World's Worst Traffic Problems

[allan downes]

Could, of course, be anywhere but is the M25 really that bad ?

 

Maybe not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Could be interesting if you had no particular place to go !

 

[Horsetan]

Riding aroun' in my automobile.....oh wait....hang on.....

[brossard]

Hey!  I recognise picture 3, that's Decarie Blvd in Montreal..   Thank the lord I don't have to go there.

 

John

[runs as required]

Riding aroun' in my automobile.....oh wait....hang on.....

That's exactly what one does as a 'Big Man' in your black Benz on a Sunday afternoon in West Africa. With 'no particular place to go', you just sit in the jam and wait and see who might turn up wanting to join you. My 'big boss man' would just sit behind the wheel for hours relaxing, playing his music and reading 'Time' magazine

 

I used to love being invited to join in such a blatantly speculative early evening 'passeo'. The best ones ended up very late-on next morning.

 

dh

 

Ed: mistype

Edited March 4, 2018 by runs as required

[Sheffield]

I have heard that in some parts of the world people carry a portable toilet in the car, because of the traffic delays. Perhaps the advice in the UK for railway travel in snowy conditions in the UK should should include carry a bucket with lid.

[chris p bacon]

I have heard that in some parts of the world people carry a portable toilet in the car, because of the traffic delays. Perhaps the advice in the UK for railway travel in snowy conditions in the UK should should include carry a bucket with lid.

 

Isn't that what the sunroof in a BMW is for ?

[jonny777]

I believe photo 5 was taken in exceptional circumstances, when there was an evacuation order ahead of a cat5 hurricane. 

 

Not exactly an everyday occurrence. 

[allan downes]

As a routine check in Southend once, the police stopped cars that appeared to be driving around with no particular place to go at 4am in the morning. Usually it was one man, one car where most said that they were bored stiff, couldn't sleep so went for an aimless drive.

 

Question is.

 

Just for how long, can the World's precious non replaceable oil reserves support everyday World wide one man, one car  gridlocks and aimless pointless driving?

 

The M40, as an example, back in the 70's was almost empty of both cars and lorries up until 7am in the morning then from then on and right throughout the rest of the day, it was utter chaos that stacked up from the Euston Road as far back as Greenford. Now it's permanently stacked up from as far back as Uxbridge - SEVEN DAYS A WEEK ! - 5 days a week because they have to get to work and the weekends when they don't !

 

Where the fxxk can all these people possibly be going ALL DAY LONG ?!!! 

 

 

Peak time on my own private motorway where I live. The M80. YAY !!!

 

Edited March 5, 2018 by allan downes

[kevinlms]

 

 

Question is.

 

Just for how long, can the World's precious non replaceable oil reserves support everyday World wide one man, one car  gridlocks and aimless pointless driving?

 

 

 

This is an important question and no one has a proper answer. Yes lots of proposals for battery cars, which are not far away for day to day use.

However, it doesn't answer the problem of congestion, which is getting much worse.

Self drive cars, don't appear to be a solution either, as what happens to them, once they've dropped you off at work or wherever? The suggestion is, that they go back home and recharge, well that just doubles the amount of distance travelled.

[tomparryharry]

I used to commute from Newport (South Wales) to Southend. I'd set off about 03:30 on the M4. It's only HGV traffic. Then , about  04:30, it's contractors vans, all heading east. Just after that, about 05:00, we start to get the first of the cars, all the way down to the M25 junctions. Arrival at 07:45 would mean a good day, because you could get more done.  Leaving Southend any time after 13:00 was a waste of time as the M25-M4 to Reading was a nightmare, and took about 3 hours. From there, through to Swindon, took all of the traffic going to Gloucester on the A417. Finally, here's the M32, at Bristol! Little wonder it was sometimes cheaper to have a kip in the van, and leave some 3 hours later. Slightly slower speed, and less fuel, to boot. 

 

Cheers,

 

Ian.

[allan downes]

I believe photo 5 was taken in exceptional circumstances, when there was an evacuation order ahead of a cat5 hurricane. 

 

Not exactly an everyday occurrence. 

 

When was you last on the M25, Jonny ?

 

Quiet period in case you haven't.   !!

