The multiplier effect on the roads

Have you ever wondered why in a traffic jam, on an expressway, being in the rightmost lane (fastest lane) is the most frustrating? Yes, in a jam on the expressway, the fastest lane tends to be the slowest. The most red-lighted lane is on the rightmost. Sharp stabs of red light signals the braking activity of lots of drivers in the rightmost lane. The rightmost lane consists of the most brake-lights flashing. And hence the pace of driving is start-stop-start-stop-start-stop, jerk, tailgate, brake, jerk, tailgate, brake. Quite unlike the leftmost lane where traffic seems smoother albeit still slow but hey you can guess where all the patient drivers are! Leftmost, they tend to move at a more consistent speed even in a jam.

What does this tell us? If the drivers can be more patient and brake less, be less heavy on the accelerator, traffic jams can be less frustrating and sometimes even reduced. A little patience and kindness on the roads generally leads to more and more 'little patience and kindness'. It spreads and multiply.

Same goes with impatience. How do you feel when you get 'honked' at by an impatient driver from the back? You feel like honking back but then the front car will think you are honking at her. So you repress the urge to honk and when some 'innocent' filters in quite smoothly with the right signals, you decide to express your impatience by honking, when normally, you would not even honk. So you see, impatience spreads. Then it multiplies. Heard of the multiplier effect?

So instead on honking, I like to wave thanks when someone gives way to me. Ever given way on the roads and someone waves thanks to you? I have and it feels good and sometimes it makes my day just to think back on it. As a result, I have also adopted this really nice practice of waving thanks whenever I can. It works wonders on my state of mind, so I decide it could work wonders for others too.

Are you tired of crazy drivers on the road that drive like they have got elephant feet?

Yes I am. And I sure feel like starting a movement, a drive to perpetuate a cooler way of driving. Way cooler. Is driving like a racer wannabe cool? Think about it. It wastes too much fuel. It burns too much energy. It drains you emotionally. It is cool if you are an F1 driver or pro racer. Otherwise it is just plain wannabe-like and totally uncool.

I was uncool before. That was the first 10 years or so of driving. Now I am way cool and get to my destination faster than ever with a light foot and a little route planning, courtesy of Google Maps.