Solutions for Avoiding Traffic?

gregwbrooks asks: "Technology lets us wardrive and kludge together interesting uses for the OnStar equipment in our vehicles, but what about the one thing I really need: On-demand, real-time traffic information? These guys have a BREW-based app that downloads real-time traffic maps to your cell phone -- it just rolled out in Chicago and Milwaukee, and apparently is going national soon. What other options are out there for someone who doesn't want to fiddle around with tiny web pages on his phone while driving?"

Comments

NPR Did a Story on 511

[dcocos]

You can dial 511 on your phone in San Fransico and give your starting point end and end point and it will give you a real time traffic assesment and the time from point A to point B. With some pretty cool voice regonition software.
Story about automated traffic in SF

XM Radio

[bacontaco]

XM Radio just added over 20 channels for most major metropolitan areas that give you a quick 5 minute traffic and weather report. Find out if your city is listed here.

Of course, the cost of the hardware and the monthly subscription fee may turn many off.

XM Radio Traffic

[mknewman]

XM Radio just started broadcasting about 25 channels of 24 hour Traffic. It's great, as my city is one of the ones covered. No affiliation, just a happy user.

Credit where credit's due

[Stavr0]

You don't sit in the traffic jam; you are the traffic jam. -- Werner Icking

Re:Best way to avoid traffic jams is to not drive

[cpeterso]

William Beaty studies traffic for a hobby. He created some "traffic experiments" and describes his results and theories in "TRAFFIC WAVES: SOMETIMES ONE DRIVER CAN VASTLY IMPROVE TRAFFIC". It's pretty interesting stuff.