Skip to content
HHackerTube.videoSurprise me

Traffic Waves

Traffic Waves on HackerTube: recommended by 5 Hacker News commenters across 5 separate months, 2013–2022.

wbeaty

explainer · evergreen

Open on YouTube

A short video from the trafficwaves.org site showing how traffic jams and standing waves form, including the fight between cheaters and blockers at an exit-lane backup. It also touches on how individual driving behavior affects the flow.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN likes it as a fun, clear explainer of traffic waves and of the benefits of leaving gaps while driving.

people recommended it
5
separate months
5
strong recommendations
1
discussed on HN
2013–2022
“One of my favorite videos of all time on this topic: Traffic Waves”
— wildrhythms, Apr 2022, in “A smartphone app that allows public to submit evidence of speeding drivers”

What HN commenters said

6 Hacker News comments link this video. Each one links back to its thread.

wildrhythmsApr 2022Strongly recommends

One of my favorite videos of all time on this topic: Traffic Waves ▶ this video (Not new information, but a fun video, and it's something truckers have known about for decades)

in “A smartphone app that allows public to submit evidence of speeding drivers” · View on HN

TheSmiddyDec 2018Recommends

I leave massive gaps constantly now, it lets me see farther ahead so I can switch lanes when I see a problem coming and my average trip time is definitely shorter because of this. I really like this video for describing some of the advantages of "zen driving": ▶ this video

in “After 48 hours we haven't seen any sign people are using Waymo's service” · View on HN

tobmltSep 2018Recommends

You beautiful zen traffic wave surfer you. This, a thousand times this. Somewhere on the web there is a great video of a guy doing this pretty effectively. I guess it's maybe five years old now but worth a watch. I think this wsj vid may contain excerpts from the original: [link] If everyone could just relax out there, some of those traffic standing waves would diffuse away to nothing. Ahhh... When I get in bad traffic and struggle against the urge to tailgate I play a game where I try and give enough space to where I just roll up to the car in front of me as it is starting to move again. This gives me a time-local goal to aim at instead of fixating on supposed "bad actors" I might want to judge instead. Edit: I found it! (from 2008 it appears) ▶ this video

in “How America lost its love for the stick shift” · View on HN

xbryanxApr 2016Recommends

William J Beaty's video on Traffic Waves (linked in the article) is an enjoyable summary of some of these ideas: ▶ this video

in “Can a single car break a traffic jam?” · View on HN

thunderbongMay 2015Recommends

I don't know if you've seen this video[0]. It helped me understand traffic waves quite a bit [0] ▶ this video

in “What Are Traffic Waves and Why Do They Happen So Much?” · View on HN

socillionJun 2013Cites it

Original copy at [link] A video from there, omitted from OP: ▶ this video OP is a cut-down version of this site, which has been up for a decade or two. I'm curious if it's a legitimate copy.

in “The Physics Behind Traffic Jams” · View on HN

Topics & tags

Everyday physics & science demosTransit, cities & urban planningtraffic jamsstanding wavesdrivingphysicszen driving