This is strange I think. People who participate heavily in traffic know what a drag it is to have sections of highways camera-controlled for speed limits. The biggest criticism they have is that other drivers always drive slower than the maximum speed limit, just to make sure they are not caught and fined. This makes sure traffic flows very erratically.
Now, I have never heard anyone say that they deliberately drive slower than the speed limit, or at least to the degree where we find it irritating. Everyone will keep to the maximum speed, give or take a mile.
I have this speed trap in my neighborhood that shows you your speed as measured by radar. I passed it recently and it said my speed was 5 km/h slower than my speedometer showed. That's a FIVE km/h discrepancy.
I know car manufacturers deliberately gauge speedometers higher than the real car speed, simply to avoid people getting caught with speed tickets all the time. However the discrepancy is different from car to car. Everyone thinks they are driving at 80 km/h, but some cars may actually be travelling 5 km/h slower, others 7. Still others 3.
Here's a strange idea... have car manufacturers lose the discrepancy for once and gauge the speedometers of all cars to their actual speed. That will improve traffic flow.
And no, you still cannot drive 40 km/h on the freeway.
1 comment:
I like your idea, but still I think it won't work. Some people will keep driving exactly 80 km/h, others will drive a bit faster because of the advice of dear mister Spee or their own calculations.
Last but not least some people will always want to be in the right lane way before the exit where they need to get off. I'm also guilty... I just get in line and do the same. All together like a bunch of lemmings. :)
So yes, I deliberately drive slow like the drivers in front of me just to prevent difficult situations where I have to squeeze my car between the row of slow driving cars. Or worse, speed up just to find a spot to squeeze my car in and take the exit on time. To be honest, I even adjust my speed to the whole situation. That results in speeds of up to 90-95 because I know that will be compensated due to slow traffic further on.
Hmmm, sounds like I'm fucking up traffic, doesn't it? :)
Btw, how accurate will the speed trap in your neighbourhood be? ;) I know that's not your point. But is that in Alphen??? Because I want to test it too. :)
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