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Congrats to Bill Beaty on wsj article

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  Congrats to Bill Beaty on wsj article "dcaster@krl.org" <dcaster@krl.org> - 2016-10-12 12:11 -0700
    Re: Congrats to Bill Beaty on wsj article Winfield Hill <hill@rowland.harvard.edu> - 2016-10-12 12:32 -0700
      Re: Congrats to Bill Beaty on wsj article Bill Beaty <billb@eskimo.com> - 2016-10-12 21:41 -0700
        Re: Congrats to Bill Beaty on wsj article "nuny@bid.nes" <Alien8752@gmail.com> - 2016-10-12 22:10 -0700
          Re: Congrats to Bill Beaty on wsj article Winfield Hill <hill@rowland.harvard.edu> - 2016-10-13 04:18 -0700
          Re: Congrats to Bill Beaty on wsj article Bill Beaty <billb@eskimo.com> - 2016-10-15 01:31 -0700
        Re: Congrats to Bill Beaty on wsj article Martin Riddle <martin_rid@verizon.net> - 2016-10-13 18:31 -0400
    Re: Congrats to Bill Beaty on wsj article "nuny@bid.nes" <Alien8752@gmail.com> - 2016-10-12 22:02 -0700
      Re: Congrats to Bill Beaty on wsj article Winfield Hill <hill@rowland.harvard.edu> - 2016-10-13 04:11 -0700
        Re: Congrats to Bill Beaty on wsj article Martin Brown <|||newspam|||@nezumi.demon.co.uk> - 2016-10-13 13:03 +0100
        Re: Congrats to Bill Beaty on wsj article Tauno Voipio <tauno.voipio@notused.fi.invalid> - 2016-10-13 16:39 +0300
          Re: Congrats to Bill Beaty on wsj article Bill Beaty <billb@eskimo.com> - 2016-10-15 01:52 -0700
        Re: Congrats to Bill Beaty on wsj article Jim Thompson <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@On-My-Web-Site.com> - 2016-10-13 07:36 -0700
        Re: Congrats to Bill Beaty on wsj article Bill Beaty <billb@eskimo.com> - 2016-10-15 01:47 -0700
          Re: Congrats to Bill Beaty on wsj article "nuny@bid.nes" <Alien8752@gmail.com> - 2016-10-15 14:19 -0700
            Re: Congrats to Bill Beaty on wsj article Bill Beaty <billb@eskimo.com> - 2016-10-15 16:48 -0700

#431025 — Congrats to Bill Beaty on wsj article

http://www.wsj.com/articles/one-driver-can-prevent-a-traffic-jam-1476204858

In todays WSJ.

                                         Dan

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#431027

dcaster@krl.org wrote...
>
> http://www.wsj.com/articles/one-driver-can-prevent-a-traffic-jam-1476204858
> In todays WSJ.

 Awesome!


-- 
 Thanks,
    - Win

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#431076

There's an easter egg.  Clue: it's not in the video.

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#431078

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 9:41:52 PM UTC-7, Bill Beaty wrote:
> There's an easter egg.  Clue: it's not in the video.

  Interesting bookshelf. Yours?


  Mark L. Fergerson

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#431089

nuny@bid.nes wrote...
>
> Bill Beaty wrote:
>> There's an easter egg.  Clue: it's not in the video.
>
> Interesting bookshelf. Yours?

 Lots of books about UFOs.


-- 
 Thanks,
    - Win

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#431280

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 10:10:48 PM UTC-7, nu...@bid.nes wrote:
> On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 9:41:52 PM UTC-7, Bill Beaty wrote:
> > There's an easter egg.  Clue: it's not in the video.
> 
>   Interesting bookshelf. Yours?
> 
> 
>   Mark L. Fergerson


Photo taken by M. Barkley of SEATTLE METAPHYSICAL LIBRARY, in their flying saucers and theosophy aisle.

