Voorhees Law: Why Passing Slowpokes Won't Save Time

Dr. Conor Boland from Dublin City University introduces the Voorhees law of traffic, a phenomenon where passing a slow driver often results in reuniting at the next red light. This occurs due to the balanced odds of the gap between cars growing, shrinking, or staying the same. Our brains tend to overemphasize catch-up moments, making them seem more frequent than they are. However, in city traffic with multiple lights, the chances of the slow car never catching up decrease significantly. Experts like Kit Yates from the University of Bath confirm the models accuracy in explaining this road quirk, emphasizing that speeding past others doesnt truly save time or improve safety.

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