TrafficTalk

This just started operating in 20 metro areas - more will be added.

Use any phone to call in and hear traffic reports from other people in your area or give people a heads up on what you can see happening where you are.

Lots of potential is there if people start using it. Real time reports over a regular phone line. Sort of like the eye in the sky but where everyone can contribute now and reports are not just on the hour.

Traffic ahead? What lane should you be in for a chance to slip by etc - this is the type of detail you just won't get from any traffic service.

traffic talk

Is there any website like this that relates to the UK?

On the subject of traffic. LA is supposed the be the #1 congested area in US.
LA In Sync: Traffic Signals To Cut Travel Times
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/...-travel-times/

More on Los Angeles traffic:
To Fight Gridlock, a City Synchronizes Every Red Light

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/02/us...&ei=5065&_r=1&

Alex --
The NYT has been requiring an account to read anything there for some time. Just letting you know.

Here's a non-subscription source for the same information: http://www.popsci.com/cars/article/2013-04/los-angeles-synchs-every-streetlight-attempt-break-gridlock

And of course, such synchronization can realistically only fully work for one direction at a time on a given street, though given that traffic flow is so commonly biased in one direction at various times of the day, it still helps a lot.
If everyone would give a moment's consideration to the difference between their highway and city mileage, I think we'd all agree that for many people, a HUGE fuel savings (not to mention your good humor) is possible if you could just avoid stopping for so many bloody red lights.

Thanks canderson, I agree.
It seems to me in San Francisco traffic lights are specifically set up to impede traffic, it seems you can't go three blocks even on major streets without running into a red light.

Alex,
From your observations, are you generally driving against or cross wise to the major flow of traffic for that time of the day?

When I lived in Hamburg in the '60s they instituted the "Green Wave" which was great if you happened to drive during rush hour in the 'right' direction on one of three thoroughfares to or from downtown.

With today's sensors they will get real time traffic data. But, if the programme to use that information is not very well designed, it will not improve matters much.

Hi Arno:
I'm talking about the major streets, that are supposed to be traffic arteries, if you will & generally with the traffic.

If people would just get in the correct lane about 1/2-1 mile in advance instead of waiting when their about 100 yards from their turn,that alone would speed up traffic.