What’s the Fastest Way to Get Past Traffic?
Ah, there is nothing better than racing along the highway on a bright sunny day – wind in your hair, sunglasses and … suddenly you suddenly come to a stop in traffic.
When you’re in traffic, it’s pretty easy to succumb to the urge to switch to a lane that seems to be moving faster. However, will the constant movement on moving lanes be faster and faster? Or is it all an illusion caused by the idea that the grass is always greener (and faster) on the other side?
To test this, our video producer Tahsin raced against Andrew of Yalopnik on a busy section of the Los Angeles Freeway during rush hour.
Throughout the 12-mile journey, Andrew stayed on the same line on the freeway, while Tahsin kept changing lanes whenever possible. Target? See who eats tacos for lunch first and how much earlier.
Logic would dictate that switching to a fast lane would be the best option, but as more cars change lanes, the once fast lane suddenly clogs up, forcing drivers to switch back to their original lane again and again . Is it possible that by simply staying stable and allowing all the cars to move around you, you will actually get to your destination, not only faster, but also with less effort and without the headaches caused by turn signals?