Traffic congestion isn't always the same – it shifts and changes with the days of the week, time of day, weather, and seasons. For instance, there's usually a traffic jam in the city when it's Monday morning and Friday evening. You can think of this like how your school bus takes longer to reach school on some days.

A Transport Performance Index (TPI) is a scale that ranges from 0 to 10, indicating the flow of traffic in the city. A score of 0 means excellent traffic flow (think of driving on a deserted road!), while a score of 10 suggests serious congestion (imagine a parking lot!).

Interesting fact: when a new school year starts or during festivals and national holidays, traffic congestion gets worse because more people are out and about. On the other hand, summer vacation spells lesser congestion since many are on holiday or trips outside the city.

Traffic congestion isn't just a morning or an evening thing. On weekdays, we see peaks in the morning (7.00-9.00) and evening (17.00-19.00). At weekends, the TPI pattern curve has smaller but longer peaks, usually from 7.00-1.00 in the morning and 14.15-19.45 in the evening. It's a bit like how your favorite ice cream parlor is crowded at certain times but more manageable at others.

Traffic doesn't just cause annoying delays – it's also pretty noisy! The volume of road traffic noise depends on several factors, like traffic volume, speed, distance from the source of the noise, and weather conditions.

Noise isn't just annoying; it can cause real health problems. Constant exposure to noise can lead to stress, sleep disturbance, and even heart disease. Imagine trying to study for your exams with constant noise in the background – it's the same concept, but on a more serious scale.

In big cities like New York and London, studies have shown that traffic density is the main cause of noise pollution. Even attempts to reduce air pollution or limit the number of cars (like the congestion charge in London in 2003 and the low emission zone in 2008) didn't significantly change the noise levels.

The USA's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests that 70 dB is a safe average noise level for a 24-hour day, but in many cities, these levels are much higher. For example, in Amman, the capital of Jordan, noise levels can range between 34 dB and 80 dB. Even in Lagos, Nigeria, the highest noise levels are during the morning rush hour, and traffic is a major contributor.

So, the next time you're stuck in traffic, remember these notes – and maybe consider wearing earplugs!