[GolddustMini]

Originally Posted by Don K

Actually, according to traffic flow theory (D.L. Gerlough), a road is considered to be safe for pedestrians crossing the road, as soon as there is on average one possiblity per minute to cross the road safely.

For a road of 9 meters wide (or smaller), this means that it is safe for pedestrians as long as no more than 750 cars per hour pass.



In this case, I would expect the Michelin cars to need about 85 seconds for a lap (including the pit lane).
That would mean that each Michelin car would pass through the pit lane about 42 times per hour.
That would mean that 14 Michelin cars would pass through the pit lane about 14*42= 588 times per hour.
If the Bridgestone teams would make 2 pit stops per hour, that woule mean a total of 12 passes per hour of a Bridgestone car through the pit lane.

Which would mean a total of 588+12= 600 cars per hour.
Well below the maximum of 750 cars per hour.


In other words, as long as the 'fast lane' of the pit lane has a width of 9 meters or less, traffic flow theory dictates that it is a safe situation.

(If we would extrapolate the same formula for lanes that are slightly wider than 9 meters, the situation would remain safe until a width of 10.47 meters).

and then you realise that this is racing and these are racing drivers your talking about and predicatabilty goes out of the window