Why Moving People is Complicated: Crash Course Engineering #41

Transportation is a big part of our world and engineers play a big role in making it happen. Today we’ll explore how transportation systems are designed and some things transportation engineers have to take into consideration, like signaling, user behavior, and traffic flow. And, of course, we’ll talk about some of the ways that transportation engineers are trying to improve the systems we already have.

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[engibear]

*And then the Civil Engineers of the 1950s said, "Let us build our national transportation network based entirely around metal boxes with 1 full seat and 4 empty ones. Let us try to build every highway for rush-hour traffic (each way) and every parking lot for Black Friday shopping. Surely this will not backfire on us."*

[TheNightmareRider]

Worth noting that you also need to take into account human perception when designing signalling. The October 1999 Paddington Rail disaster was caused, in part, by obscured signalling which the driver couldn't see properly due to glare.

Many modern high speed trains have in-cab signalling, since beyond a certain speed it becomes difficult for people to react visually to external signals. Thus, having the signal pop up in the cab at designated points allows for much higher speeds, without sacrificing reaction time.

[zhubajie]

Traffic is a very Non-Newtonian fluid :D

[BrainsApplied]

Funny thing: no matter to what country you go to, everyone always complains about the public transport!
*But Belgium is the worst though*

[cptainJack]

I know the field is small but would you guys consider doing an episode on mining engineering?

[grenishsinxRgold]

I love watching CC because everytime I do, my brain feels like it's being massaged..

[messyhair]

All of a sudden I want to play mini metro

[tomokishiratori]

Any updates on your Human Geography series? I’m taking AP Human Geo next year and it’ll be great to have an entertaining way to learn the material! (No pressure, obviously)

[camo]

Great video!!! I didn't know what were the field of expertise for transportation, know I know =P thanks"

[ripwolfe]

In traffic, rather than trying to engineer around the drivers by changing roads and routes and other infrastructure, I think money would be better spent in the comprehensive (re-)training of drivers. Yes, I get the concept of forced flow, but I've observed traffic jams starting to form long before a road system should hit even critical flow, much less forced flow.

The problem? People not paying attention. They get on the freeways at sub-optimal speeds; they pace each other for kilometers at a time; they don't know how to merge, leaving entire lanes mostly empty as people prematurely move over; they slow down going up hills or around corners; they get cranky because they think you're trying to cut them off.

In the US, at least, we're in desperate need of re-education when it comes to driving etiquette. It'd help if drivers would 1) pay attention and 2) be skilled enough to handle 1500kg of metal, plastic, electronics and fuel moving at 100+ kph. The worst enemy of any driver on the road is another driver, not the infrastructure.

[shahriariftekhar]

Please make a course on International Law, Ethics and Human Rights

[JimFortune]

Super Markets use Braess' paradox. When the lines at checkout are too long they close a few of the registers. It should work, right?

[rodrigomedrano]

Si alguien entiende español va a estar suuuuper! Un ingeniero en transporte no deriva de la Ing. Civil o al revés. Y ahora me preguntarán, ¿why not?

El ing en transporte como bien dijeron investiga las afectaciones y ofrece soluciones multidisciplinarias para beneficio de la comunidad. Más sin embargo su prima la Ing Civil es solo eso, su prima. Tienen rasgos en común y ambos pueden dar soluciones pero una directamente a su diseño, usuarios, vehículos, tiempos, reglamentos de movilidad, etc; y el otro primo a los materiales, diseño de la estructura del camino, construcción del camino etc. Conforme a la construcción.

Por eso son primos pero no viene del otro.

[randompotato]

question: is it not possible to create a dynamic system that take in the variables flow and the number of cars in each road (with all those cameras )
and give as a result the fastest way and display the result either on an electric poster in the road or on google maps with those result being updated each certain amount of minutes. that way every one is taking the fastest way always and the traffic gets reduced
(AI is taking over driving any way we might just make it easier and accelerate the process by adding this system)

[camiloiribarren]

Transportation is all about how create the correct stations, vehicles and roads for consumers to use

[disorganizedorg]

Dr. Somara has a lovely accent. British/Indian?

[khaleda]

I hope to be more videos even if you make playlist reach +100

[safulkin]

В час пик поговорка: прямо - шесть, кругом - четыре

[lemmingsgopop]

Imagine if I told you that I wanted to spend tax money to rip out the transportation system and build a new one where transport speeds are slower, fatalities and accidents are much higher, individuals spend more, maintenance costs to the state are higher, its more polluting but its main benefit is everyone gets their own little metal box which they have to buy themselves. Yea that would be the reverse of the Green New Deal. Get to it America!

[docal]

Can't imagine how Braess' paradox can still be relevant in a world with traffic-aware navigation systems like Wase.