Bad Traffic ≠ An Accident

[bobsy852]

I feel bad now for not giving everybody a thumbs up to every correct incident I passed last week! :/

[ChrisMD123]

This is partially a complaint directed at my fellow Wazers and partially a suggestion/data analysis conundrum for the developers. It might be a feature request, but since it's more than that I'm putting it in the main forum. Moderators, free to disagree and move it.

It seems to be human nature, at least everywhere I've lived in the States, to say, "Ooh, bad traffic. Must be an accident." In Waze, this turns into thirty people reporting accidents when they're actually just sitting in bad traffic.

Most bad traffic is just that: bad traffic. Some moron was driving 40 MPH in the passing lane an hour ago, and thanks to breaking laminar flow he or she has caused a full traffic stoppage.

The Waze app should be clear: unless you can actually see the accident, do not report an accident.

On the developers' side, it would be interesting to try and puzzle out the real accidents from the data. Get a dataset of reported accidents and find a way to filter it to confirmed accidents. Then, look at the relationship between the submissions and the false alarms.

Complicated; maybe impossible. Sounds like a fun challenge.

[ChrisMD123]

The voting system doesn't solve the problem: Someone ahead reports, "Hey, there's an accident!" Someone else, farther upstream in the traffic, sees that accident report and gives it a thumbs up because they also perceive that "bad traffic must mean there's an accident." Indeed, confirmation bias would suggest that trailing vehicles are more likely to perceive that there was an accident even if they never see one.

[Edward50095]

"Most bad traffic is just that: bad traffic. Some moron was driving 40 MPH in the passing lane an hour ago, and thanks to breaking laminar flow he or she has caused a full traffic stoppage."

Let me guess: You pretty much stay in the left lane don't you? It's a passing lane, not "laminar flow".

The left lane is for passing; move back to the right when you're done. Thanks in advance.

[Edward50095]

I found it hard to believe someone would report an accident they cannot see strange as well. Since not only does WAZE want to know of the accident, but far more importantly, its precise location.

I would think everyone WAZER would know that when they report something, it is also getting placed on the map in the place where they pressed the first button in the reporting process.


The true cause of mystery slowdowns on the interstate is because people follow each other too closely. I doubt you actually have anyone driving less than the speed limit on the interstate let alone driving 40. Driving over the speed limit is not permitted in any lane.

I don't care if you "camp out" in the left lane IF their is no one behind you. If there is someone behind you, no matter how fast you are going, no matter if you think you are not finished with the left lane, YOU need to move over.

Especially on 3 or more lanes, the left lane should be mostly clear. If only two lanes I can more let it go. But you know good and well, if the road was 15 lanes wide, some drivers are still going far left. Because that's what they do.

Another big cause of congestion on freeways is folks that have driven the left lane to within a quarter mile of their exit, and are now trying to move right. That and following too close.

[felohidalgo]

There is already in Waze such system, basically if you report something and some others drive through it and no one give you a Thumb up, then you will "lose" trust, and your reports won't be taken so serious next time.

[felohidalgo]

It also depends on more people passing by, if no one else drives by, there is no reason to penalize someone. Don't worry. You are not been punish because of that.

[felohidalgo]

Next time you give them a thumbs up. That also makes everyone of us feel useful.

[felohidalgo]

Just a comment along the same lines, "accuracy in reporting". Oh, please delete or remove if this isn't the right spot. I use Waze traffic for reports and hazards, etc. I drive the same route twice a day to and from work. I report road issues such as construction and one lane roads. But I also check for speed cameras and red light cameras. There are several places along the route where traffic cameras have been marked and they do not exist. There was also a speed camera marked, actually I marked it first that was a temporary camera. That camera has been gone for a month and a half now. Oh, the speed limit is marked wrong on that road also. I spend every day, twice a day pushing the "not there" button because they aren't. I have tried to change it in the edit map function but apparently don't have the rights. My point I guess is, it would be nice if the people verifying these things knew what they were looking at. A "traffic camera" is used for checking flow. A "red light camera" is used for violations.

There is always someone to help you remove such things, but you need to ask for help. In this forum are specific topics per country, I suggest you to search for your country forum, If you are from USA, look for the specific one to your region. There should be a Topic call UNLOCKS or something similar. Post your request there. You may need the permalink of the location. To get the permalink once you are in the editor click on the "8" figure in the bar at the right side of the screen, then copy the generate link from your navigation screen and post it with a explanation of the problem. Regards

[MattPSU79]

There is already in Waze such system, basically if you report something and some others drive through it and no one give you a Thumb up, then you will "lose" trust, and your reports won't be taken so serious next time.

I'm new...is there some sort of built in reputation to waze? If that is indeed how the system works, seems like it needs some improvement...because it would be penalizing users for reporting incidents on infrequently traveled or rural routes. I don't like the idea that I could be penalized in some way because I reported a legitimate incident/hazard whjch is already cleared by the time the next wazer passes that point.