Let's all fix traffic once and for all

So by now, you've read this awesome post all about how to smooth out car traffic. (If not, I'll wait while you go read it, then see you back here.)

I want to discuss one basic conclusion of Mr. Beaty's article (at least as I see it):

• Stop-and-go traffic can be smoothed out (but not made to move faster) by creating a large gap in traffic that gives downstream jams times to loosen up before more cars move in.
  

Mr. Beaty's ideas really got me to thinking. Smoothing out large traffic waves is great on paper. But, in practice, it's difficult to achieve for two reasons: 1) creating large gaps on the highway really pisses off the people right behind you and 2) it doesn't actually get you home any faster. Of course, this second reason is why nearly everybody leaves no gap behind the car in front of them--in theory, by tailgating the car in front of you, you're as close as possible to getting where you're going. (Mr. Beaty makes some good counterpoints to this.)

So, will anybody listen to this fellow and actually smooth out waves? Probably not.

But...what if they did?

Let's start with a simpler question, taking another one of Mr. Beaty's examples, specifically the idea of a bunch of state troopers driving side-by-side down the highway, creating a huge gap and having all the traffic behind them move a little slower, but nice and steadily.

The drivers right behind the state trooper would probably be a little annoyed. They'd be driving at 40 or maybe 50 MPH, and see tons of open space in front of them. But, at least they'd know that the slowdown was part of a civil plan and not the fault of some wayward or jackass driver(s).

How about the drivers further back? Well, they would experience smooth driving. Yeah, a little slow, but smooth and steady with no backups. What you'd call nice and relaxed driving.

So, after a few hours of this, how do all the drivers feel? Other than the few that were right behind the state troopers, most are going to feel pretty relaxed. That's good. Less frustration, less road rage, fewer accidents. Everybody calms down a little bit, and we all get home safer and more relaxed.

What's more is that people far behind the state troopers get home basically just as quickly, and with no stop-and-go driving.

So, why don't some of us actually try creating these gaps? It's true that we'll piss off drivers behind us, but we'll make many more drivers behind them more relaxed and safer.

Maybe we can all try leaving at least some smallish gaps when we drive in traffic. I bet Mr. Beaty's principles hold if a bunch of us leave at least a little bit of a gap. Let's do it when there's just a little bit of a backup in front of us and keep big backups from starting.

It seems like driving has gotten really bad over the last 10 years. On average, drivers are much more aggressive, more more frustrated, and much more dangerous. Why don't we all try to leave some gaps, smooth out traffic, help everybody be more relaxed, and improve overall driving conditions?