A seven-year experiment in a Dutch town has removed nearly all traffic signs and lights from the roadways. The theory was that fatalities and injuries from car-pedestrian or car-bicycle collisions are due to drivers' sense of entitlement to the pavement, enhanced by having a green light.
The result of the light removal is that there have been no fatalities and that drivers use greater care. Apparently, people can actually get around town faster this way, as well.
These transportation research folks and road engineers basically argue that we'll have greater safety and less pollution by letting traffic self-regulate (a la sidewalks).
Note: I didn't have time to dig deeper, but the source of these theories is the British-based Institute for Economic Affairs, and they seem rather libertarian (surprise!).
2 comments:
Very fascinating! That actually reminds me of my times in the Islands where no one pays attention to traffic laws. This is most "fun" when you're on a bus going along the coast of an island, and the bus driver decides to pass another vehicle while going around a curve where you can't see if any oncoming traffic is approaching. By "fun" I mean "nerve-wracking about losing your life."
Yikes. Given how much driving habits vary between countries, I'm not sure I'd try it here. I live and die (not yet) by people stopping for bicycles!
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