How we behave behind the wheel, echoes in eternity.

[ehowton]

Have you ever just watched the movement of ants? They're fascinating in their perceived lack of interaction with each other as they singularly move to complete their assigned task; yet taking into account the movement of others in relationship to their own to create seamless, efficient lines of communication without which has the potential to destroy the very logistics which enable them to survive.

When I'm behind the wheel of a vehicle, I employ the Nash equilibrium:

If we all go for the blonde and block each other, not a single one of us is going to get her. So then we go for her friends, but they will all give us the cold shoulder because no one likes to be second choice. But what if none of us goes for the blonde? We won't get in each other's way and we won't insult the other girls. It's the only way to win. It's the only way we all get laid.

Rather than choose to be hell-bent on constant speed 'because I'm right' or 'because I have the right-of-way' I've found that I'm more efficient and make more ground by not only anticipating other's moves, but more importantly so, reacting to them. In merging traffic for instance, whether I with it or it with me, I vary my speed accordingly by either accelerating or slowing to slip between cars, or more easily allow them either in front of, or behind me more easily. Not only is ignoring this overly simply concept rude beyond words, but by helping them, you help yourself. Driving in traffic is a corporative effort - no one 'wins' if one person chooses not to participate, but everyone has the potential to lose.

And the only reason to not do so, is selfishness. It always amazes me how many people expect other's to be understanding and accommodating when they themselves are not. I run into all sorts of craziness everyday, and post about it often:

• The lady who slowed down on the highway entrance ramp, just before entering a two-lane road filled with vehicles moving at a high-rate of speed (I was behind her.)


• The guy who was going the posted speed limit in the left hand lane with a 'WWJD' bumper sticker on his truck (He'd get the fsck out of the left hand lane, that's what Jesus would do!)


• People who 'slow down' if someone comes upon them too fast (rather than, you know, move over?)


• Drivers in large vehicles who believe that the 'Law of Tonnage' is an *actual* legislative writ which is judiciously levied.

Why the Nash equilibrium works with respect to traffic:

What Mr. Nash recognized was that in any sort of strategic interaction, the best choice for any single player depends critically on his beliefs about what the other players might do. Mr. Nash proposed that we look for outcomes in which each player is making an optimal choice, given the choices the other players are making.¹

You're not the only one on the road. And anytime you selfishly do something because you're "right" you're automatically wrong - because you've failed to make your optimal choice based on what others drivers may do. So even though you can take solace in the fact that you won the battle, in the game of life, you've lost the war.

I apply these same rules in every increasing level of the game. Earlier this week traffic between work and home was moving unusually fast. Someone was coming up on me really fast - I looked down and noticed I was driving 100mph. I can only imagine how fast the person who was closing the gap between us was doing. Thankfully, it was a no-brainer; I did what I always do in these situations - I moved over.

---

^{1 The New York Times "Business" Section.}

Comments

[thesweetestnote.livejournal.com]

Ya read my mind. I have put the above into practice and my road rage has vanished. What would really get me is those asses that like to "leap frog" - y'know, they tailgate you, then pass you on the right only to cut you off to squeeze into the space you leave in front of you to keep from rear ending someone. It was usually "on" if someone did that. Then a dangerous game would start.

I realized I had to grow up or suffer a severe consequence such as a wreck, or getting shot by "Tex" or "Vato Loco". I wouldn't want to die because of something so f***in' stupid.

[wardlejew.livejournal.com]

100mph!!! hmmm. What is this post about? Get out of EHowton's way or else?

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/departments/nrd-30/ncsa/STSI/48_TX/2007/48_TX_2007.htm

Speed is the main reason in automobile fatalities. But hey, it shortens your time to get somewhere, even to the life-after.

[dawaioser.livejournal.com]

I've given up on courtesy being extended from DFW drivers and especially that merging onto the highway thing. Ridiculous.

[swashbuckler332.livejournal.com]

Most of the time when people are being assholes on the road, they're not doing it to be right so much as it is to exercise a form of dominance. When it is more expedient to allow them their compensate for their genitals, I do so. In cases where their actions might slow down traffic or be a safety concern, I act accordingly to minimize the effects of their need for immediate gratification. The most important thing when driving is the flow of traffic; if everyone is cooperating, even bottlenecks can be dealt with at a decent pace.

[joey-glover.livejournal.com]

people expect everyone else to accomodate them. "This is the only point-of-view that i can see. Therefore, it must be the only one that matters" is the best way to describe their thought process.

[princessleia2.livejournal.com]

The lady who slowed down on the highway entrance ramp, just before entering a two-lane road filled with vehicles moving at a high-rate of speed (I was behind her.)

Aaarrrggghh. The exit I use to get on the highway near my apartment has a particularly short ramp and you need to gauge your speed accordingly by peering at the highway on the way up. It's easy enough to do and estimate, even when in a small car (the highway is raised, but you *can* see cars in the right lane). Unfortunately about 50% of the time the people do as described above, which is a bit of a nightmare at rush hour since they cause a backup on the ramp and then rely upon the highway traffic to get out of the right lane to let cars on the road from a dead stop.

That said, I think it's fear, poor driving skills and lack of confidence rather than any selfish thought process that goes into inability to properly merge.

[irulan-amy.livejournal.com]

I have been surprised how the constant nutty traffic here in L.A. has improved my driving skills and my patience with other drivers. I tend to think the same way as you do...

Also - you really rock for using a footnote in your post.