MOpens

I am willing to recognize the effect of compounded time, but I refuse to give it as much credit as you are.

Nice try. But when entering I-10 there you do have to merge. Also, using my math above - all conservative assumptions - you would have to leap frog more than 500 cars to save 10 minutes. That didn't happen. Find another source for the difference. Speed? Anyway, as of today, that onramp is closed. Look forward to seeing you in the main lanes. Vindication feels warm and fuzzy, I agree.

Great philosophical question. The answer is you don't get there in X-1 minute, you get there in X. Because of the stupid and selfish people that use the frontage road as a shortcut, traffic is backed up more (from merging vehicles) and those that stay on get there in X+1 minute. Those that take the short-cut get there in X. Why go for X+1 instead of X? Because I am not stupid and selfish.

I agree, but for a different reason. The NYC charter refers to it as the "City of New York." Other New York cities take the same approach. For example, Albany is the "City of Albany." Contrast that with the Oklahoma City, OK charter, which refers to it as "The City of Oklahoma City." My two cents...

My rant was too long - leave your previous destination 1 minute earlier.

Assume that the average vehicle takes up 40 feet of space and that you pass 48 cars (the "dozens you referenced above). Those are generous assumptions. That means by zipping down the frontage road you save 1920 "feet-time." If traffic on I-10 is moving at 30 mph (also a generous assumption at that point), you just saved 43.6 seconds. If you are arguing that that time can be further compounded by other delays, sure, I agree. But who is so busy that 43.6 seconds makes a differe...

Tactical or stupid and selfish? At most you can cut 30-45 seconds off your drive, and the increased volume of merging cars only further slows traffic.