IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/phsmap/v592y2022ics0378437121010013.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The speed and configuration of cyclist social groups: A field study

Author

Listed:
  • Li, Meng
  • Chen, Tao
  • Du, Hao
  • Ma, Na
  • Xi, Xinwei

Abstract

Group behaviour is common among bicycle users and can have an impact on traffic dynamics in natural or emergency situations. As our observation shows, 35% of cyclists in traffic ride in pairs or groups. This paper aims to explore how cyclist group members interact and organize in bicycle flow. A field study was conducted, 166 groups of cyclists were selected as the observation objects, and their tracks were obtained through the multi-object tracking algorithm (MOT). The average speed, spatial arrangement and similarity between group members were calculated and analysed. The results show that group size has a significant negative effect on average group speed as cyclist members of the same group tend to maintain similar speeds as they ride forward. The 2-person and 3-person riding groups have relatively “time stable” geometrical structures (4 patterns for pairs and 5 patterns for triads). They are generated not only from traffic rules but also from the local interaction between group members. The dissimilarity value of movement among them tends to increase with increasing group size due to weaker coordination in larger groups. These findings have implications for bicycle traffic modelling and safe bicycle facility design.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Meng & Chen, Tao & Du, Hao & Ma, Na & Xi, Xinwei, 2022. "The speed and configuration of cyclist social groups: A field study," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 592(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:592:y:2022:i:c:s0378437121010013
    DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2021.126849
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378437121010013
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only. Journal offers the option of making the article available online on Science direct for a fee of $3,000
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.physa.2021.126849?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Trenchard, Hugh & Richardson, Ashlin & Ratamero, Erick & Perc, Matjaž, 2014. "Collective behavior and the identification of phases in bicycle pelotons," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 405(C), pages 92-103.
    2. Tang, Tie-Qiao & Rui, Ying-Xu & Zhang, Jian & Wang, Tao, 2018. "Impacts of group behavior on bicycle flow at a signalized intersection," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 512(C), pages 1205-1215.
    3. Rui Jiang & Mao-Bin Hu & Qing-Song Wu & Wei-Guo Song, 2017. "Traffic Dynamics of Bicycle Flow: Experiment and Modeling," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 51(3), pages 998-1008, August.
    4. Sersli, Stephanie & Gislason, Maya & Scott, Nicholas & Winters, Meghan, 2020. "Riding alone and together: Is mobility of care at odds with mothers' bicycling?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    5. Xue, Shuqi & Jia, Bin & Jiang, Rui & Li, Xingang & Shan, Jingjing, 2017. "An improved Burgers cellular automaton model for bicycle flow," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 487(C), pages 164-177.
    6. Trenchard, Hugh & Ratamero, Erick & Richardson, Ashlin & Perc, Matjaž, 2015. "A deceleration model for bicycle peloton dynamics and group sorting," Applied Mathematics and Computation, Elsevier, vol. 251(C), pages 24-34.
    7. Tang, Tie-Qiao & Rui, Ying-Xu & Zhang, Jian & Shang, Hua-Yan, 2018. "A cellular automation model accounting for bicycle’s group behavior," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 492(C), pages 1782-1797.
    8. Trenchard, Hugh, 2015. "The peloton superorganism and protocooperative behavior," Applied Mathematics and Computation, Elsevier, vol. 270(C), pages 179-192.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Paulsen, Mads & Rasmussen, Thomas Kjær & Nielsen, Otto Anker, 2019. "Fast or forced to follow: A speed heterogeneous approach to congested multi-lane bicycle traffic simulation," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 72-98.
    2. Trenchard, Hugh, 2015. "The peloton superorganism and protocooperative behavior," Applied Mathematics and Computation, Elsevier, vol. 270(C), pages 179-192.
