Phantom stops on the highway

1,852 Views | 9 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by TheStorm
Bell Tower Grey
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I despise driving on an interstate highway. Today, I had no choice but to take one for an unexpected trip. On both the "going to" and "coming home" trips, we encountered several phantom stops - either slowing to a crawl or complete stops - for no obvious explanation. No wreck, no stopped vehicles, no LEO. Why does this happen?

Yeah, I know it's a trivial thing, but I'll consider it a Holidays Grievance. Anyone here know why this phenomenon happens?
vannjamin
How long do you want to ignore this user?
My dad calls this the "slinky effect" and I believe it's an official term in traffic science. It's the result of one or more persons tapping their brakes causing a chain reaction of everyone having to brake. Eventually, you get traffic slowing down to a crawl due to nothing more than seeing brake lights.
wilmwolf
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Yup, all it takes is one person to tap the brakes.

https://phys.org/news/2007-12-traffic-mystery-mathematicians.html

https://www.topgear.com.ph/features/tip-sheet/brake-tapping-driving-101-a00187-20170830
Just a guy on the sunshine squad.
The Gatekeeper.
Homer Dumbarse.
StateFan2001's favorite poster.
gtman49
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Bell Tower Grey said:

I despise driving on an interstate highway. Today, I had no choice but to take one for an unexpected trip. On both the "going to" and "coming home" trips, we encountered several phantom stops - either slowing to a crawl or complete stops - for no obvious explanation. No wreck, no stopped vehicles, no LEO. Why does this happen?

Yeah, I know it's a trivial thing, but I'll consider it a Holidays Grievance. Anyone here know why this phenomenon happens?
Was it 95 around Fayetteville? I was heated at that mess.
waynecountywolf
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I-95 at/near Dunn is another good spot for slowing down.
I know this area to Lumberton is scheduled for work
WPNfamily
How long do you want to ignore this user?
These are caused by my mom. She can't slow don't she has to go to straight tire smoking emergency stopping at all times. Sorry guy.
Bell Tower Grey
How long do you want to ignore this user?
gtman49 said:

Bell Tower Grey said:

I despise driving on an interstate highway. Today, I had no choice but to take one for an unexpected trip. On both the "going to" and "coming home" trips, we encountered several phantom stops - either slowing to a crawl or complete stops - for no obvious explanation. No wreck, no stopped vehicles, no LEO. Why does this happen?

Yeah, I know it's a trivial thing, but I'll consider it a Holidays Grievance. Anyone here know why this phenomenon happens?
Was it 95 around Fayetteville? I was heated at that mess.
It was on 95. Both ways between Wilson and Rocky Mount.

Thanks for the enlightenment. Gives me a new idea on torturing yankee drivers now.
Bell Tower Grey
How long do you want to ignore this user?
WPNfamily said:

These are caused by my mom. She can't slow don't she has to go to straight tire smoking emergency stopping at all times. Sorry guy.
It must come with age. Before we had to stop our late mom from driving, she would do the same thing. Hell, she'd even do it on the multi-lane 301 in Smithfield.
Pacfanweb
How long do you want to ignore this user?
vannjamin said:

My dad calls this the "slinky effect" and I believe it's an official term in traffic science. It's the result of one or more persons tapping their brakes causing a chain reaction of everyone having to brake. Eventually, you get traffic slowing down to a crawl due to nothing more than seeing brake lights.
Yep, and you can also see it after there's been something legit that stopped traffic is cleared up. That's why you sometimes get into these things and never see what caused it. The accident or traffic stop was cleared up, but it takes awhile for the traffic to straighten out afterwards.
Steve Williams
How long do you want to ignore this user?
We used to have a place at Carolina Beach and made that trip down 40 countless times, Always found it weird on the Sunday trip home (traffic was heavier) traffic would always slow when we'd get to an over pass. Didn't have to be an on ramp, just the bridge going over the road. Could never figure out why.
TheStorm
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Steve Williams said:

We used to have a place at Carolina Beach and made that trip down 40 countless times, Always found it weird on the Sunday trip home (traffic was heavier) traffic would always slow when we'd get to an over pass. Didn't have to be an on ramp, just the bridge going over the road. Could never figure out why.
It's just too easy to be driving faster than 10 miles over the speed limit on I-40 from Wilmington at least through the I-95 interchange, and people that won't normally do it get emboldened because the train is going 83/84... in other words, knowing they are going too fast, slow down again when they approach an overpass and then look back at the onramps for SHP... and they used to sit there just enough on Sundays that it was something that you had to think about if you were speeding (11/12+ MPH over the limit).

[BEGINNING OF RANT] What I hated even worse was to have it in cruise at 81/82, fairly easily pass someone without touching the gas... have that same vehicle pass me back within the next mile or two, and then immediately slow back down in front of me... and just to show my age, if both lanes in front of me are open, I am predominantly going to be in the right lane - which I don't think they teach anymore in Driver's Ed. [END OF RANT]

I drove it just like you for 18 years, and got so tired of it that I just decided to move down here.
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.