Why freeways come to a stop [infographic]

[Pooky 3,795]

Ever seen the police create their own traffic jam for a laugh? I have.

On the M25 around London, it's really easy. I saw this marked police car sitting on the inside lane, right on the indicated speed limit. Being the cautious type, I slowly ease up behind him and follow. Cars come up behind, doing 10, 15, 20mph over the limit, see the police car at the last minute. Right as the get alongside, the comedians in the police car hit the blues, without speeding up or moving out. Faster cars hit the brakes. Traffic backs up rather quickly. Anyone who tries to crawl past the police car gets alongside, thinks they're getting past, then luck out as the police hit the blue lights again. All the time, the two crew in the police car seem to be having a very merry time at the rest of the drivers' expense.

By the time I exited, after about 15 miles, there was a quarter-mile rolling roadblock moving at exactly the speed limit at the front. Who knows what the drivers at the back must have thought, coming up on a wall of brake lights.

The police think they're so funny.

[Jenn! 918]

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.

ugh, i HATE this too. Or when someone in that line of cars stops to let someone pull out from a side street, leaving just enough time for himself to make the light and tough cookies for everyone behind him. This is why we were taught no line cutting in grade school.