Monbiot on speed cameras and the real war
in [UK Drivers]
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From: Adrian on 28 Jul 2010 09:06 Chelsea Tractor Man <mr.c.tractor(a)hotmail.co.uk> gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying: > including the less competant drivers, who shouldn't be forced off the > road because they are not up to "racing". Are you suggesting that every level of competence should be catered for, rather than a minimum acceptable level of competence drawn?
From: Matt B on 28 Jul 2010 09:19 On 28/07/2010 14:04, Chelsea Tractor Man wrote: > On Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:02:22 +0100, Matt B wrote: > >> In public roads and streets shared by all modes (pedestrians, cyclists, >> motorists, etc.) and all ages and abilities, speeds need to be >> compatible with preserving the freedom of the most vulnerable of those >> other users to also use those streets comfortably. Vehicles should be >> going slow enough for the driver/rider to be able to communicate via eye >> contact with the other users and to be able to let them use the roads >> and streets without undue stress. > > including the less competant drivers, who shouldn't be forced off the road > because they are not up to "racing". Yes. All public road users should be treated with equal respect and priority. >> OTOH, strategic through roads need to have traffic segregated; ideally >> with a hard separation of heavy vehicles, cars, bicycles and pedestrians >> - as happens in the Netherlands. > > I might cycle if that were possible. Its also why I think an 80 or 90 Mway > limit would be fine. I'm not sure that limits would be needed at all in such circumstances. The number of lanes on each carriageway of "car" roads should probably be limited to two, with extra 2-lane parallelish carriageways provided (with frequent crossover opportunities) where extra capacity is required. This would ensure good lane discipline as witnessed in Germany and elsewhere in Northern Europe. -- Matt B
From: Just zis Guy, you know? on 28 Jul 2010 09:19 On 28 Jul 2010 13:06:13 GMT, Adrian <toomany2cvs(a)gmail.com> wrote: >Chelsea Tractor Man <mr.c.tractor(a)hotmail.co.uk> gurgled happily, sounding >much like they were saying: > >> including the less competant drivers, who shouldn't be forced off the >> road because they are not up to "racing". > >Are you suggesting that every level of competence should be catered for, >rather than a minimum acceptable level of competence drawn? A fair point that is not often enough made. There is, in some quarters, a tendency to plan on the basis that everybody has access to private motor travel, but there is also a fairly strong basis for supposing that a significant proportion of those on the roads are unfit to be there for one reason or another (for example, non spectacle wearers who have not had their eyes tested for years may be unaware that their vision is no longer sufficiently acute). The major problem with enforcing standards of competence is that every study that has ever looked at the issue finds that drivers habitually overestimate their own competence. If you set about trying to get a minimum standard of competence on the roads, some of the self-declared elite are going to be among the casualties, and that won't go down well. They probably write for the Daily Mail. Guy -- http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/ The usenet price promise: all opinions offered in newsgroups are guaranteed to be worth the price paid.
From: Matt B on 28 Jul 2010 09:22 On 28/07/2010 14:05, Chelsea Tractor Man wrote: > On Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:02:22 +0100, Matt B wrote: > >> the slower speeds are as a result of traffic signs, lines and controls >> being removed, and congestion, frustration and pollution will naturally >> decrease. > > that is a good idea for city centres but speed bumps do increase pollution. I include humps as traffic controls - so being removed. We don't need them. -- Matt B
From: David on 28 Jul 2010 09:22
"Brimstone" <brimstone(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message news:oIydnbgopbpnb9LRnZ2dnUVZ8s6dnZ2d(a)bt.com... > > The "pavement" is the entire road. > A road is something vehicles travel on. The pavement is something people walk on. A street is the road, the pavement and it's buildings.. |