Brent P
A New Category of Sloth 3324Seems that's all you are concerned about. Wooptie Do. You seem to think the law is be all and end all. Let me guess...
How so? My job is to drive my vehicle, safely. The ever-increasing number of drivers driving ever-increasingly unsafely means I have to drive a little slower to compensate. I never enter an intersection without ensuring that it's safe to do so. I can't (won't) buttume that everybody else will obey the signal that allows me the right-of-way. If that adds a second or two, I think it's worth it. If you don't agree, leave a few seconds earlier to compensate for me. Measuring travel time in seconds or a couple minutes is your perogative. My philosophy is "As long as it takes is as long as it takes". I haven't been in a hurry in over 20 years... and my life is better for it.
We all deal with the driving habits of others. Some of us don't have any problems (me), some of us have nothing but problems. If you have problems with other drivers, those are *your* problems, not other drivers'. Thinking that others should be concerned with your problem is illogical and destines you to experience disappointment and unhappiness. OTOH, I enjoy driving.
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A New Category of Sloth 3325Your argument is unsupportable. Compliance with the law is how the system is intended and designed to work. The intent is to speed and smooth traffic flow and maximize throughput...
My theory works *perfectly* wherever I drive (49 states, I haven't been to AK yet but I suspect it will work there too). I cite my ability to clock +140K miles per year as evidence.
But let's look at why traffic might "build up from cycle to cycle leads to a crushing congestion". I contend it's caused by too many drivers ignoring the speed limit and arriving at intersections before traffic planners intended.
A car leaving the light at X is planned to arrive at Y in A to B amount of time. Today's driver's habits of excessive acceleration to a certain percentage of velocity above the speed limit and last second braking and not *stopping* before turning right-on-red and cutting people off causing them to brake, et al, is what causes most of the congestion not attributable to the vehicle-space ratio. Traffic planners have to expect traffic to obey the law . It doesn't. The problem of congestion is exacerbated by speeding scofflaw impatient drivers, not slower, legal and patient drivers.
A New Category of Sloth 3327And when the other driver doesn't back down. You get that race to the tollbooth picture that was posted not long ago. Is it really worth risking a crash to...
You "want the road system to work properly"? What are you contributing to that end? I drive the speed limit or thereabouts, *always* use my signals (I don't even think about it, I just do it due to good training and habit) and make allowances for speeding scofflaw impatient drivers... constantly.
You "want maximum efficiency"? What are you contributing to that end? Besides the "want"? The road system is not intended or designed to allow travel from A to B in the shortest possible time. Drivers who buttume that and force their erroneous belief on traffic are the most influential detriment to that end.
I try to maintain a 3 second following distance. Other drivers, even though there is rarely anyone behind me, constantly fill in that gap. That's my problem, not theirs. I adjust, and it's not a problem. Drivers constantly follow me too closely. That's my problem, not theirs. I adjust, and it's not a problem. Drivers sometimes "fall asleep" at lights (usually the jackbutt that was in such a hurry to get there first, ironically) and I don't make the light. That's my problem, not theirs. I adjust, and it's not a problem. So... I take responsibility over that which I have control. I drive in a safe, legal and courteous manner. If the guy behind me doesn't make the light, that's his problem, not mine.
Anybody who has a problem with my driving can leave 60 seconds earlier or later and probably avoid me altogether. I "drive my own rig", I suggest you do the same. -----
- gpsman
