Comments on: 10 Ways to Improve Your Commute http://dan.hersam.com/2008/10/02/10-ways-to-improve-your-commute/ A computer programmer's commentary on news, Linux, programming, music, web design, trivia, humor, usability and whatever else strikes his fancy at the time. Tue, 22 May 2012 23:40:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Dan http://dan.hersam.com/2008/10/02/10-ways-to-improve-your-commute/comment-page-1/#comment-143048 Dan Fri, 24 Oct 2008 03:14:38 +0000 http://dan.hersam.com/?p=1971#comment-143048 @Meredith I've heard DC has some of the worst commutes around. My commute tends to be 15-20 minutes. I had one that was a solid 35 minutes, often 45 with traffic. It's a great way to get through audio books :) @Meredith I’ve heard DC has some of the worst commutes around. My commute tends to be 15-20 minutes. I had one that was a solid 35 minutes, often 45 with traffic. It’s a great way to get through audio books :)

]]> By: Meredith http://dan.hersam.com/2008/10/02/10-ways-to-improve-your-commute/comment-page-1/#comment-143047 Meredith Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:40:40 +0000 http://dan.hersam.com/?p=1971#comment-143047 A quarter of an hour? They're kidding, right? My commute is usually an hour, minimum. Is traffic really that much better in the UK? A quarter of an hour? They’re kidding, right? My commute is usually an hour, minimum. Is traffic really that much better in the UK?

]]> By: Ann Arbor http://dan.hersam.com/2008/10/02/10-ways-to-improve-your-commute/comment-page-1/#comment-143043 Ann Arbor Thu, 23 Oct 2008 04:47:17 +0000 http://dan.hersam.com/?p=1971#comment-143043 Its not always possible to limit your driving time. The tips make a lot of sense. I like the one on driving being a mental workout. You never rush your physical workout, so why should you rush your driving? Its not always possible to limit your driving time.
The tips make a lot of sense. I like the one on driving being a mental workout. You never rush your physical workout, so why should you rush your driving?

]]> By: Dan http://dan.hersam.com/2008/10/02/10-ways-to-improve-your-commute/comment-page-1/#comment-142987 Dan Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:39:58 +0000 http://dan.hersam.com/?p=1971#comment-142987 As mckay points out, even when lanes aren't too full, merging slows traffic down considerably when people wait until the last minute, making it an issue. As mckay points out, even when lanes aren’t too full, merging slows traffic down considerably when people wait until the last minute, making it an issue.

]]> By: mckay http://dan.hersam.com/2008/10/02/10-ways-to-improve-your-commute/comment-page-1/#comment-142986 mckay Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:54:17 +0000 http://dan.hersam.com/?p=1971#comment-142986 It's bad because it's an artificial choke point. Despite what the 'experts' are claiming, traffic just doesn't work like a zipper. You can't just go every-other-car and expect the merge to happen smoothly. If we all had robot drivers capable of merging without a) causing unnecessary braking or b) braking unnecessarily, then maybe it would, but that's nothing close to real life. It’s bad because it’s an artificial choke point. Despite what the ‘experts’ are claiming, traffic just doesn’t work like a zipper. You can’t just go every-other-car and expect the merge to happen smoothly. If we all had robot drivers capable of merging without a) causing unnecessary braking or b) braking unnecessarily, then maybe it would, but that’s nothing close to real life.

]]> By: Dave Hersam http://dan.hersam.com/2008/10/02/10-ways-to-improve-your-commute/comment-page-1/#comment-142984 Dave Hersam Mon, 06 Oct 2008 05:51:48 +0000 http://dan.hersam.com/?p=1971#comment-142984 If the lanes aren't really full, then there isn't very much traffic, and it's not so much of an issue, no? If the lanes aren’t really full, then there isn’t very much traffic, and it’s not so much of an issue, no?

]]> By: Dan http://dan.hersam.com/2008/10/02/10-ways-to-improve-your-commute/comment-page-1/#comment-142983 Dan Mon, 06 Oct 2008 04:49:33 +0000 http://dan.hersam.com/?p=1971#comment-142983 It depends on the amount of traffic. If the lanes are really full I can see how using the lane until the last possible moment would help because it provides more lanes to handle the traffic. However, I've seen many times where the merge lane slows to a crawl because people want to beat other cars, only to force the cars to slam on the brakes to let them in at the merging point. If they had merged earlier at full speed, there wouldn't have been a slowdown. It depends on the amount of traffic. If the lanes are really full I can see how using the lane until the last possible moment would help because it provides more lanes to handle the traffic. However, I’ve seen many times where the merge lane slows to a crawl because people want to beat other cars, only to force the cars to slam on the brakes to let them in at the merging point. If they had merged earlier at full speed, there wouldn’t have been a slowdown.

]]> By: Dave Hersam http://dan.hersam.com/2008/10/02/10-ways-to-improve-your-commute/comment-page-1/#comment-142974 Dave Hersam Sat, 04 Oct 2008 05:22:11 +0000 http://dan.hersam.com/?p=1971#comment-142974 A traffic expert who was promoting a book and was on TV in Boston over the summer also said that merging later is better, as you use the two lanes as long as possible. Why would merging earlier be better? By that principle, would the best thing be to merge when you first come on the highway? Just logically/scientifically, to use as much space as is available seems better than cutting down to less space earlier, no? I understand the social pressure to merge when the sign is visible, but it would be an interesting study to see how it would all work if they placed signs 1/2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 miles before they actual lane blockage -- which would be fastest/best, and which most socially acceptable to fellow drivers? ... A traffic expert who was promoting a book and was on TV in Boston over the summer also said that merging later is better, as you use the two lanes as long as possible. Why would merging earlier be better? By that principle, would the best thing be to merge when you first come on the highway? Just logically/scientifically, to use as much space as is available seems better than cutting down to less space earlier, no? I understand the social pressure to merge when the sign is visible, but it would be an interesting study to see how it would all work if they placed signs 1/2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 miles before they actual lane blockage — which would be fastest/best, and which most socially acceptable to fellow drivers? …

]]> By: mckay http://dan.hersam.com/2008/10/02/10-ways-to-improve-your-commute/comment-page-1/#comment-142969 mckay Fri, 03 Oct 2008 22:53:50 +0000 http://dan.hersam.com/?p=1971#comment-142969 Fascinating link. Fascinating link.

]]> By: Dan http://dan.hersam.com/2008/10/02/10-ways-to-improve-your-commute/comment-page-1/#comment-142967 Dan Thu, 02 Oct 2008 22:07:37 +0000 http://dan.hersam.com/?p=1971#comment-142967 @mckay: I agree, and the comments at lifehacker brought up the same point. I'm not a fan of late merging and have been known to sidle on over to the middle of the two lanes, keeping people from passing me. I'm sure to follow tip #1 too :) There's a great discussion about the fluidity of traffic by <a href="http://amasci.com/amateur/traffic/trafexp.html" rel="nofollow">William Beaty</a>, an electrical engineer. @mckay: I agree, and the comments at lifehacker brought up the same point. I’m not a fan of late merging and have been known to sidle on over to the middle of the two lanes, keeping people from passing me. I’m sure to follow tip #1 too :)

There’s a great discussion about the fluidity of traffic by William Beaty, an electrical engineer.

]]>