>"It was dusk, the headlights were on, and I was going down a long hill to the bridges. I had a view of miles of highway behind me. In the other lane I could see maybe five of the traffic stop-waves. But in the lane behind me, for miles, TOTALLY UNIFORM DISTRIBUTION. I hadn't realized it, but by driving at the average speed, my car had been "eating" traffic waves. Everyone ahead of me was caught in the stop/go cycle, while everyone behind me was forced to go at a nice smooth 35MPH or so. My single tiny car had erased miles and miles of stop-and-go traffic. Just one single "lubricant atom" had a profound effect on the turbulent particle flow within the "tube.""
When I try this, most other people have no idea what I'm doing and/or are stupidly greedy and go "OMG A GAP" and rush into it. I'll also typically have people behind me honking / flashing their headlights at me, as they're equally clueless. I've had one dude and his wife, in a Harley Davidson edition F150 actually roll down their window and scream at me for "not knowing how to drive".
I drive a 6spd stick too, so the stop/go is even more painful. I try to be that "lubricating atom" both for my sanity and to ease the jam, but the collective inability of other drivers to think beyond "OMG MAKE AS MUCH PROGRESS AS SOON AS I CAN" greatly inhibits my efforts.
TL;DR traffic jams are caused because people are greedy and short-sighted in their greed. It's not really different from all of the other big problems with humanity.
When I try this, most other people have no idea what I'm doing and/or are stupidly greedy and go "OMG A GAP" and rush into it. I'll also typically have people behind me honking / flashing their headlights at me, as they're equally clueless. I've had one dude and his wife, in a Harley Davidson edition F150 actually roll down their window and scream at me for "not knowing how to drive".
I drive a 6spd stick too, so the stop/go is even more painful. I try to be that "lubricating atom" both for my sanity and to ease the jam, but the collective inability of other drivers to think beyond "OMG MAKE AS MUCH PROGRESS AS SOON AS I CAN" greatly inhibits my efforts.
TL;DR traffic jams are caused because people are greedy and short-sighted in their greed. It's not really different from all of the other big problems with humanity.