Newps writes:
Robert M. Gary wrote:

Wow, I can really see how the "Direct" clearance can really mess stuff
up. I guess when it was all airways it was pretty easy because you
always knew where planes would come from and where the conflicts would
happen.

With the same amount of traffic there's less conflicts simply because
all the airplanes aren't meeting in the same spots.

Interesting and not obvious to the uninitiated.

Is it possible to eyeball the scope and readily determine
if several crossing routes are going to conflict or does
the diversity of altitudes eliminate most?