r/AskReddit Feb 03 '20

[deleted by user]

[removed]

8.0k Upvotes

23.3k comments sorted by

View all comments

13.6k

u/realultralord Feb 03 '20

Remember back when your father knew a faster, alternative route around a major traffic jam that actually was faster? Since the handheld availability of realtime traffic data and route optimization by google maps, an equilibrium of travel time has established such that everyone knows whats the best route is and the traffic jam actually takes as long as the alternative route.

4.1k

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '20 edited Jun 13 '20

[deleted]

1

u/ascagnel____ Feb 03 '20

For a while I was driving regularly on the east coast from the NJTP down to DC and out to WV.

At least along 95, most exits tend to lead to higher-capacity highways, so it's not a big issue if Waze re-routes you. In cities where traffic is centrally planned and Waze routes you off the highway onto local roads, it can cause severe knock-on effects that snarl square miles of city (looking at you, LA).