I'll never understand how traffic starts...

Also how do you wreck on a straight highway with no turns? There is an accident at least once a week, if not daily.

Signed, million man

I laughed. I've thought about this myself. I can understand things moving a little slower in rush hour, but how is it possible that we stay parked for minutes at a time?

Are you talking about the times when you get to a standstill in traffic but as it eases you don’t see any obvious cause like a traffic accident? I heard back in the 90s that some research group mathematically modeled those traffic jams using the same math used to understand sonic booms.

About 30 years ago, I remember watching one of those early morning news programs and that question was presented. In the end, all it takes is one or a few cars to press their breaks, not even to stop, but just the action of breaking to slow down for whatever reason. This will cause a chain reaction, where cars following behind will then press their breaks causing traffic to slow down, etc... to the point where it becomes 'stop and go' traffic.

Here's a clip on it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CbVuF57VVk

Global warming.


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In regards to car accidents, have you noticed the traffic speeds up once the drivers have had a look at the accident and passed it?

I've driven commercially for a living for a number of years, cross country at one time. I've definitely had my share of experiences with crazy drivers.

Once while driving thru Nevada late at night, a sports car came barreling up behind me and passed me like the proverbial "bat out of hell." A few miles up the road, I suddenly saw headlights somersaulting across the highway. When I reached that spot, I saw it was the same sports car. The driver had rolled the vehicle and landed upside down in the median.

Some years ago, while I was commuting to a job over a 7 year period on 2nd shift, something similar happened. I was returning home after midnight when headlights suddenly appeared in my rear view mirror. Just as suddenly, they disappeared. And while I was trying to process where he had gone, he suddenly reappeared, passing me on the shoulder on my right, while I had a semi simultaneously flanking, passing me on my left.

I definitely do not trust other drivers with their use of turn signals. I've learned to wait until the driver is actually in the turn before I proceed. I was once at a 4-way stop, about to proceed, when a cop across the street made a sudden left-hand turn right in front of me, without signaling. I clearly had the right-of-way.

I believe in this:https://www.progressive.com/lifelanes/on-the-road/what-is-defensive-driving/