Comments on: Self-Organizing Behavior at W. Broadway and Grand http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/03/05/self-organizing-behavior-at-w-broadway-and-grand/ Just another WordPress weblog Mon, 21 May 2012 19:07:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Alan MacHett http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/03/05/self-organizing-behavior-at-w-broadway-and-grand/#comment-6782 Alan MacHett Fri, 03 Apr 2009 05:19:23 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=682#comment-6782 (sorry for the late comment; I'm catching up on the site) I live in Chapel Hill, NC, which many describe as a cozy town. Alas, driving here is as bad as any gridlocked city. When storms knock out the power and the traffic signals are out, it's every driver for themselves! What this means is that the drivers on main roads continue at full speed as if the traffic signals never existed, leaving drivers on the side streets to wait indefinitely for an opening. So much for cozy... (sorry for the late comment; I’m catching up on the site)

I live in Chapel Hill, NC, which many describe as a cozy town. Alas, driving here is as bad as any gridlocked city. When storms knock out the power and the traffic signals are out, it’s every driver for themselves! What this means is that the drivers on main roads continue at full speed as if the traffic signals never existed, leaving drivers on the side streets to wait indefinitely for an opening. So much for cozy…

]]> By: aaron http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/03/05/self-organizing-behavior-at-w-broadway-and-grand/#comment-6448 aaron Sun, 08 Mar 2009 21:15:45 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=682#comment-6448 Also, there may just be less people using the intersection. Also, there may just be less people using the intersection.

]]> By: David Hembrow http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/03/05/self-organizing-behavior-at-w-broadway-and-grand/#comment-6444 David Hembrow Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:29:14 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=682#comment-6444 I suspect that any change like this has a dramatic effect immediately. However, people get used to things quite quickly. Earlier this week I saw a video of driving conditions in Cairo. Few traffic lights, but terrible lane discipline and an awful lot of honking and really not a great place to be a pedestrian crossing the road. I suspect that any change like this has a dramatic effect immediately. However, people get used to things quite quickly. Earlier this week I saw a video of driving conditions in Cairo. Few traffic lights, but terrible lane discipline and an awful lot of honking and really not a great place to be a pedestrian crossing the road.

]]> By: Tracy http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/03/05/self-organizing-behavior-at-w-broadway-and-grand/#comment-6402 Tracy Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:24:19 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=682#comment-6402 After Hurricane Ike, it seemed like all of Houston (at least where I was trying to to go) had no traffic lights. At first everyone was very careful. Everyone cooperated; it was obviously an extraordinary event. However, as the weeks went on, commuters returned to work, and rush hour was a huge, aggravating ordeal. Some people got power back and began to expect everything to work, so they got impatient with the dwindling number of intersections that were still out - others still had no power and their stamina to endure yet another four way stop was running low. Fortunately by that time the police were able to step in at the busy intersections - they were definitely less friendly and less safe. After Hurricane Ike, it seemed like all of Houston (at least where I was trying to to go) had no traffic lights. At first everyone was very careful. Everyone cooperated; it was obviously an extraordinary event. However, as the weeks went on, commuters returned to work, and rush hour was a huge, aggravating ordeal. Some people got power back and began to expect everything to work, so they got impatient with the dwindling number of intersections that were still out - others still had no power and their stamina to endure yet another four way stop was running low. Fortunately by that time the police were able to step in at the busy intersections - they were definitely less friendly and less safe.

]]> By: Steve Jones http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/03/05/self-organizing-behavior-at-w-broadway-and-grand/#comment-6389 Steve Jones Thu, 05 Mar 2009 13:20:18 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=682#comment-6389 I've also noticed this in several places. There's one very complex junction in particular that frequently has signal outages. It always seems to me that people continue to use the junction as if the lights were still operating - each queue tends to have its turn in the same order and duration as normal. However, I firmly believe that this is a temporary phenomenon - people are being cooperative in an unusual situation. If the signals were taken away altogether, I'd put money on complete chaos breaking out after a few days. I’ve also noticed this in several places. There’s one very complex junction in particular that frequently has signal outages. It always seems to me that people continue to use the junction as if the lights were still operating - each queue tends to have its turn in the same order and duration as normal. However, I firmly believe that this is a temporary phenomenon - people are being cooperative in an unusual situation. If the signals were taken away altogether, I’d put money on complete chaos breaking out after a few days.

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