First of all, college was a pain. Boring classes and way too many keggers. Somehow I managed to get through it, not once but twice.
Math or anything that required math was as bad as the sound of fingernails scraping on a blackboard. It was years later before I realized how important the things I learned are.
I am not talking about quadratic formulas and balanced equations but courses life is based on. And one of them was math. Specifically, statistics and probability.
Sounds boring, huh? They govern everything we do from simple decision making to driving. You know, what are the chances I’ll get pulled over for speeding or using that HOV lane?
They other life changing course was on fluid dynamics. It is defined as the branch of applied science that is concerned with the movement of gases and liquids. Quite a mouthful.
It applies to me in so many ways. I am a pilot and airflow over my control surfaces has very much to do movement of gases.
A more commonplace application is watching the river flow. Whether you are rafting or dealing with level 4 rapids you study those movements and you are using applied science. And you aren’t even aware of it.
The fluid dynamics I am talking about at the moment is traffic. You may not think of it as such but traffic is a fluid. Similar to the river or a human body. Rocks in the river or arterial blockage is the same as a vehicle accident or any car off the road. Traffic or the fluid slows down.
Coming home from Bellevue the other day was a good case in point. During the time it took me to drive from Bellevue Square to Capital Hill the following human blockages occurred.
- An early twenties woman in a black Cadillac SUV driving the wrong way on a street while talking on her phone totally unaware of her situation. Traffic stops.
- Next, another young woman in an overly big SUV trying to parallel park while holding a phone to her ear.
- I don’t mean to rag on cell phone users but can’t you at least stop talking while doing complicated maneuvers?
- She blocked the fluid of traffic while she kept trying. Farther down the road was a guy holding up others so he could turn right in a parking lot from the left lane.
- I finally make it to the 520 on-ramp. No such luck. The man stopped in the cloverleaf and was backing up holding up traffic to correct his lack of common sense.
Following was a great example of fluid dynamics, cars not merging but bunching up at the end of the lane in a lame attempt to get a second ahead of everyone else. This really stopped the flow.
Now comes the following too close automatic rear ender on the bridge. Can’t let anyone squeeze in you know.
Now I am pulling off the highway into the Capital Hill area. It’s now dark outside and people love to cross traffic against the light and while wearing dark clothes.
Driving down Broadway is a study in the absurd. You have just got to get ahead of the others. It’s no wonder I find driving stressful now. Give me pills so I can drive.
Years ago, I flew airwatch traffic over the San Francisco Bay Area for a radio station. Not only did I do traffic for my station but was also a cog in the great Metro Traffic information system from which CalTrans (California Department of Transportation) received traffic information.
This experience is where I was first introduced into the concept of traffic behaves just like a fluid. Even traffic concepts are the same. Arterials, collector – distributors, blockers, calmers and other devices are the same with fluids.
The point I am getting to is people are in so much of a hurry at get ahead they are creating the roadblocks that slow them down. Much is the same with regular life.
People are in such a rush to get it all their live goes from one traffic blockage to another. Frustration levels rise and road rage becomes the story of our lives.
Even though I know all these things, I too am guilty. I could see the problems from 1500 feet. I just wish I could see them in my own life.