play with some of the variables, take the time warp factor down to about 1.5x, and then watch the “fun” onfold

Neat stuff.

Robert -

I detected nothing adverse in your tone, but then, I’m a big oaf myself. Thick skin is a great asset on the web and elsewhere.

Its a pretty interesting topic
marc

That may be the video I referred to, but I recall it being much longer, covering several sets of conditions. It’s really cool to see this visually in this way.

Yeah, sorry my comment didn’t come across too friendly, I realised after I posted it that it probably sounded a little heavy handed.

What you said about traffic light timings on that intersection is exactly the kind of thing that can be implemented to ease congestion for a relatively low cost. In the UK we have many systems for monitoring traffic flows (from various types of induction loops buried in the road to above ground monitoring systems using microwaves). These enable the traffic lights to vary the green times to the different arms in real time depending on the traffic flow in order to best reduce queues.
I think because our country has such issues with congestion we have become fairly advanced in traffic light technology!

In fact, the (UK based) company I was working with, worked on a project to implement a bus priority scheme in New York to give buses priority over cars at junctions.

Also, that thing about the circular circuit with the wave moving backwards sounds quite interesting. It is something that i don’t think has been properly understood until fairly recently.

I did not mean to disrespect the diligent traffic engineers among the profession. I was pointing out that I’ve never seen them in action, and I’ve seen many roadways and intersections that could have used some attention. Probably related to those political and economic factors.

I will say, though, that two badly congested intersections near my home have been improved greatly through a simple change: the traffic lights for the two side streets entering the major artery are no longer both green at once, but instead alternate. This allows both side streets to empty, and prevents people remaining stopped in the intersection.

I recently saw an interesting video of a bunch of drivers on a closed circular track, and the video showed this wave-like pattern. The cars went around counterclockwise (guess you’d say anticlockwise) and the place along the circumference that was tied up went around clockwise. The video showed the effects of a couple of variables: speed and number of cars. Very interesting.