# Jerks Actually Reduce the Risk of Traffic Jams: Physicists

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerks-actually-reduce-the-risk-of-traffic-jams-physicists/504842
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [July 31, 2009, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerks-actually-reduce-the-risk-of-traffic-jams-physicists/504842 "2009-07-31T03:57:53Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2009, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerks-actually-reduce-the-risk-of-traffic-jams-physicists/504842/1 "2009-07-31T03:57:53Z")

</div>

Story [here](http://physicscentral.com/buzz/blog/index.cfm?postid=3414795237807494042). Who’da thought?

**“According to the latest physics research, rule-breakers – drivers passing you on the wrong side or changing lanes too close to the intersection – actually help smooth the flow of traffic for the rest of us.”**

So the next time someone cuts you off, give them some nice words of praise. 😃

But then, if jerks really did improve traffic flow, there’d probably be no traffic jams in Bangkok. Hmmm.