Gridlock

People are quite liberal with the use of the word “gridlock”. Usually is goes along the lines of: “If we don’t build x, we’ll end up in gridlock.” Or “If we don’t expand y, we’ll end up in gridlock, and the world will come to an end.”

Gridlock actually happens in busy intersection when drivers block it. To avoid gridlock, drivers should only proceed through an intersection if there is a way on of it. Gridlock can also happen on a freeway if interchanges are too close together: people using the off-ramps can block people using the on-ramps.

The follow picture is a great example.

Thanks to Stephen Rees for the picture.