On: What Are Traffic Waves and Why Do They Happen So M...

[mikeash]

So let him. What's the harm? If he's gaining an insignificant amount of time, then you're losing an insignificant amount of time.

[Roboprog → mikeash]

Now I have to slam on the breaks, instead of having a gap to avoid hard accelerate/break cycles.

I'd like to avoid the wear on my car and my nerves, but it's not possible because some (expletive) person will fill the gap.

[mixmastamyk → Roboprog]

To avoid breaking, allow more space in front, including space for someone to merge in.

[Roboprog → mixmastamyk]

lather, rinse, repeat.

(or was I being trolled? see "comedy in Boston" in one of the "cousin" comments nearby)

[mixmastamyk → Roboprog]

The linked article in this major thread explains why this doesn't make much difference:

    http://trafficwaves.org/trafexp.html

In my experience cars are just as likely to cut in as out, and that's what the extra space is for anyway.

If you arrive any later it will be minute or two per hour, so worrying about people "getting ahead" of you accomplishes nothing. If you want to win the race against the others on the freeway tomorrow, leave 5 minutes earlier!