[Europe] Controlled Chaos In Transportation Planning

[CTroyMathis]

European Cities Do Away with Traffic Signs
By Matthias Schulz
Visit: http://www.spiegel.de/international/...448747,00.html

European traffic planners are dreaming of streets free of rules and directives. They want drivers and pedestrians to interact in a free and humane way, as brethren -- by means of friendly gestures, nods of the head and eye contact, without the harassment of prohibitions, restrictions and warning signs. . .

. . ."The many rules strip us of the most important thing: the ability to be considerate. We're losing our capacity for socially responsible behavior," says Dutch traffic guru Hans Monderman, one of the project's co-founders. "The greater the number of prescriptions, the more people's sense of personal responsibility dwindles. . ."

More at link. . .




Related links (older) :
1.) http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0127/p01s03-woeu.html
2.) http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2005/1/27/14213/0906

[dfwcre8tive]

European Cities Do Away with Traffic Signs
By Matthias Schulz
Visit: http://www.spiegel.de/international/...448747,00.html

European traffic planners are dreaming of streets free of rules and directives. They want drivers and pedestrians to interact in a free and humane way, as brethren -- by means of friendly gestures, nods of the head and eye contact, without the harassment of prohibitions, restrictions and warning signs. . .

. . ."The many rules strip us of the most important thing: the ability to be considerate. We're losing our capacity for socially responsible behavior," says Dutch traffic guru Hans Monderman, one of the project's co-founders. "The greater the number of prescriptions, the more people's sense of personal responsibility dwindles. . ."

More at link. . .




Related links (older) :
1.) http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0127/p01s03-woeu.html
2.) http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2005/1/27/14213/0906

Good luck with that. It would be great if it worked... street signs clutter the landscape. I bet they'll put the signs back up once the first American tourist drives the wrong way or runs over a local.

..."The sidewalks are going to go, and the asphalt too. Everything will be covered in cobblestones," Klaus Goedejohann, the mayor, explains. "We're getting rid of the division between cars and pedestrians."

Try THAT in Dallas! I've only nearly been run over twice in the past few weeks (when I had the right of way walking).

[freewaytincan]

This is just more postmodern garbage.

..."The sidewalks are going to go, and the asphalt too. Everything will be covered in cobblestones," Klaus Goedejohann, the mayor, explains. "We're getting rid of the division between cars and pedestrians."

What a great idea.

[sogod]

What a great idea.

Don't knock it till you have tried it. Works suprisingly well in Japan. The US has far, far, more accidents, and more serious ones, than Japan. Theres just not as many rules here so you never know what other people are gonna do so you have to be much more careful all the time. Pedestrians and drivers.

[incrediculous]

I think it would work. And it's counterintuitive, but I think it favors pedestrian traffic.

Cars will be forced to lower their speed. Narrow cobblestone streets, no traffic signage, and pedestrians rambling every which way should keep drivers from barrelling down a neighborhood street at 50 miles an hour, which is something drivers can easily do in most American subdivisions.

It's either Seattle or Portland that started building their residential streets narrower (3 cars width instead of 4), and it's actually improved safety because people don't drive as fast.