Why Does Traffic Happen?

Question

Just wondering, and it might be a silly question, but I know during rush hour and stuff there's a lot of cars and the road gets jammed on the highway. But how come it gets jammed? Why can't cars just drive ahead instead of being stuck there? Last time I checked there were no traffic lights on the highway so I don't think cars are being stopped by a red light. Any reasons for traffic? (Besides accidents)

Answer 1

Because people are nosy so they rubber neck to look at a wreck and that's what causes traffic. It also happens when people are traveling slower than the speed of traffic(especially in the left lane).

Answer 2

Jams can start with one person slowing down, the person behind them doesn't know just how hard the first guy is slowing so he slows a little more, the third guy in line slows a little more, and it doesn't take but a few cars for the line to become completely stopped.

Then, when starting back up again, they all don't start instantly. The first guy speeds up, the second guy starts a few seconds later, the next guy a few seconds more, and so on.

Answer 3

We all have to be at the same place at the same time so there traffic spikes.

Answer 4

Might be frustrating and yet silly to ask such a question, but yes, there is traffic, and the reason might be because there are too many people driving cars at the same time, because they have places to go to, and life does not wait, things must get done, or get left behind, and that's why there is traffic, in my opinion.

Answer 5

accidents, merging traffic, and slow/bad drivers...

Answer 6

bcuz u have old people...scared drivers...and 3000 cars going in one direction...and eveyrone doesnt think the same...remember that....

Answer 7

You have more people getting on the highway than the highway is able to handle at the speed limit.

Think about it this way:

Go to your bath tub and turn the cold water on slowly.  It will go down the drain without puddling up.  Now turn the hot water on slowly.  The water will still drain without puddling up, even though the water is coming form 2 different directions.

Now turn the water up.  It starts to puddle, because there is too much water to enter the drain all at once.

Now, the drain is the highway and the faucets are the roads leading to the highway.  At peak times, the faucet (roads leading to the highway) is turned up.  The cars on the highway cannot drain out fast enough, so the flow backs up and you have traffic.

Answer 8

well during rush hours, there are more cars merging onto the highway from city roads, therefore when the cars come merging into the highway collectors, the cars that are travelling on the highway will slow down to let the cars enter the main lane. As there are more and more cars coming into the highway, there will be more traffic which will lead to traffic jam.