"Phantom" Jams To Become A Phantom Of The Past? Let's Hope So...

Attention all civil engineers! This is something you should be looking at.

According to Autocar, the geniuses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have conducted research into figuring out what is the deal behind "phantom" traffic jams.

You know, when you're driving down the road and there is random gridlock. Once you get through it you realize, "Hey, wait. There was no accident or reason for that, WTF?"

The findings by the big brains at MIT seem to have figured out a formula that has a connection to the way explosion-triggered detonation waves are described. Essentially, it appears to have to deal with amplification and reactions.

So, if Driver 1 brakes a bit, Driver 2 brakes harder and Driver 3 has to slow down to avoid the vehicle in front of them.

**We suggest you take a look at the details by clicking "Read Article"


Traffic jams can be predicted by a new formula developed by mathematicians at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

The research, that predicts the occurrence of “phantom” jams, could lead to better road designs in future.

“Phantom” jams are those not caused by accidents or roadworks, but due to small disturbances in high density traffic such as a driver braking too hard...

[Source: Autocar]








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cdoke - 7/14/2010 1:04:35 PM

+2 Boost

"Genius'"? I think you mean "geniuses". Anyway, I think you would be surprised, not everyone who graduates from MIT is exceptionally bright. Just look at Paul Krugman. Lol. I couldn't help myself.

Agent00R - 7/14/2010 2:09:51 PM

+1 Boost

When you're right, you're right.

Fixed for you, cdoke.

thstone - 7/14/2010 1:32:52 PM

+2 Boost

This has been "known" for 20 years.

Too bad the "solution" is always with the highways and not the drivers.

holmstar - 7/14/2010 4:23:44 PM

+1 Boost

Actually, being that the cause of the back-up is the overreaction of *a* driver (who probably wasn't paying attention to traffic), one solution is for that person actually pay attention and not to drive like a f___ing idiot. However there is more than just one idiot on the road, so yes the only other solution is to attempt to design highways so that people can get through them faster (and thus out of the way of all of the other people getting onto the highway).

chewy - 7/14/2010 6:51:47 PM

+1 Boost

The problem is people slowing down too much when they see a car on the shoulder and especially a cop on the shoulder. Best solution is to keep your current speed.