Chaos!!!!!
Life without traffic lights--really!
Date: Sunday, 05. November 2006
A British urban design consultant wants the U.K. to try out a Dutch idea--intersections with no traffic lights or stop signs. The system isn't as crazy as it sounds, but it all depends on the speed limit being reduced to 20 mph and a reversion to basic traffic rules instead of lights or signs. The basic idea is that, with none of these controls, motorists, pedestrians and other road users would be forced to make eye contact and decide among themselves when it is safe to proceed.
However, the key to the system is the reduction in speed and eye contact. "Slower speeds and more intelligent driving appear to provide better capacity on our roads," says Hamilton-Bailey. "At speeds below 20mph, two things happen. "Firstly, it's much easier for pedestrians, cyclists and cars to mix together and secondly, we tend not to get killed in collisions at less than that speed. "But more importantly, we make eye contact and humans are remarkably good at sending messages through eye contact, but we can't do that at speeds of more than 20mph." Read the BBC article
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All Comments (6)
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Julia,
Tabby,
I think this isn't intelligent because all it takes is one irresponsible person to look at there phone, or pick out a new cd to mess all of this up. I think at least there should be stop signs.
bre,
ii b3lii3v3 that driiv3rz dont know what there doinq (not all of them but most of them.)and siqnals r3ally h3lp wiit 3v3rythiinq..
seamie b,
Is it only the dutch that is doing this, it sounds crazy but the idea is a good one, could'nt expect every country to work this,they would be to far gone with there own little ways!!!!!
unknown,
i totally agree at least until it fails and then you should put the lights and top signs back in.
Pensanet,
I completely agree that we Humans are perfectly capable of deciding when to GO at a traffic intersection. Think of it.... We are using stop signs. And consider, that quite a few people never actually stop a the stop signs.. isn't that a kind of rotary??
