speed up when the traffic ahead of them does,
> >> >> etc. etc.?
> >> >>
> >> >> I'd say the waste is at least 40%, i.e. that our roads never
> >> >> achieve more than 60% of their true capacity due to incompetent
> >> >> drivers.
> >> >>
> >> >> What's your guess?
> >> >
> >> > Don't forget to add in the waste that is caused by rude and
> >> > inconsiderate drivers who jump lanes at intersection,
> >>
> >>
> >> > who
> >> > squeeze people out who are trying to merge,
> >>
> >> These are part of the PROBLEM;they screw up and expect others to
> >> slow,or stop,and make way for them,CAUSING slower traffic flow.
> >>
> >>
> > [snip...]
> >
> > Not always Jim, sometimes the others disrupt traffic flow in a
> > desperate attempt to get in front of the merger at all costs.
> >
> > In fact, I've seen multiple times where I'm already up to speed in the
> > merge lane and well ahead of the car in the right lane as the solid
> > line of the merge lane becomes a dashed line, but the idiot in the
> > right lane decides to accelerate such that they near-miss pass me AS
> > THE DASHED LINE OF THE MERGE LANE HAS COME TO AN END.
>
> How can they accellerate quickly enough to keep you from merging,if you
are
> "well ahead" and moving faster than them?
>
> If you were "well ahead",what were you WAITING FOR????
> The opportunity to merge was there,and you dawdled,and lost it.
> And then you expect them to hold back and make way for you.
> It appears you are a "last-minute merger".
>
At least two headlights in the rearview mirror is well ahead. And the entire
merge lane is there for me to use, right?

Or now is it--according to the MFFY speeder/race-driver mentality and
mantra--must I cut in sharply at the first available opportunity even though
the merge lane defines all the usable space I can use to complete my merge?

> >
> > So, they are the problem because they very recklessly cut off my
> > legitimate merge opportunity due to their own MFFY tendencies.
> >
> >
> >
>
> No,it's that you apparently never learned how to merge properly in the
> first place,and expect others to make way for you in spite of your errors.
>
I say again--as the solid line goes dashed, there are two headlights in my
rearview mirror, and then when I make a double-check to the left before I
make the merge, the idiot is passing in a near-miss manner. Sorry, I still
assert it's 100% of the idiots fault.

And no, it's not that I didn't learn how to merge properly--it's that I am
entitled to use the entire merge lane as needed, and no race-car driver
mentality is going to rush my merge since the lane(s) to the left are
available passing lanes. Just because the line goes dashed does not mean I
need to cut in immediately... especially in the case of the idiot, it's even
better that I use the entire merge lane or else the idiot would probably end
up hitting me from behind instead of near-miss passing me.

After all, that's also merging from the rightmost lane, which does double as
the slower traffic lane. Instead, the impatient MFFY drivers should feel
free to merge left into the passing lane is passing is such a high priority.

Too bad if you disagree, because that's the way the roads have been
engineered... too allow mergers to use the entire merge lane.

Jim Yanik .> wrote:

: > who squeeze people out who are trying to merge,
:
: These are part of the PROBLEM;they screw up and expect others to
: slow,or stop,and make way for them,CAUSING slower traffic flow.

I have seen unproductive behavior from both, those who are trying to
merge and those already in the "main" lane.

Some people merge too soon, thus wasting a lot of road space in front
and slowing down the process. Others try to gain a few car lengths by
continuing without merging even beyond the obvious merger point.

Some drivers in the main lane leave that lane and try to merge back a
few cars ahead. Others won't let a merging car in. Etc.

On Wed, 22 Jun 2005 14:58:30 GMT, Ajanta > wrote:

>Some drivers in the main lane leave that lane and try to merge back a
>few cars ahead.

****in' MFFYs...

On Mon, 20 Jun 2005 10:39:09 -0400, "C. E. White"
> wrote:

>> Anyone want to take a guess as to how much of our existing road
>> capacity is wasted by LLBs, poor mergers, Sloths, rubberneckers,
>> people who don't speed up when the traffic ahead of them does, etc.
>> etc.?
>
>Don't forget to add in the waste that is caused by rude and
>inconsiderate drivers who jump lanes at intersection, who
>squeeze people out who are trying to merge, and who
>constantly switch lanes in an attempt to get ahead in slow
>traffic situations.

I noticed how you used the opportunity to forward your Arrogant Sloth
agenda, but couldn't even be bothered to answer the question.

"Scott en Aztlán" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 20 Jun 2005 10:39:09 -0400, "C. E. White"
> > wrote:
>
>>> Anyone want to take a guess as to how much of our existing road
>>> capacity is wasted by LLBs, poor mergers, Sloths, rubberneckers,
>>> people who don't speed up when the traffic ahead of them does, etc.
>>> etc.?
>>
>>Don't forget to add in the waste that is caused by rude and
>>inconsiderate drivers who jump lanes at intersection, who
>>squeeze people out who are trying to merge, and who
>>constantly switch lanes in an attempt to get ahead in slow
>>traffic situations.
>
> I noticed how you used the opportunity to forward your Arrogant Sloth
> agenda, but couldn't even be bothered to answer the question.

Actually, I am sure you weren't serious when you asked the question. You
were just trying to demonize everyone who doesn't conform to your rule of
the jungle mentality. Why not try to figure out how your driving style is
slowing down the general flow of traffic. By your own posts, it is clear
that you are frequently guilty of causing congestion at on ramps and
intersections. You are always complaining about old people getting in your
way, etc., etc., - for once look in the mirror. There is a very good chance
you are personally responsible for slowing down thousands of you fellow
motorist in your efforts to jump ahead by one more car at an intersection or
cut off one more motorist at an on ramp. Try a little courtesy and respect
for your fellow drivers. For the most part they are not out to get you
(although given your self described driving habits, there may be a few who
are trying to get you). Not one individual "owns" the road. There are
traffic rules for many situations, but not all of them. I find driving a lot
less stressful if I just live and let live on the road and quit
hyperventilating every time someone does not conform to my personal desires.

The next time you jump ahead by one more car at an intersection, why not
figure out how many seconds you saved AND how many seconds you cost the
other drivers. The next time you pinch off someone at an on-ramp why not try
to calculate how many seconds you cost all the other people on the on ramp
who now have to slow down or stop because you just had to get one car
further ahead. The next time you weave through traffic, think about how all
the cars you cut off react and how much time, gas, and brake pad thickness
is wasted because you had to get one car further ahead.

If you want the law of the jungle to prevail, don't be surprised if there
are bigger badder predators out there than you.

Ed