The Traffic is Always Faster In the Other Lane

Everyone's had those days. You are stuck in traffic and no matter which lane you choose to travel in, it always seems to be the "wrong" one. So how do you choose the best lane to travel in, or does it not matter. Here are some thoughts I've had and heard on the subject. I am hoping to spark discussion and hear what others have to say on the topic as well.

Basic Assumptions:

You are stuck in traffic on a highway with a speed limit of 65.You are going about 25 miles per hour, so you have room to shift lanes and pick whichever one you desire, but not enough room to weave through traffic. Also, the cause of the traffic is unknown so there is no clear lane to avoid (as would be the case if you saw an accident in the left lane ahead). So which lane should you choose?

Free-market Economics Approach:

The idea of the "invisible hand" of the market is prevalent in economic ideology and thinking. This is the idea that when a problem arises in a market, the conditions generally force people to make decisions that will bring the market back to its optimal state. Applying this to traffic, if one lane is moving faster than the others, drivers will switch into that lane until it is moving at the same speed as the other lanes. Therefore, the traffic "market" will be quickly adjusted towards an equilibrium where all lanes move at the same speed. This theory suggests that it makes no difference which lane you choose.

Future Expectations Model

This model suggest that drivers choose to be in the lane that will be moving fastest in the future. At some point ahead (even if it's hours away) there will be a point where there is no more traffic. At this point, without the confinement of cars in front, one lane will inevitably move faster than the others. Generally on American highways, this lane will be the left-most lane, so this model suggest that drivers move toward the left lane to speed up their return to a traffic-free environment.

Entry/Exit Model

Most American highways have exit ramps on the right side of the road. This forces all cars entering and exiting the highway to go through the rightmost lane.Therefore, if there will be more cars exiting the highway than entering at a particular exit, then it the right lane will become less congested. In this instance, drivers should choose to travel close to the right lane. If, however, more cars are entering the highway than exiting it, the right lane will become more congested and drivers should stay towards the left lane.

Conclusion

These are simplified models and there any many more factors to take into consideration, but they focus on several of the key elements in choosing the ideal lane for travel. This is where I open it up to the readers. Please comment on your favorite model or any alternative ideas you may have.

Thanks and I hope you enjoyed the read,

Jason Kraus