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#431151

On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 21:41:47 -0700 (PDT), Bill Beaty
<billb@eskimo.com> wrote:

>
>There's an easter egg.  Clue: it's not in the video.

That Connector above your head?

Cheers

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#431077

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 12:12:03 PM UTC-7, dca...@krl.org wrote:
> http://www.wsj.com/articles/one-driver-can-prevent-a-traffic-jam-1476204858
> 
> In todays WSJ.

  Outstanding and sad at the same time. Excellent explication of the principles, but sad that so few grasp them.


  Mark L. Fergerson

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#431087

nuny@bid.nes wrote...
>
>> http://www.wsj.com/articles/one-driver-can-prevent-a-traffic-jam-1476204858
>> In todays WSJ.
>
> Outstanding and sad at the same time. Excellent explication
> of the principles, but sad that so few grasp them.

 Driving home last night, I realized that I've been getting
 upset at people who poke along leaving three or more car
 lengths in front of them.  Now I have a new view, started
 doing it myself.  Observed several blokes using the space,
 allowing a change of several lanes they needed to do.  If
 somebody crowds into the space to get ahead, OK let 'em,
 drop back a bit.  Stop trying to compete for every little
 bit of advantage.  Much more relaxed driving!  And just
 as fast really, maybe faster, using Bill's principle.


-- 
 Thanks,
    - Win

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#431091

On 13/10/2016 12:11, Winfield Hill wrote:
> nuny@bid.nes wrote...
>>
>>> http://www.wsj.com/articles/one-driver-can-prevent-a-traffic-jam-1476204858
>>> In todays WSJ.
>>
>> Outstanding and sad at the same time. Excellent explication
>> of the principles, but sad that so few grasp them.
>
>  Driving home last night, I realized that I've been getting
>  upset at people who poke along leaving three or more car
>  lengths in front of them.  Now I have a new view, started
>  doing it myself.  Observed several blokes using the space,
>  allowing a change of several lanes they needed to do.  If
>  somebody crowds into the space to get ahead, OK let 'em,
>  drop back a bit.  Stop trying to compete for every little
>  bit of advantage.  Much more relaxed driving!  And just
>  as fast really, maybe faster, using Bill's principle.

In addition you get better miles per gallon if you keep a steady speed. 
It always amuses me to watch muppets racing up to the next car and then 
stamping on their brakes. If they do it too clumsily the resulting 
shockwave propagates back down the traffic stream at a speed of roughly 
vehicle separation distance/reaction time. Phantom congestion occurs and 
propagates upstream of the original event with no discernable cause.

You can sometimes see the wave of break lights approaching on hilly 
terrain under high flux traffic conditions. Paradoxically at the busiest 
times decreasing the maximum speed limit and enforcing it speeds up 
traffic flow by reducing turbulence. UK smart motorways adopt this 
strategy (and also using the hard shoulder which I don't like).

-- 
Regards,
Martin Brown

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#431097

On 13.10.16 14:11, Winfield Hill wrote:
> nuny@bid.nes wrote...
>>
>>> http://www.wsj.com/articles/one-driver-can-prevent-a-traffic-jam-1476204858
>>> In todays WSJ.
>>
>> Outstanding and sad at the same time. Excellent explication
>> of the principles, but sad that so few grasp them.
>
>  Driving home last night, I realized that I've been getting
>  upset at people who poke along leaving three or more car
>  lengths in front of them.  Now I have a new view, started
>  doing it myself.  Observed several blokes using the space,
>  allowing a change of several lanes they needed to do.  If
>  somebody crowds into the space to get ahead, OK let 'em,
>  drop back a bit.  Stop trying to compete for every little
>  bit of advantage.  Much more relaxed driving!  And just
>  as fast really, maybe faster, using Bill's principle.


I have a radar-aided cruise control in my car. Adjusting it
to keep the maximum separation (4 - 6 car lengths or more)
helps driving in the WSJ way.

