SOLID-STATE TRAFFIC

[Ben Ostrowsky]

Jim Landau wrote:
> "Solid-state traffic" is almost certainly a nonce usage, someone's
> play on words, since taken literally it is meaningless (traffic that
> uses transisteros rather than vacuum tubes??)

It does, however, make sense in the context of the analogy between states
of matter (solid, liquid, gas, plasma) and road traffic.  There's been
some work on stretching this analogy to see how far it'll go, but it seems
there are 'phase transitions' between gridlock, traffic, light traffic,
and practically empty roads.  This may have been part of the intent of the
speaker/writer.

Ben, delurking

--
barbifry: (v.t.) To barbeque and fry simultaneously.  "The mage
used a huge fireball spell in the 10 by 10 room.  We all got
barbifried.  17 intelligence, my ass." -- www.everything2.com