Traffic Everywhere

In this episode – Traffic Everywhere . . .

Our commute in California has recently increased from a local 5-minute drive to an hour-long trip on the California freeways. This made me wonder about the extent of traffic congestion on today's roads. With more cars on the road than ever, it's no wonder many end up stuck in traffic.

Over 90% of American households own at least one car, so chances are you have been in a gridlock a few times. What causes traffic congestion, especially those sudden jams? Is traffic getting worse, and how much time do we spend in traffic? Here are a few facts about traffic that can help answer some of these questions.

According to INRIX, a traffic analytics firm, in 2022, the average time Americans spent in traffic was 51 hours. While this may seem like a lot, the United Kingdom had it worse, with an average of 80 hours of traffic delays. In addition to the time lost, Americans also had to bear an average of $546 in fuel costs due to traffic delays. These figures represent a significant increase from the previous year. However, it’s important to note that the year-on-year increase may not be particularly meaningful without additional context.

First, If you drive, you may have experienced “phantom traffic jams,” where there seem to be no accidents or construction, but you still come to a stop. Experts call these jams "jamitons." You can help prevent them by avoiding tailgating. When one driver suddenly slows down or brakes, the next driver does the same to avoid a collision, creating a wave lasting up to 1000 yards. To avoid phantom traffic jams, studies suggest that you should keep an even distance between the car in front of you and the one behind you, without tailgating, but while keeping an eye on the rearview mirror. This way, drivers have more space to adjust their speed gradually, reducing the likelihood of creating a jamiton.

If you have ever driven in Los Angeles or its surrounding freeways, it's obvious how bad traffic congestion can get. However, unlike other cities, Chicago's traffic has worsened since 2020. According to INRIX's annual global rankings, it is now the most congested city in the United States by a significant margin. The average commuter in Chicago spent 155 hours in traffic delays in 2022. On a global scale, Chicago is almost tied with London, which INRIX identified as the highest-traffic city in the world.

It gets worse – in August 2010, a terrible traffic jam outside Beijing (China) lasted for 11 days. The jam was caused by a construction project and too many cars on an already overcrowded freeway. The stretch of the jam was around 60 miles long, and some individual cars were stuck on the road for more than five days. Local villagers used the situation by selling food and water to drivers at a much higher price, including water bottles marked up to around ten times their original price. Although officials estimated that the jam could have lasted a couple of weeks longer, thankfully, that did not happen. However, major traffic jams continued to be a problem in the area.

My solution is to leave early to avoid the frustration of traffic jams. It's important to stay calm and enjoy the drive, knowing you will get there when you arrive. You can also make the most of your time in the car by using your car as your personal university on wheels. Listen to podcasts or audiobooks, learn a new language, or enjoy your favorite music.

There’s traffic everywhere–and yes, we must learn how to deal with it.

I’m Patrick Ball; thanks for listening. See you in the next episode.