The German town which scrapped all traffic lights and road signs

[scissorhands]

'In the four weeks since the signs were ripped up, there has not been a single accident.'


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1028740/Accident-free-zone-The-German-town-scrapped-traffic-lights-road-signs.html

If you find yourself crossing the road in the German town of Bohmte, look both ways – and then perhaps check again.

It has scrapped all its traffic lights and road signs in a radical experiment designed to make the streets safer. Yesterday, the local council said the scheme was a complete success.

In the four weeks since the signs were ripped up, there has not been a single accident.


Officials wanted to test the theory that the 13,000 drivers who use the town every day would take extra care and show each other greater consideration if they were not told what to do.

They secured a £1.8million grant from the European Union to set up the scheme in the town near Hanover.

Four weeks ago, Bohmte banned traffic lights and warning signs, including those instructing drivers to give way or stop.

Only two rules remain – drivers cannot go above 30 mph, the German speed limit for city driving, and everyone has to yield to the right, regardless of whether it is a car, a bike or a mother with a pushchair.

Officials revealed there have been no shunts, bumps or pedestrian injuries in the month since the scheme started.

Previously, there was at least one serious crash every week and scores of lesser 'fender-benders'.

The scheme, based on the idea of 'shared space' from Dutch traffic expert Hans Monderman, will now continue indefinitely. The mayor, Klaus Goedejohann, said: 'Politeness pays – we have proved that.'

Peter Hilbricht, a police officer in charge of traffic planning, added that the main intersection generated about 50 accidents a year before the changes.

'The number plummeted,' he said. 'It has been a sea-change in German attitudes as much as anything else.'

The EU has subsidised similar programmes in seven cities across Europe. Exhibition Road in London has been due to become a 'shared space' for the last three years.

However, funding is an issue and the scheme is not expected to start until next year. One unexpected bonus of the trial in Bohmte is that the town is saving £5,000 a month replacing and repairing signs damaged through normal wear and tear or by vandals.

[oneofsix]

Scissorhands, your signature suits that story. If it wasn't for the crazies i can't imagine them having tried it. Treat people like kids and they behave like it, make them responsible for their own safety and the accidents disappear. I bet the panel beaters hate it.

[Hellzie]

Totally true - also the 'safer' they make cars with all their ABS braking and skid control and all that, the more people feel invincible and the less safe they'll drive.

Same goes for road 'safety' improvements. How on earth was it ever considered that wider roads with wider corner radii make roads safer!?! Sad thing is, so many traffic engineers still think this is the case.

People have the ability to think and use their common sense and take responsibility for their own safety, if you just let them.

[The Pastor]

Totally true - also the 'safer' they make cars with all their ABS braking and skid control and all that, the more people feel invincible and the less safe they'll drive.

Same goes for road 'safety' improvements. How on earth was it ever considered that wider roads with wider corner radii make roads safer!?! Sad thing is, so many traffic engineers still think this is the case.

People have the ability to think and use their common sense and take responsibility for their own safety, if you just let them.

its not the engineers who think this, but the council who approves it.

[Hellzie]

its not the engineers who think this, but the council who approves it.

Are you an an undercover traffic engineer???

[The Pastor]

Are you an an undercover traffic engineer???

im all above board mate

[mashman]

but have speeding ticket numbers risen :shifty:... that's fuckin brilliant. Quick, let's try it before they flog the place off :rofl:

[LBD]

Thats all good in my opinion... courtesy and consideration to all other road users is a large factor in road safety IMO....

And not totally un-related...A few years back I was traveling back from Milford Sound when they were making a car advert...all the little white road markers along about 10km of road had been removed, only the painted lane markings remained....It was like a breath of fresh air...the road seem un cluttered, I felt closer to nature, I noticeably relaxed and enjoyed that stretch of road so much more than I normally would....

Do we really need those ugly white posts that line our roads?

[jonbuoy]

Could only work in Germany, can´t see it working in many other countries.

[scissorhands]

Could only work in Germany, can´t see it working in many other countries.

The only real rule in south east asia was to give way to vehicles bigger than you. Traffic signage was almost totally bare compared to here.

Seemed to work okay. Our roads are so cluttered with painted lines and signage.

Not only is it ugly and expensive to maintain, it appears less effective than moving responsibility on to the driver, to do the right thing.

[\m/]

Try it in a major city, then see how rush hour goes.....

[Kickaha]

make them responsible for their own safety and the accidents disappear.



People have the ability to think and use their common sense and take responsibility for their own safety, if you just let them.

What colour is the sky on the planet you two live on?

[jazfender]

Blenheim doesn't have any traffic lights either but I don't think this would work in any bigger dwellings.

[Camshaft]

'In the four weeks since the signs were ripped up, there has not been a single accident.'