-- 

-TV

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#431283

On Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 6:39:22 AM UTC-7, Tauno Voipio wrote:

> I have a radar-aided cruise control in my car. Adjusting it
> to keep the maximum separation (4 - 6 car lengths or more)
> helps driving in the WSJ way.


In other words, driverless cars are *already* wiping out traffic jams.  Well, driveless gas pedals.

No joke, see http://www.ur.umich.edu/0304/July19_04/19.shtml, ACC cruise control eliminates traffic jams.

(((((((((((((((( ( (  (   (    (O)    )   )  ) ) ))))))))))))))))
William J. Beaty            http://staff.washington.edu/wbeaty/
beaty, chem washington edu  Research Engineer
billb, amasci com           UW Chem Dept,  Bagley Hall RM74
x3-6195                     Box 351700, Seattle, WA 98195-1700

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#431102

On 13 Oct 2016 04:11:19 -0700, Winfield Hill
<hill@rowland.harvard.edu> wrote:

>nuny@bid.nes wrote...
>>
>>> http://www.wsj.com/articles/one-driver-can-prevent-a-traffic-jam-1476204858
>>> In todays WSJ.
>>
>> Outstanding and sad at the same time. Excellent explication
>> of the principles, but sad that so few grasp them.
>
> Driving home last night, I realized that I've been getting
> upset at people who poke along leaving three or more car
> lengths in front of them.  Now I have a new view, started
> doing it myself.  Observed several blokes using the space,
> allowing a change of several lanes they needed to do.  If
> somebody crowds into the space to get ahead, OK let 'em,
> drop back a bit.  Stop trying to compete for every little
> bit of advantage.  Much more relaxed driving!  And just
> as fast really, maybe faster, using Bill's principle.

My "commute" is the about 60' walk from MBR via Keurig machine in
kitchen to my office... I haven't had a "drive commute" since 1987 ;-)

But when I did have a "drive commute" I found that a good stereo
system in the car was quite relaxing _and_ I agree with the leaving
space principle.
		
                                        ...Jim Thompson
-- 
| James E.Thompson                                 |    mens     |
| Analog Innovations                               |     et      |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems  |    manus    |
| STV, Queen Creek, AZ 85142    Skype: skypeanalog |             |
| Voice:(480)460-2350  Fax: Available upon request |  Brass Rat  |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com |    1962     |

             I'm looking for work... see my website.

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#431282

On Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 4:11:34 AM UTC-7, Winfield Hill wrote:

>  bit of advantage.  Much more relaxed driving!  And just
>  as fast really, maybe faster, using Bill's principle.

Certainly not slower, since aggressive driving doesn't actually work.  And definitely faster, if lots of people start doing it (see below.)

But aside from trip-time, I suspect that these open baps are a longevity drug.  

The road-rage is gone, so it's not shaving years off our lives.  Also, once we're not hugging the bumper of the guy ahead, all sorts of other little tricks become obvious.   Traffic jams become interesting playthings.  A smooth fast commute is boring!

Another secret: much of this stuff is ancient engineering knowledge, but from Traffic rather than double-E.  The origin of nonlinear patterns is shown in the "Fundamental Diagram," a set of curves for average highway behavior.  If we want to poke at these flows during our commutes, the critical info is this bit here:

gap(ft) - MPH
 100 --- 41
 75 ---- 29
 50 ---- 17
 25 ---- 5.5
 15 ---- 0.8

This isn't so obvious in the typical graphs, since they plot the inverse of gap-distance: the cars/KM density.   But anyway, the average speed is proportional to the average spacing between cars.  Change one, and the other follows along, and vice versa.  Of course this is all average global behavior.  If everyone tailgates like fury, then we all drive at well below walking speed, while if EVERYONE would just open up 100ft gaps, the speed and flow would  max out.  We do get oscillations, where the build-up of tailgaters drains out the dense traffic from downstream, leading to space/time wave-behavior.  Highway traffic is a petri dish full of Belousov–Zhabotinsky emergent oscillating patterns.

