The content of the article:
- Where do traffic jams come from?
- What to do if you are in a traffic jam
- "Mechanics" or "automatic"
- Politeness in traffic
- No time wasting
- How to move
- Comfort never hurts
- Don't lose sight of other drivers
- Briefly - about the main thing
It would seem, well, what trifles - driving in traffic jams! What's so special about that? A traffic jam, it is a traffic jam, you just need to wait it out like a natural disaster, that's all.
However, not everything is as simple as it seems at first glance, and not every driver can boast of the ability to drive in traffic jams. It turns out that this also needs to be learned, which we will now do.
Where do traffic jams come from?
European scientists have taken a scientific approach to this problem and have come up with some interesting results. The fact is that while driving in a stream of cars, drivers cannot drive at a stable speed. They either approach the car in front, or move away from it. And if any of the drivers could not calculate the distances and came too close, then, of course, he will slow down.
According to scientists' calculations, if the speed of this car falls below the critical point, the next driver will have to brake even harder, the next one even harder, etc. As a result, somewhere within a hundred meters from the source of primary braking, the flow of cars completely stops - this is how the notorious and unloved traffic jam occurs. And, curiously, the drivers themselves, who are stuck in a traffic jam, are completely incomprehensible the reasons for its occurrence.
Such congestions are formed, as a rule, on highways with a vehicle density of more than 15 cars per kilometer.
At the same time, it was noticed that the emerged plugs tend to move in the opposite direction, which is why the so-called "backward waves" appear.
As a rule, the culprits of traffic jams are inexperienced drivers who do not think about what may happen on the road through their fault. Therefore, the more experienced the drivers in the majority, the less traffic jams will be on the highways.
What to do if you get stuck in traffic
The surest way to deal with traffic jams is to try to avoid them. Experienced taxi drivers and experienced motorists do just that. To do this, they constantly listen to the radio traffic message channel, where you can get all the necessary data on traffic jams.
In addition, they carefully study the routes on the maps and make the best decisions. An experienced driver knows that it is better to extend your journey by 10-15 kilometers than to get stuck in a traffic jam for a long time and ruin your mood for the whole day.
But, as they say, there is a hole in the old woman, and no one can be completely insured from congestion.
And so it happened - you found yourself in a traffic jam. How to be? If you find yourself approaching a traffic jam, try to move to the rightmost lane first. Thanks to this, on occasion, you can easily retreat to another road. Although, here a lot can depend on the landscape, and sometimes it happens that it is wiser to stick to the left edge, but by no means in the middle. Try to avoid the middle stripes - it is too difficult to get out of them.
By the way, if you are already in a traffic jam, keep checking the maps and listening to the special radio channel. Thus, you will not only pass the time, but also be able to protect yourself from other similar troubles in the future.
"Mechanics" or "automatic"
A car with a manual gearbox is much more difficult to drive in traffic jams than for owners of cars with an automatic gearbox. The fact is that in a congestion you have to choose the optimal distance, changing the speed and, accordingly, constantly jerking the gearshift knob.
And despite the fact that only the first and second gears are used in the traffic jam, this switching frequency is quite tiring. And the "handbrake" in this case has to be used quite often. All this suggests that the use of "mechanics" in traffic jams requires a lot of experience from the driver. And such an experience is provided by the manual transmission, which does not allow the driver to relax at all. And this is already a clear plus.
Owners of cars with "automatic" in a sense were somewhat more fortunate. "Automatic" does all the work for them to change gears, and the drivers themselves can quite calmly focus on the steering wheel.
However, in the end, "mechanics" and "automatic" have their pros and cons in traffic jams, so here everyone is free to choose a gearbox at their discretion, whoever is more comfortable. The main thing is that in a traffic jam you need to move at the speed of the entire flow of cars.
Politeness in traffic
It would be naive to think that all the drivers around you in a traffic jam are filled with observance of the rules of decency. Of course, this is not the case. Moreover, most of all, it is inexperienced drivers who are rude to others, due to whose fault accidents most often occur.
But this does not mean at all that you need to be like such drivers. Politeness has never prevented anyone, and in a traffic jam it is mutual politeness that will adequately reduce the emotional intensity and psychologically “sort out” the situation.
For example, find the nobility in yourself to let the girl behind the wheel go ahead, and you will immediately feel that being in a traffic jam is not so boring: she will definitely smile at you, and the world around you will not seem so gloomy to you. Controlling your own emotions and positive thoughts can positively influence intelligent behavior in traffic.
Regarding the internal psychological state, it is worth saying that nervousness or excitement in traffic jams does nothing at all, so be patient and cool in advance.
Move in a traffic jam slowly, without accelerating. It is not worth accelerating, but at the same time do not lag behind the front car too much, otherwise the resulting space may be occupied by someone, prolonging your stay in the congestion.
No time wasted
If you find yourself in a traffic jam, and for a long time, then this time can always be spent to your advantage. For example, you can mentally reconsider relationships with colleagues, friends or family, try to solve any problems that you simply didn’t have time to solve before.
In the United States, a case was officially registered when a driver, being in a huge traffic jam, managed to learn a foreign language. And this is probably not the limit. Remember that time spent in traffic jams is better spent rationally, rather than using it for neurosis and sorting out relationships with other drivers.
How to get around in traffic
It is worthwhile to properly prepare for traffic in traffic jams. Fussy maneuvering, the desire to rebuild into different lanes will not give anything good. You need to drive evenly, observing approximately the speed of movement of all cars, which is dictated by the congestion.
In order to save fuel, we do not recommend switching off the engine, otherwise it may affect the uniformity of your movement. And the constant starts and stops can lead to nervous stress. Let the engine idle when idle and use monotonous gear shifting when driving.
It is also not worth pressing the clutch pedal for a long time. When stopping, it is best to set it to "neutral", this way you will save more fuel, oil and brake fluid.
In an extreme hurry, you can leave your car at the nearest parking lot and get to a place, for example, by metro, which is perhaps the only form of public transport that is not afraid of any traffic jams.
Comfort never hurts
So, finding yourself in a traffic jam, you have stocked up with composure, patience and politeness. What are you missing? Yes, his very comfort. Use a heater actively in winter and air conditioning in summer. Turn on your favorite music, use your TV, tablet or smartphone.
Browse the Internet looking for something interesting and useful for yourself. After all, you can just read your favorite book. It doesn't matter what you use, the main thing is to create maximum comfort for yourself, which would not let you panic and save your nerves.
Don't lose sight of other drivers
When in a traffic jam, do not forget that you are not alone here - there are people around you too, and most of them are prone to stress. When changing lanes, always turn on the turn signal. This measure will protect you from clipping by other drivers. Look in your rearview mirror as often as possible - if someone wants to overtake you, you will notice it.
And be lenient with small cars? which in traffic jams can suffer most often. Skip them and your conscience will be clear.
Briefly - about the main thing
So, here's a summary of what to do when you get stuck in a traffic jam:
- Once in a traffic jam, try to take the far right lane - this way, if necessary, it will be easier for you to leave the traffic by turning onto another street.
- Control your emotions, keep your cool and calm.
- When driving in a traffic jam, consider whether you have a manual or automatic transmission.
- Be courteous to other drivers.
- Make the most of your time in traffic.
- Drive smoothly and slowly in a traffic jam, keeping to the speed of the entire traffic, and also follow our tips for driving in a traffic jam.
- Make yourself as comfortable as possible.
- Consider other drivers.
That's probably all. If you follow the recommendations listed above, time spent in traffic will not only not be torture for you, but it will also be able to benefit you and ensure your safety.
