How is it that traffic happens? Just like saying that body odor comes from the mere act of sweat production (we smell because the bacteria produced by sweat passes gas), it would be silly to say that traffic occurs simply because there are too many cars on the road.
In a recent New Yorker article (Aug. 2, 2010, Gessen) on Moscow traffic situation, Kiichiro Hatoyama, a traffic expert from Japan, says that there are 3 main factors for a city's traffic.
- Driver behavior. Moscow observation: "Russian drivers lack foresight."
- The traffic system itself, the organization of the roads. Moscow observation: There is a "lack of left-turn possibilities" in Moscow.
- The social system, which is always reflected in the roads. Moscow observation: "It's a feudal structure," Hatoyama said referring to the privileges given to Russia's elite in the traffic system. Gessen asked if there was "any other place that has that?[...] different rules for different drivers?"...Hatoyama answered with a single word: China.
