Abstract

Everyone knows the feeling. The cars ahead slow down. There is a little twinge of excitement as we wait to see what is up ahead: an accident, perhaps a truck jackknifed alongside the freeway, ambulances leaving the scene, who knows? Then we reach the crest of the wave and look right and left. In vain: there is nothing to see. We accelerate out on the other side, feeling a little guilty about regretting our disappointment. The accident is long since over but cars behind us are already slowing down to see it just as we did in an automatic commemoration of Incident.