Traffic

Three years ago I did not know what traffic was.  We lived a couple of miles from work and made the trip in just a few minutes, regardless of road conditions.  Now we live 25 miles away and the drive to an from work takes 30 minutes on a good day, 45 minutes or much more on a bad day.  I usually don't mind the drive. 

I can enjoy the drive in to work.  It's early, the conservative talk radio has my attention, and traffic snarls are fairly rare.  The drive home is different.The first 5 miles of the trip are on a very congested section of interstate highway.  If I get an early start, I cruise right through.  Otherwise it can be an interstate parking lot.  Since I want to get home to spend time with my 53 year old woman, the going home traffic is aggravating.

There is one traffic phenomonon that I just don't understand.  I'm in the extreme left lane (fast lane) cruising at 50 mph.  All of a sudden, traffic slows to a complete stop for a few seconds, then picks up and accellerates to 50 mph again.  How can that happen? There are no left hand exit or entrance ramps.  Is there some moron a mile ahead that brake-checks everyone?  If you catch them can you perform your own special version of road rage on them?