« Previous | Next»

9 Jul 2004

Fundas of Good Driving

Posted by Oblivion in General | 3:49am


Recently, while an article about Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) made interesting reading, it makes me wonder if it would work beyond a threshold of traffic density, or in conditions of unorganised traffic. Traffic in most parts of the metros and the country at large, in India, does not yield to any mathematical analysis, courtesy the overtly mismatching ratio of vehicular population to the road length. Accidents are common, and traffic jams are accepted as inevitable part of the drive. With hardly any breathing space for vehicles - effectively meaning the least headway* possible -, it demands an unfailing and continuous alertness on the part of drivers.

It would be, to my mind, certainly interesting to see the recommendations of Dr Davis's computer model for such a scenario. Meanwhile, I find three factors that would, if rightly followed, help avoid jams and accidents in almost any kind of traffic -

1. Maintaining linear trajectories
2. Anticipating the speed of other objects on road accurately, and perhaps most importantly
3. A cool head
 
Anticipation seems to be the key. All animals are good at anticipating the time and distance of an approaching vehicle. The more accurate one's anticipation, the safer his drive will be. And this becomes easier if everyone maintains linear trajectories - the model followed in the speed-lane system. So, now should it start with the realisation on the part of drivers or with the authorities widening the roads and devising a more strict traffic code? The former is possible and easy. The latter involves a lot of urban re-planning and money.
 
*Headway is the gap, measured in seconds, that a driver puts between himself and the car ahead


Current Mood: Happy
Current Music: ---


 1 
Add comment
 authimage