Allowed? Anyone can review it.

Few will listen unless the authors' familiarity is demonstrated by a series of publications. At least that is how established disciplines -- the computer science, physics and math guys down the hall agree -- work in my experience.

Maybe the authors are established. I have not read every paper and don't live as a transportation engineer. But if John's statement is correct -- I think John has a bias, but I also think he has read every referenced paper -- then he has a point.