Why freeways come to a stop [infographic]

[one...two...tree 2,762]

If you've ever wondered why freeway traffic sometimes comes to a crawl (or worse yet—stops flat) but when you approach the apparent problem area, the traffic seems to be moving better—this infographic is for you. As it turns out, the term for this annoying phenomenon is a 'shockwave'.

http://holykaw.allto...top-infographic

[evli1966 88]

I hates traffic

[alienlovechild 75]

Nice post, Steven. Incidents on the highway are a chief cause for traffic jams. It is crazy to wait in stop and go traffic thinking an accident happened only to find nothing when you get to site of the slow down.

One problem are the rubber neckers slowing down and stare at anything at the side of the road when it isn't anywhere close to being near a traffic lane. Tail gaters and unsignaled lane changers are also responsible to creating havoc as if everyone can stop on a dime and to hell with everyone behind them.

[Jenn! 918]

A lot of people step on their brakes on the highway for no reason at all and I don't think they understand what that causes.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

A lot of people step on their brakes on the highway for no reason at all and I don't think they understand what that causes.

When I used to commute 50 miles, one way, across two counties, I witnessed a lot drivers do that, especially at night. Also, I've seen many drive do a sudden lane change with no cars in front of them both adjacent lanes open. If I were a highway patrolman, I'd want to pull them over just to ask them why.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

I could have summed it up without the graphic and with only one word:

idiocy

[trillium13 84]

I could have summed it up without the graphic and with only one word:

idiocy

Damn you, I was just about to post "this is why idiots shouldn't drive".

I shake my fist at you for beating me to it.

[Heracles 417]

A friend of mine who works on this stuff once said a single incident like aggressive braking during congested traffic, can have a lingering effect for up to 15 minutes.

[DEDixon 39]

like someone once said, anyone driving slower than you is an idiot and anyone driving faster than you is freakin' crazy.

[TBoneTX 45,580]

I shake my fist at you for beating me to it.

Question, si man: If you retract your clenched hands into the ends of your long sleeves, are you committing fisticuffs, huh man? Edited September 10, 2010 by TBoneTX

[Texanadian 10]

My beef comes from the reverse side of things. The line of cars at a stop light might be 30 cars long. When the light turns green, you get Murtle the turtle up there in car #1 who gently takes off from a stop and mopes his way through the light. Car #2 isn't much better behind. By the time 10 cars go through, the light goes red.

GIVE IT SOME GAS when the light turns green.

[Nagishkaw 510]

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Whoah, that is an awesome graphic, Nagi.

[Nagishkaw 510]

It reminds me of freeways.

[trillium13 84]

My beef comes from the reverse side of things. The line of cars at a stop light might be 30 cars long. When the light turns green, you get Murtle the turtle up there in car #1 who gently takes off from a stop and mopes his way through the light. Car #2 isn't much better behind. By the time 10 cars go through, the light goes red.

GIVE IT SOME GAS when the light turns green.

I have the same issue here in Texas. People don't like to go too fast through the intersections here. It must scare them. FREAKING GO people!!

Of course it doesn't help that the engineering of roads here sucks and there is always a foot or 2 difference in height between one road and the intersecting ones.