My own "traffic waves" site made it to Cool Site of the Day last year,
mostly because of the little GIF animations and the controversy going on
in the email section. See:
Some of the new mathematical models, advanced mainly by physicists,
depict traffic as more complex and unpredictable than traditional
traffic experts, mainly civil engineers, believe it to be. These
models have sparked intense controversy.
and this:
Instead of the exitement of the physicists who have created it, the
new picture of traffic has aroused the ire of traditional traffic
researchers.
...so maybe if we dare to discuss nonlinear dynamics as applied to traffic
jams, then old-school traffic engineers will become angry and insist that
only a source/sink model is appropriate. (As if Chaos and Solitons are
some sort of heresy which must be attacked?) Even worse, what if a total
amateur should start discussing the obvious nonlinear processes that
anyone can observe during their commutes? Blasphemy!
:)
see also:
"TRAFFIC WAVES", Scientific American THE AMATEUR SCIENTIST, March 1983