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#431336

On Saturday, October 15, 2016 at 1:47:31 AM UTC-7, Bill Beaty wrote:
> On Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 4:11:34 AM UTC-7, Winfield Hill wrote:
> 
> >  bit of advantage.  Much more relaxed driving!  And just
> >  as fast really, maybe faster, using Bill's principle.
> 
> Certainly not slower, since aggressive driving doesn't actually work.  And
> definitely faster, if lots of people start doing it (see below.)
> 
> But aside from trip-time, I suspect that these open baps are a longevity
> drug.  
> 
> The road-rage is gone, so it's not shaving years off our lives.  Also, once
> we're not hugging the bumper of the guy ahead, all sorts of other little
> tricks become obvious.   Traffic jams become interesting playthings.  A
> smooth fast commute is boring!

  I am reminded of the saying "to a kitten, everything is a toy".

> Another secret: much of this stuff is ancient engineering knowledge, but from
> Traffic rather than double-E.  The origin of nonlinear patterns is shown in
> the "Fundamental Diagram," a set of curves for average highway behavior.  If
> we want to poke at these flows during our commutes, the critical info is this
> bit here:
> 
> gap(ft) - MPH
>  100 --- 41
>  75 ---- 29
>  50 ---- 17
>  25 ---- 5.5
>  15 ---- 0.8
> 
> This isn't so obvious in the typical graphs, since they plot the inverse of
> gap-distance: the cars/KM density.   But anyway, the average speed is
> proportional to the average spacing between cars.  Change one, and the other
> follows along, and vice versa.  Of course this is all average global
> behavior.  If everyone tailgates like fury, then we all drive at well below
> walking speed, while if EVERYONE would just open up 100ft gaps, the speed and
> flow would  max out.  We do get oscillations, where the build-up of
> tailgaters drains out the dense traffic from downstream, leading to
> space/time wave-behavior.  Highway traffic is a petri dish full of Belousov–
> Zhabotinsky emergent oscillating patterns.

  I recall watching a film in High School (ca. 1967) demonstrating speed/density waves propagating *backwards* along freeways, and reflecting off of on-ramps and off-ramps, producing secondary waves propagating in both directions. The interference patterns were obvious as all hell.

  By the way- I've always admired your disdain for the traditional divisions between the sciences. ;>)


  Mark L. Fergerson

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#431354

On Saturday, October 15, 2016 at 2:19:55 PM UTC-7, nu...@bid.nes wrote:

>   I recall watching a film in High School (ca. 1967) demonstrating 
> speed/density waves propagating *backwards* along freeways, and 
> reflecting off of on-ramps and off-ramps, producing secondary waves
> propagating in both directions. The interference patterns were obvious 
> as all hell.

Amazingly, the experts only just discovered a new phenomenon:  
"Boomerang Effect." At highway exits a surge can first propagate 
backwards along the highway, then the wave halts and propagates 
forward, hitting the exit-merge traffic again.   It causes an 
exit to start emitting a constant series of traffic-waves 
upstream into the highway.   Like a Klystron tube.  Or a whistle.

I remember in 1965 grade-school world maps, where Africa obviously
fits into S. America.  That was a completely taboo and heretical 
concept in geo.   Yet every little kid could see that continents 
obviously must be sliding around on the globe.

>   By the way- I've always admired your disdain for the traditional 
> divisions between the sciences. ;>)

I learned that by accident, from being a museum exhibit designer,
and a physics crackpot.   Also, by avoiding PhD track, I have 
no narrow field, nor any career-suicide by studying the wrong 
topic.  The false rule of science is, find what the current hot 
topics are, and jump on the bandwagon, else you'll miss out.  
Everybody does this.  The real rule, the one that actually 
requires original thought, is to see what everyone else is 
doing, then very carefully  ...avoid that stuff no matter what!

:)   

Then get a normal day-job to fund your crackpot garage science.

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