In my opinion, driving in traffic is like trading on the stock market. If we all worked together, we could make a lot of money. The problem is usually someone wants to go against the grain, because the outcome for a single individual is better than the whole. This is probably true in driving too.
Instead of having one person get to work on time, why don't we all show up 1 minute late!?
Here are my tips
- If the speed limit is 45mph, and you happen to be travelling 48mph, and no one is really close to the front of your car you do not need to use the brakes, just take your foot off the glass and slow down. Or even better, take the gamble that a cop isn't going to waste time on paperwork for a measly 3mph.
- When merging in traffic, make yourself go the same speed as an open gap, merge into the gap as if you've always been there. Do not use the brakes to slow into a gap.
- Watch all the cars around you, if the person in front of you taps their brakes because they are getting just a little bit too close to the car in front of them don't slam your breaks because you think they are going to grind to a halt.
- Use your rear-view mirror. If you want to change lanes, look in the rear-view mirror for people who are travelling faster than you. Do not merge into the lane and not speed up to match their speed.
Actually, when I really think about it, it comes down to two things:
- Your car "wants" to slow down, it's simple physics, don't use the breaks if you don't really need to
- Pay attention to the cars around you, go with the flow, don't travel 40mph if everyone else is travelling 45, use your mirrors and judge speed of fellow drivers
... Oh, and of course. GET THE HECK OUT OF MY WAY! :o)