    3. Guo, Ning & Jiang, Rui & Wong, S.C. & Hao, Qing-Yi & Xue, Shu-Qi & Xiao, Yao & Wu, Chao-Yun, 2020. "Modeling the interactions of pedestrians and cyclists in mixed flow conditions in uni- and bidirectional flows on a shared pedestrian-cycle road," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 259-284.
    4. Ni, Ying & Li, Yixin & Yuan, Yufei & Sun, Jian, 2023. "An operational simulation framework for modelling the multi-interaction of two-wheelers on mixed-traffic road segments," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 611(C).
    5. Hugh Trenchard & Matjaz Perc, 2016. "Equivalences in Biological and Economical Systems: Peloton Dynamics and the Rebound Effect," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(5), pages 1-9, May.
    6. Tang, Tie-Qiao & Rui, Ying-Xu & Zhang, Jian & Wang, Tao, 2018. "Impacts of group behavior on bicycle flow at a signalized intersection," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 512(C), pages 1205-1215.
    7. Jin, Zhizhan & Li, Zhipeng & Cheng, Rongjun & Ge, Hongxia, 2018. "Nonlinear analysis for an improved car-following model account for the optimal velocity changes with memory," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 507(C), pages 278-288.
    8. Jin, Zhizhan & Yang, Zaili & Ge, Hongxia, 2018. "Energy consumption investigation for a new car-following model considering driver’s memory and average speed of the vehicles," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 506(C), pages 1038-1049.
    9. Li, Yixin & Ni, Ying & Sun, Jian & Ma, Zian, 2020. "Modeling the illegal lane-changing behavior of bicycles on road segments: Considering lane-changing categories and bicycle heterogeneity," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 541(C).
    10. Griselda López & Sara Moll & Ana María Pérez-Zuriaga & Alfredo García, 2022. "Evaluation of the Influence of Road Geometry on Overtaking Cyclists on Two-Lane Rural Roads," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-14, July.
    11. Sun, Yuqing & Ge, Hongxia & Cheng, Rongjun, 2018. "An extended car-following model under V2V communication environment and its delayed-feedback control," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 508(C), pages 349-358.
    12. Sun, Yuqing & Ge, Hongxia & Cheng, Rongjun, 2019. "An extended car-following model considering driver’s memory and average speed of preceding vehicles with control strategy," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 521(C), pages 752-761.
    13. Ravensbergen, Léa & Buliung, Ron & Sersli, Stephanie & Winters, Meghan, 2021. "Guest editorial: Critical Vélomobilities," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    14. Wang, Jufeng & Sun, Fengxin & Ge, Hongxia, 2019. "An improved lattice hydrodynamic model considering the driver’s desire of driving smoothly," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 515(C), pages 119-129.
    15. Li, Lixiang & Cheng, Rongjun & Ge, Hongxia, 2021. "New feedback control for a novel two-dimensional lattice hydrodynamic model considering driver’s memory effect," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 561(C).
    16. Yuan, Zijian & Wang, Tao & Zhang, Jing & Li, Shubin, 2022. "Influences of dynamic safe headway on car-following behavior," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 591(C).
    17. Wang, Jufeng & Sun, Fengxin & Ge, Hongxia, 2018. "Effect of the driver’s desire for smooth driving on the car-following model," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 512(C), pages 96-108.
    18. Chang, Yinyin & He, Zhiting & Cheng, Rongjun, 2019. "An extended lattice hydrodynamic model considering the driver’s sensory memory and delayed-feedback control," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 514(C), pages 522-532.
    19. Wang, Tao & Li, Guangyao & Zhang, Jing & Li, Shubin & Sun, Tao, 2019. "The effect of Headway Variation Tendency on traffic flow: Modeling and stabilization," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 525(C), pages 566-575.
    20. Yan, Chunyue & Ge, Hongxia & Cheng, Rongjun, 2019. "An extended car-following model by considering the optimal velocity difference and electronic throttle angle," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 535(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:592:y:2022:i:c:s0378437121010013. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/physica-a-statistical-mechpplications/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.