Crazy Accident

K3WE wrote:

toedtoes wrote:

K3WE wrote:
Beemerphile...your little merge cartoon is just that- a cartoon.

Your "right way to merge" only works when traffic is light. It would require that the highway be operating at less than 1/2 capacity getting shoved into one lane that would then be near capacity (or actually still less than full capacity if you want things to go smoothly). So again- "light traffic is required"

However, if both lanes are anything more than halfway full, when they merge to one lane, they are MORE than full and folks have to start slowing down to address the improperly short following distance that results.

And for the situation where both lanes are "essentially full" to start with...do your math...suddenly the following distance is cut in half (more than half since there's a vehicle in there too), so speed must be cut in half and things simply choke down.

I agree that merging could often be more graceful, but it's not a matter of a pretty little cartoon and it's not going to prevent a backup.

If everyone maintained the 3 second minimum distance from each other, then it does work. It does not slow traffic down. It does not make you late for your appointment. It does not give a@@holes the advantage over everyone else.

Try it once in heavy traffic. See how much easier it is to maintain a constant speed rather than the stop & go. See how much easier it is for others to switch lanes without having to make unsafe cuts, etc. It's great for the blood pressure also.

You will have to think harder or read closer. You have two lanes maintaining 3-second following distances and going 70 MPH...If they merge into 1 lane and do nothing, the following distance becomes 1.5 seconds.

Something's got to give.

The reality is that they will slow maybe from 70 MPH to 35 MPH- and this generates a backup. (The other unfortunate reality is that there will be some tail gating and over correction that generates stop and go traffic)

Your "claim that it works" only works when you have two lanes and 6-second following distances. You merge, the new following distance is 3 seconds and you continue at 70/whatever MPH.

I agree that merging could be more graceful- and maybe you could have a nice long backup going 35 MPH and finally merging...

Unless your two lanes are at less than 50% capacity, somethings got to give, and there will be a slow down and backup.

If my math seems too complicated for you, just remember: 2 - 1 does not = 2..

You don't have to slow down to 35mph to increase your following distance. At 70mph, a slight slow down for a few seconds (say to 65mph) will allow you to increase your following distance back to 3 seconds and not make a major impact on the cars behind you.

Seriously, try it before you knock it. It works. You may not like that it works, but it works.