Have you ever been stuck in a long commute home, ▶️gas-brake-honk▶️, and thought, “I can’t wait to get home and read all about traffic”? OK, probably not. But Tom Vanderbilt’s 2008 book takes us through the surprisingly intriguing world of traffic and how we get around—and yes, it really is fascinating.

While traffic is undeniably frustrating, our daily automotive grind touches every part of society. Economy: building wider roads actually causes MORE traffic (induced demand). Psychology: the feeling of control over our automobile lowers our sense of risk—a key insight that transfers directly to investing behavior. Sociology: we act completely differently toward fellow motorists than we do to neighbors, co-workers, and family. Politics: far more people have died in car accidents over the past 30 years than from terrorism, yet we have focused disproportionately more resources on combating the latter (although we have made great strides in making cars safer).

Vanderbilt answers questions astute commuters glean through observation: Why does traffic slow on both sides of an accident? Why does traffic vary so much day-to-day (Tuesday is the worst)? What’s the most efficient way to merge? Beyond answering burning commuter questions, he reveals how traffic mirrors market dynamics and investor behavior—small disruptions cascade into major problems, herd behavior dominates individual logic, overconfidence leads to tailgating, and systems that seem chaotic follow predictable patterns. The chapter on road rage alone could be required reading for understanding why investors make emotional decisions during market volatility.

It’s a fantastic book that should probably be read on weekends when you aren’t still fuming from your afternoon commute.