Philosophy in Traffic Queues

Have you ever considered how road traffic is an analogy for our life-journey? I have been driving for 62 years, and the one thing that stands out is how, in general, traffic flows more freely when drivers control their own flow. Roundabouts and give-way signs are generally much freer than traffic lights, and most people are sensible about letting waiting cars enter in turn. I remember once, at Pfizer in Sandwich, we had one main entrance with cars approaching from each direction so there were inevitable holdups to get in. The management employed a traffic consultant from Liverpool University to advise on ways to ease the flow, so one morning a traffic light was installed to regulate entry. That morning, traffic was backed up in both directions right out to the main road at either end; nothing could move and the whole block of offices was effectively shut. By lunchtime, the system was switched off and the normal morning wait went back to its customary ten minutes, with the right-turning cars filling the gaps between the left-turners.

Many of our Suffolk lanes are wide enough for but one car, yet sensible use of the passing places generally ensures a smooth flow of traffic rather than a snarling tailback from two drivers refusing to give way. Roundabouts, too, generally flow freely as people sort themselves out even in heavy traffic. The roadworks on many motorways have advanced warnings up to two miles ahead of roadworks and lane closures. People interrupt the flow irregularly as they pull into the inside lane until there is basically one queue, but always some annoying pomposity shoots past us all to force their way in at the head of the line. The best roadworks have a sign: "Merge in turn", and this produces equal queues that both move forward steadily without provoking directed anger. Taking away basic responsibility for driving removes the need for thought of others but paradoxically increases our frustration and anger with others, leading to horn rage, bumps, and fights. 

The Oilman Cometh

Our oilman is freely philosophical with his greeting. Early on Monday, moving rapidly from the cost of oil and inflation, he opinionated that all the problems of the world are caused by people "gobbing off". By this, he referred to Putin and Ukraine and European interventions with the resultant inflation, but basically, he is right. At every level throughout our weakened society, problems are exacerbated by people more willing to bad-mouth than good-mouth their family, neighbours or excitable strangers. My mother was fond of the old adages, one being, "a soft word turns away wrath" whenever my brothers or I had raised voices. So much trouble, so many fights, start from a harsh, unforgiving word. Never has it been more evidently true: war is the destroyer of worlds; harmony can build mountains. And in families too, so much more can be achieved, so much is general happiness increased, if we could only forgive and offer praise and encouragement, rather than critisism and complaint or, in the oilman's phrase, "gobbing off".