Essentially, what I learned in this exercise has been very
consistent with what I have found out in the past. It is sometimes hard for me
to answer these questions because the product/service that I would be offering
is not something tangible to customers. It’s not like people go out and buy
traffic lights. So, with that being said, everyone I spoke to agrees with me
that something needs to be done to improve the flow of traffic in Gainesville.
In this situation, no one goes on google to help solve this problem. It’s more
of a “dang this traffic sucks, and I wish something would be done about it.” As
previously mentioned, most people experience the worst traffic around the hours
of 4-6pm. Some people even refuse to drive during these hours, as the roads are
just too congested. I think that implementing smart traffic light technology,
which is what I am proposing. Every person I interviewed said they would be
willing to pay a little more tax money if it went toward improving the roads
and traffic flow in the city.
I would describe this segment as extremely need-aware, as it
is a problem that people face every single day, and it can be one of the most
frustrating parts of your day. Now, solely replacing traffic lights will not
completely eliminate traffic, but it will help reduce it, as people will not
sit at red lights unless necessary. Traffic will always be a problem in busy places,
but there are steps to be taken that can help reduce it.
This is a particularly difficult set of questions to answer for you since your idea is not a tangible object for people, but more of an idea: less traffic. It seems like everyone is okay with paying a little more for them to be installed. I wonder how that would work with it being a college town, though. Not a lot of students pay taxes in Gainesville I would imagine. I definitely feel the need for this though, I used to never leave my place between 4:30 and 6:00 because it was unbearably slow.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you that people in this specific segment are extremely need aware. Not only is everyone in Gainesville aware of this need, but they desperately want it fulfilled. In other words, this market is ripe for disruption. Yes there is already smart light in existence, but bringing it to Gainesville is an opportunity in and of it self. You did a fantastic job at realizing that need and seeking the correct way to fulfill it. Great work!
ReplyDeleteHello Ben,
ReplyDeleteI agree that this traffic is more than just a small problem. I typically do not drive around this time in the evening unless it is absolutely necessary. It is an unsafe time and getting somewhere can take almost double the time that it usually does, especially if there are any car accidents or major slowdowns on main roads.
Hey, I agree with you about how terrible the traffic in Gainesville! I'm definitely one of those people who agrees about the traffic but just sort of goes "dang this sucks!" because I just assume that theres nothing to be done about it besides just avoiding the major traffic roads at the peak rush hour times. I think that better timed traffic lights would make a huge difference in Gainesville.
ReplyDeleteHey Ben!
ReplyDeleteGreat post and I definitely agree that this is a need-aware and affects millions of people lives every day. Almost every day I experience traffic and it is one of the most frustrating things to go through every day. Your idea is great and it will help so many people and reduce the amount of stress that people experience when driving.
Hi Ben!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your interviewees that we need to improve the heavy traffic in Gainesville. I avoid driving during rush hour traffic times of 4-6 p.m. It can certainly be categorized as need based problem. I think taxpayers in Gainesville would be open to slightly higher taxes if that leads to reduced traffic, wait times at red lights, and improved roads.
Hey Ben,
ReplyDeleteMy situation is similar to yours in that I am not able to talk to anyone who personally deals with my product. But you are so very right, I have never once googled how to get rid of rush hour traffic and neither has anyone that I know. Sometimes the best ideas are the simple ones that are sitting right infant of us, we just have to open our eyes. Great post, Ben!
Ben,
ReplyDeleteThe terrible traffic makes everyone annoyed, and this is something cannot find the solution on the internet. Like you said, everyone hopes this issue can be improved, but they can't do anything about it. The smart traffic light is a very good way to improve the traffic. I also believe that most people are willing to pay more tax to the government to this.