Speed and Courtesy

For the past year or so, during my commute to and from work, I try to erase traffic jams using the techniques William Beaty describes here. The basic idea is to gradually add space between me and the car ahead of me so that when events occur that cause traffic to back up, I have enough buffer so that I don't have to slow down much, if at all, and the cars behind me don't have to slow down either. Instead, we continue at a nice steady clip. The biggest challenge that I have with it is finding the happy spot where I build enough buffer, but not so much that the drivers behind me get angry.

I think some the anger I perceive is irrational. It is true that in order to build buffer I have to go a bit slower than the car in front of me. But once I have enough buffer I drive as fast as everyone else. But even though I am driving just as fast, when drivers behind me see all the space in front of me, they assume I am not going fast enough, and perhaps should be driving in one of the slower lanes. It seems most drivers take a very short view: Actually getting there faster with less stop-and-go is less important than the feeling they are going faster that comes from being right up on the tail of the driver in front of you. In some ways I can't blame them, as I would sometimes rather drive out of my way, and be moving, than sit in stop and go traffic.

Saving on Gas

I drive a 1997 Toyota Camry V6 that gets about 23 MPG. With gas prices ever increasing, I keep looking for ways to save. I have considered one of these neat scooters, which get around 60 MPG. But do I really want to ride it every day? And won't I miss listening to music and talking on the telephone during my commute? I have considered a bi-fuel vehicle that would also run on natural gas, such as these. PG&E has some natural gas fueling stations in the Sacramento area that are relatively inexpensive when compared with the price of gasoline. But even buying one of the bi-fuel vehicles used will cost several thousand dollars, an expense that I don't currently have driving my Camry (for which I owe nothing). It would take a long time for the fuel savings to pay off that expense. If I can't make one of those used bi-fuel vehicles pay off, there is no way to justify a new Prius. (Besides that, a Prius would require just the right bumper sticker to keep the smug at bay. I haven't found the right sticker yet). The more I think about it the more convinced I am that it is easier (and less expensive) to earn more money than to save on gasoline in any significant way. I could sell some stuff on e-bay every month, and get farther.

Microsoft Introduces Tool for Avoiding Traffic Jams

Interesting article yesterday about a new tool developed by Microsoft to avoid traffic jams. Supposedly the tool is available on Microsoft's Live.com site. Apparently 72 cities are included. I notice that the site shows traffic info for Sacramento. From the article, it sounds like the tool will analyze your route, and suggest detours that will get you to your destination fastest. This sounds nice, but sometimes I find that my happiness is not necessarily maximized by getting there faster. As the First Rule says, it is better to go. Sometimes it is better to go -- even out of my way -- rather than sit at stop lights. It makes me happier to be moving. I'll be checking out this tool nonetheless.

Cesar Chavez Light Traffic Day

All hail Cesar Chavez, the patron saint of light traffic. Employees of state government get every conceivable holiday off from work (Spay Your Cat Day, yes!). And in Sacramento we have a LOT of employees of state government. So my commute was a breeze yesterday, on Cesar Chavez day. If you benefited, as I did, give thanks to Cesar Chavez for all his work to keep cars off the road.

Road Coloring Conjecture

Today the AP is reporting that a guy named Avraham Trahtman has solved the so-called Road Coloring Problem. As I understand it (not saying much), the Road Coloring Problem postulates that it is possible to create a single set of directions that will allow every driver to get to a certain place, no matter where they are. That sounds like something that is easier to talk about in theory (such as by working through mazes or simple diagrams) than in real life. But it is fascinating. Fairly short Wikipedia article here.

Fridays and the First Rule

I'm not quite sure what the cause is, but my Friday commute is always much faster than other days. Today, as Good Friday, is probably a special case with people taking the day off. I suspect that a lot of government workers (of which Sacramento has plenty) work flexible schedules (four ten hour days, for example) that allow time off on some Fridays. All this makes for much lighter traffic. In any case, I got to work 15 minutes early today, in time to eat one of the scarce office doughnuts.

And this brings me to Thczv's First Rule of Driving: It is better to go than to stop. Given that I didn't really even slow down much on my commute this morning, today is a good day for the First Rule. All other rules serve the First Rule.