 

[Kickstart]

M25 was built massively under what was known to be required. Not surprising that it has congestion issues.

 

Katy

[tomparryharry]

One problem is some drivers get scared when on the M25. You can't really blame them, especially if you're not used to the sheer volume of traffic. Part of the problem is the 'Reginald Molehusband' approach to motorway driving. You should, ideally, travel at a top speed of 70mph. But, if you're going at 65 mph ("I'm going sufficiently fast, thank you very much!) will result in a tailback within 5 minutes, with a length about 2 miles. It's not speed, it's volume.

 

Of course, every tailback increases the Exchequer, because you'll pay taxes on all of that fuel....

 

Ian.

[allan downes]

M25 was built massively under what was known to be required. Not surprising that it has congestion issues.

 

Katy

 

Should have got drivers to design it, not a committee.

[luckymucklebackit]

As a routine check in Southend once, the police stopped cars that appeared to be driving around with no particular place to go at 4am in the morning. Usually it was one man, one car where most said that they were bored stiff, couldn't sleep so went for an aimless drive.

 

Question is.

 

Just for how long, can the World's precious non replaceable oil reserves support everyday World wide one man, one car  gridlocks and aimless pointless driving?

 

The M40, as an example, back in the 70's was almost empty of both cars and lorries up until 7am in the morning then from then on and right throughout the rest of the day, it was utter chaos that stacked up from the Euston Road as far back as Greenford. Now it's permanently stacked up from as far back as Uxbridge - SEVEN DAYS A WEEK ! - 5 days a week because they have to get to work and the weekends when they don't !

 

Where the fxxk can all these people possibly be going ALL DAY LONG ?!!! 

 

 

Peak time on my own private motorway where I live. The M80. YAY !!!

 

 

Ah! the same M80 that comes to a grinding halt between the M73 junction and Castlecary every day for no particular reason!  They spent millions on that road and achieved diddly squat.

 

Jim

[allan downes]

One problem is some drivers get scared when on the M25. You can't really blame them, especially if you're not used to the sheer volume of traffic. Part of the problem is the 'Reginald Molehusband' approach to motorway driving. You should, ideally, travel at a top speed of 70mph. But, if you're going at 65 mph ("I'm going sufficiently fast, thank you very much!) will result in a tailback within 5 minutes, with a length about 2 miles. It's not speed, it's volume.

 

Of course, every tailback increases the Exchequer, because you'll pay taxes on all of that fuel....

 

Ian.

 

Reps in pinstriped shirts known more commonly as "Lane Hoppers" in BMW's and Audi's don't help much either - especially when they get wedged  between two trucks to great applause !

 

But one of the biggest  tailbacks is  caused by "Baby On Board" in his beat up old Escort as he cuts up forty ton articts then tries to claim your 15  feet of tarmac, never quite makes it as he and a  20 mile bumper to bumper snarl up waits  two hours for  the police and emergency helicopter to arrive to clean up what's left of the result, his Baby On Board sticker and smoldering Escort.

 

But hey ! Who can ever  forget that heroic Asian family having a picnic in the  center reservation ! Kids an all !

[Kickstart]

Should have got drivers to design it, not a committee.

 

Problem wasn't lack of design, rather lack of bottle to admit what was required.

 

Friend worked for the department of transport in that area ~30 years ago. He said they have calculated it needed 9 lanes in each direction in some places but nobody would dare admit it. Hence it got built pathetically under spec

 

Katy

[Legend]

I have to say I think a large part of it is HGVs . Im not knocking them. Clearly with modern day life we expect to order groceries, furniture etc and get delivered within days , so we need these trucks . However I do think they are a reason for a lot of jams as one travelling at 50mph tries to overtake another going at 48mph effectively blocking two lanes of the motorway for a period of time . This has a knock on effect with people behind either forced out to the third lane, if there is one, or just stick behind them. Traffic which was moving at 70mph now comes up against a 50mph obstacle and eventually ,with the knock on effect ,further back the motorway comes to a standstill. That’s why you appear to have jams for no apparent reason, then suddenly the traffic moves again.

 

I think we really do need to look at the number of trucks on the road. I frequently see convoys of them on the M6. Can’t we give folk an incentive to ship by rail and really only use trucks for local deliveries . And shouldn’t we be restricting them from overtaking at all ie confine them to one lane.

