cross-posted from: https://feddit.it/post/28637207
Those who use the bike know this very well: in the city, speeding motorists overtaking other cars, only get one thing: they arrive first to the next red.
With a simple model, the author estimated the probability that one car that overtakes another, will then be reached again at a later red light. Then he estimated the probability that the same thing will happen when there are multiple successive traffic lights, as usual in the cities.
The result is that as fast as an aggressive driver goes, the presence of multiple traffic lights makes it virtually certain that a slower driver will catch up
So, if someone aggressively overcomes you, when you reach him at the next traffic light, you can tell him that it is mathematically proven that he/she is an idiot.
In addition, this study has implications for the 30 km/h city, demonstrating how in urban areas the traffic lights determine the travel times, not the maximum speed reachable between one traffic light and the next.
The original scientific article is here: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article/13/4/260310/481212/The-Voorhees-law-of-traffic-a-stochastic-model
crossposted from: https://poliversity.it/users/rivoluzioneurbanamobilita/statuses/116419204210303856
30 is great. It’s slow enough that you have time to react to someone jumping in the middle of the street just a bit ahead of your car. In a small city you’ll get wherever you need to get within 15 minutes driving at 30.
In a big city you’ll need more time, but then again, why would you ever want to live in a big city? And if you really need to live in a big city, why would you ever drive a car and not use public transport?
I know more than few people who would not leave the big city for any reason, saying there are more opportunities to have fun or more services.
A simple answer is that using a car you maybe need less time to commute or go where you need. It is not that the public transport, if we consider the needed time, is always the fastest
That’s where my job is.
So that my commute is 30 minutes instead of 2 hours.
I used to work in a big city. I moved to a smaller city. I get paid the same and spend less money. I don’t need a car as I can walk everywhere. I have a better life now.