Road Ways

Traffic. It’s an excuse for lateness, a source of frustration, something you gotta deal with each day. For many of us, that’s already plenty to think about. For Tom Vanderbilt, traffic expert and author, it’s the basis of a pop-science book. Vanderbilt’s tome, titled Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do, offers deep answers to the question everyone in traffic wants to know: “What the fuuuck is taking so long?” Turns out, it’s a lot of things. One of the best, though: When two lanes squeeze down to one during a closure, it’s actually faster for everyone to zoom down to the pinch point instead of merging early and getting heated when other motorists fly by. There’s also a psychology of honking that Vanderbilt has deciphered. Bring your traffic-related questions to the Kansas City Public Library’s Plaza Branch (4801 Main, 816-701-3407) tonight at 6:30. Just make sure you allow time to make it through rush hour.

Mon., Sept. 14, 6:30 p.m., 2009