Don't stop.

Sorry for the gap. It's been an interesting few weeks. Very much in the Chinese sense. Bits and pieces may have been entertaining or edifying. If so, they'll show up here eventually. But for now I'll let the sharp edges fade.

And in the meantime, where are we now? Ah, yes. I-285 around Atlanta. Just after rush hour. Average speed, 15-20 mph. Much stopping and going. Many people in various states of irritation.

Myself: No worries.

Quite a while ago I ran across an article on the Net called "The Fluid Dynamics of Traffic Flow."* The basic idea was that stop-and-go traffic has a lot in common with "hammering" in water pipes. Exactly how is more explanation than I really want to go into. Maybe you ought to read the original here**.

It was his suggestion about being part of the solution that got my attention. This part of the explanation I will paraphrase. I hope I get it right...

When you stop a car on a highway, the car behind you has to stop, too. And, more than likely, he'll stop right behind you. So he can't move until you do. And he can't really move until more than a half-second after you do--it'll take at least that much time for him to realize you're moving, and then move his foot off the brake and to the gas pedal. Add in the fact that it takes more power and more time to get moving from a dead stop than it does to accelerate while you're still moving, and you've got a noticeable delay between you starting back up and him starting back up.

Now let's talk about the lady who stopped right behind him.

And the tractor trailer that stopped right behind her.

The truck is a real problem, in fact. When IT stops, it WILL take a while to get going again. For the Trivial-Pursuit-minded among you, a big rig goes through at least five gears to get up to about 20 mph. Even with one of the new automatic transmissions, that's a long, slow process. And the car behind THAT thing? I guarantee you--the first hint HE has that things are moving again is when the truck's brake lights go out.

So what can you do?

Don't stop.

I try to make a game of it. We truckers (real and quasi-) are taught to look way down the road anyhow.*** So I sort of exaggerate that in heavy slow traffic. Slow down a good while before I get to a clog. Try to keep slowing gently, keeping plenty of space in front of me. If the clog stops completely, I slow down some more, but I don't stop if I can help it. And I watch the brake lights as far ahead as I can manage.

**
There. The eighth car in line ahead of me. Did he just let off his brakes?

Yes, he's moving, sort of. How long before the pickup behind him eases off his?

Good. Will the last car in line be moving by the time I get up there?

Darn. Okay, let's slow down a little more.

Still nope. Well, I've got room. Touch of brake. Down to ten. That enough? Yes! Another few seconds and--

Whoops. Looks like Christmas is coming again. Oh, well. Keep slowing. Even a mile an hour is better than a dead stop. (It really is.)

Ah, there we go. Creeping along, but moving. And I've still got fifty feet. Make that thirty--somebody just pulled into the gap I left. Well, believe it or not, that evens out in the end. Strange but true. See? That guy four cars up that just pulled into the left lane? Told ya.
**

Think if it as a hand of solitaire. It doesn't get me where I'm going any faster, but it does several other things, most of them useful.

It helps smooth out the traffic behind me. As long as I'm moving, the car on my tail may well be moving too. The people behind him aren't stopping-and-going either. If I'm lucky, I'm being a public benefactor.

It cuts down on the tailgating a tiny bit. People aren't quite as likely to stop right there, touching my bumper, if I'm still moving and could stand on my brakes any minute. This makes things a LITTLE safer.

It keeps me from going insane, sitting here on a six-lane highway moving at walking speed. I have something to do. Think of it as my version of those road-sign games people try to get their kids to play on long trips.

Who knows? It might cut down on the madness behind me. Going slow is frustrating, but not as frustrating as sitting still, and then moving ten feet, and then sitting still again. Not to me, anyway, so maybe not to the people back there. I can hope, anyway.

Ah. Speed is rising. We're moving at forty-plus. Much better.

(The preceding blog entry was a flashback. I was not really typing and driving in heavy traffic at the same time. Some things are best left to IMAGINARY professionals...)
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*Some of you may have heard this before--those who know me from Myriad, anyway. Well, tough. I'm gonna pretend other people read this, too.

**It appears the original article has expanded noticeably. My post may duplicate a lot of what's on the site. Well, a little redundant repetition can be usefully beneficial...

***Oh, that's right. I haven't done the mandatory lecture about safe spacing, have I? Well, not today. And if I get around to it, I'll try to avoid TRUE dullness...