[Kickstart]

I think we really do need to look at the number of trucks on the road. I frequently see convoys of them on the M6. Can’t we give folk an incentive to ship by rail and really only use trucks for local deliveries . And shouldn’t we be restricting them from overtaking at all ie confine them to one lane.

Suspect the cost of transferring from rail to road and back makes this uneconomical, and the extra time makes just in time deliveries would also be a problem.

 

While possible to incentivise this I suspect to make it worthwhile the incentive would need to be pretty massive.

 

Katy

[tomparryharry]

Heading east on the M4 has this same situation. For some reason, the traffic after J13 (A34) has a 3 mile flow, then a jam of rolling traffic, all at about 50-ish, until you reach Jct 12 (Reading West). Of course, that has its own problems....

 

Ian.

 

Edited because I didn't proof read my post. Sorry!

Edited March 6, 2018 by tomparryharry

[APOLLO]

Try Bangkok - I've been going there since 1993. Traffic was awful then, it being common to be stuck in a Taxi / Bus for 3 - 4 hours on what should have been a half hour trip. Over the years lots and lots of roads have been built.

 

My brother in law is a German road construction engineer - and has virtually set up shop there. His firm built a 4 lane elevated road (over a six lane road) back in the 90's - instantly full. They then cut off the outside lane parapet (using ultra high pressure water !!) and grafted another lane on each side. About 6 miles or so !!. Always interesting when I visit to see his latest project - which is an elevated double deck railway station just to the north of the city, main line station with several existing / proposed mass transit lines. About half built.

 

 

 

 

 

 

More photos / plans here

 

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=644829&page=111

 

https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/4007945/all

 

Will it sort out the (still bad but not as bad as 1990's) Bangkok traffic problems ? - NO.

 

Brit15

[luckymucklebackit]

I have to say I think a large part of it is HGVs . Im not knocking them. Clearly with modern day life we expect to order groceries, furniture etc and get delivered within days , so we need these trucks . However I do think they are a reason for a lot of jams as one travelling at 50mph tries to overtake another going at 48mph effectively blocking two lanes of the motorway for a period of time . This has a knock on effect with people behind either forced out to the third lane, if there is one, or just stick behind them. Traffic which was moving at 70mph now comes up against a 50mph obstacle and eventually ,with the knock on effect ,further back the motorway comes to a standstill. That’s why you appear to have jams for no apparent reason, then suddenly the traffic moves again.

 

I think we really do need to look at the number of trucks on the road. I frequently see convoys of them on the M6. Can’t we give folk an incentive to ship by rail and really only use trucks for local deliveries . And shouldn’t we be restricting them from overtaking at all ie confine them to one lane.

 

This is a particular problem on the M8, a two lane motorway with a nice big hill to negotiate in the middle, the worst offenders on that road are the mobile cranes which trundle along about 45mph causing every HGV to pull out into the outside lane and pass at 48mph, as there is no third lane that is the motorway that is the motorway down to a crawl

 

Jim

[Trainshed Terry]

Legend Said

 

"I think we really do need to look at the number of trucks on the road. I frequently see convoys of them on the M6. Can’t we give folk an incentive to ship by rail and really only use trucks for local deliveries . And shouldn’t we be restricting them from overtaking at all IE confine them to one lane.

 

That is a great idea, but if you confine trucks you end up with a multi engine train along with there respective drivers. and no rails.  

 

The other thing is that not all haulage company's  have the speed limiters to the same speed limit. Some are set to 5o > 52 MPH and others company's set there speed limiters to 56MPH.

 

It looks like that the government has made changes to the speed limits as of 6th April 2015. Link taken from the gov web site.  

https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits 

 

Terry

[russ p]

Some are set at 50 mph and often lettered up say protecting the environment.... Yeah right saving fuel more like I think if they are not set to 56 mph they should be banned from motorway's and dual carriageways as its when others inch past them traffic problems arise

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

I was stuck in a monster jam in Beijing once.  Right in the middle of the carnage was a man on a bicycle loaded down with assorted goods for sale.  I expect he's there still, as there was no visible way out for him.