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tintinintibet's review
3.0
I liked the idea of learning about culture through traffic -- and this book just falls a bit short on credibility when there's so much promise....it seems the author just isn't that familiar with traffic except in America and the Netherlands (?)....his writing about China or India sadly just repeats cliches and hearsay rumors.
I suppose a whole book on this in retrospect is a bit overkill considering it doesn't quite live up to its promise. But like all these statistics / pseudo-sociology books I read, there's a lot of overlap. I think [b:Critical Mass|2956|The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn|Mark Twain|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161831948s/2956.jpg|1835605] has a decent mini-chapter on traffic patterns and uses many of the same stories / examples.
I suppose a whole book on this in retrospect is a bit overkill considering it doesn't quite live up to its promise. But like all these statistics / pseudo-sociology books I read, there's a lot of overlap. I think [b:Critical Mass|2956|The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn|Mark Twain|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161831948s/2956.jpg|1835605] has a decent mini-chapter on traffic patterns and uses many of the same stories / examples.
shmerica's review
4.0
I rarely read non-fiction books all the way through... I suppose I am overly reliant on a narrative of some kind. But, I really like the way this book was written and how consisely Vanderbilt distilled many studies into an understanding of the psychology of driving habits. I frequently find myself talking about the conclusions discussed in the book, much to the dismay of my husband.
readerkh's review
2.0
I really, really wanted to like this book. Traffic and transportation fascinate me. Unfortunately, this book didn't. Maybe it was because my expectations were too high. Maybe it was because I'd heard a bunch of this before. Maybe it was because some of the structure drove me nuts. (No need to remind me that you covered a topic in a previous chapter -- I remember. No need to tell me tell me you'll get to the topic later -- just get there.) Some of the specific stats are interesting and the anecdotes are compelling, but it was disappointing between those nuggets.
richardazia's review against another edition
An interesting read. Since most people prefer not to discuss this emotional topic the next best thing is to enjoy this book in audio form. The first half was better at keeping my attention than the second half.
ginabyeg's review
4.0
Neat facts and statistics about roads and driving behavior. If you ever want to consider how complex driving truly is, this is a good read.
devrose's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
3.0
This was a reread. Interesting, I found it more interesting the first time I read it, before I could drive. I did learn some useful things, but - eh. It's old.
jenniferstringer's review
4.0
Kinda bizarre listening to a book about traffic while driving in traffic. I added this to my to-read list when Malcolm Gladwell suggested it in his podcast. I can so totally see Malcolm Gladwell getting into this book. At the time it was the only book available on Overdrive. It is a very thorough examination of traffic and the psychology behind it. I get that late merging is the best use of traffic lanes, but it still seams rude to me. Also, I still really dislike roundabouts, but they far and away outperform intersections. Also, I don't think I'll ever put a self-identifying bumper sticker or decal on my car again and I'm currently chockablock full of traffic trivia!