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1028740/Accident-free-zone-The-German-town-scrapped-traffic-lights-road-signs.html

If you find yourself crossing the road in the German town of Bohmte, look both ways – and then perhaps check again.

It has scrapped all its traffic lights and road signs in a radical experiment designed to make the streets safer. Yesterday, the local council said the scheme was a complete success.

In the four weeks since the signs were ripped up, there has not been a single accident.


Officials wanted to test the theory that the 13,000 drivers who use the town every day would take extra care and show each other greater consideration if they were not told what to do.

They secured a £1.8million grant from the European Union to set up the scheme in the town near Hanover.

Four weeks ago, Bohmte banned traffic lights and warning signs, including those instructing drivers to give way or stop.

Only two rules remain – drivers cannot go above 30 mph, the German speed limit for city driving, and everyone has to yield to the right, regardless of whether it is a car, a bike or a mother with a pushchair.

Officials revealed there have been no shunts, bumps or pedestrian injuries in the month since the scheme started.

Previously, there was at least one serious crash every week and scores of lesser 'fender-benders'.

The scheme, based on the idea of 'shared space' from Dutch traffic expert Hans Monderman, will now continue indefinitely. The mayor, Klaus Goedejohann, said: 'Politeness pays – we have proved that.'

Peter Hilbricht, a police officer in charge of traffic planning, added that the main intersection generated about 50 accidents a year before the changes.

'The number plummeted,' he said. 'It has been a sea-change in German attitudes as much as anything else.'

The EU has subsidised similar programmes in seven cities across Europe. Exhibition Road in London has been due to become a 'shared space' for the last three years.

However, funding is an issue and the scheme is not expected to start until next year. One unexpected bonus of the trial in Bohmte is that the town is saving £5,000 a month replacing and repairing signs damaged through normal wear and tear or by vandals.

go to new lynn, i think they went for the other extreme, lets see how many sets of lights we can put it one straight piece of road, oh wait, why dont we fuck up the cycles to so the public get real enraged and . . . .

[scumdog]

Could only work in Germany, can´t see it working in many other countries.

Well certainly not in this country full of 'me' drivers who think they're shit-hot and/or don't have a clue...or care......:yes:

[Toaster]

You have to love ze Germans ya?!

Sadly our quality of driving skill here would probably hinder it working here as well as it could or should.

At least you can't run a red or amber light at a roundabout.... but it does have its own rules:

1. Stay in your own lane and indicate on and off
2. Watch out for old people driving around it the wrong way
3. Watch out for Asians
4. Put down your cellphone and hold your doubledown burger in your teeth as you turn the wheel (and especially so when riding).

[scissorhands]

South east asian cities + kazillion scooters, tuk tuks and cars + only average education levels + respected (feared) police officers + next to no signage + little to no rules = a system which works and costs little to maintain with few ugly signs or painted lines on roads

Amongst all the chaos you then see a pious muslim woman pillion riding side saddle on a scooter and shes late for work with the rider weaving in and out of the chaos.

[awayatc]

Well certainly not in this country full of 'me' drivers who think they're shit-hot and/or don't have a clue...or care......:yes:

Germany has far stricter driver's licencing criterea for starters...
compulsory insurance...
hefty fines (and a system that doesn't let you get away with not paying)
Police have a lot of power to enforce.
They didn't suffer Helen,
and therefor had more natural selection happen prior to this experiment

[scumdog]

Germany has far stricter driver's licencing criterea for starters...
compulsory insurance...
hefty fines (and a system that doesn't let you get away with not paying)
Police have a lot of power to enforce.
They didn't suffer Helen,
and therefor had more natural selection happen prior to this experiment

All those that quote about the autobahn speed limits...blah-blah-blah conveniently forget about those little facts:rolleyes:

[schrodingers cat]

Don't know if many of you have ever had a look at The Dog and Lemon guide (The book which rates various second hand cars)
The chap who writes it always includes quite a bit of editorial at the beginning of the edition with articles about road safety etc from around the world.

Somewhat unsurprisingly the message is more detiled than 'Don't speed or you'll die'

Anyhoo - a common theme seems to be that road users respond to their environment and set speed and attitudes accordingly - this in some ways explains the phenomenon of roads snails speeding up as soon as the road widens to at a passing lane.

I'm not sure which edition covered this town but I have read the article and it was really interesting.

Its worth picking a copy up and your library and having a read about this and many other studies

[Woodman]

It has only been 4 weeks into this experiment which is hardly enough time to gauge an accurate outcome. The new rules are probarbly at the forefront of all the local drivers minds at the moment so they are giving it the attention it deserves. All power to them but time will tell whether it works in the long term when the novelty wears off.

[p.dath]

So how to do handle the situation where there is excessive traffic for an intersection, particularly where one road is larger than another?

One of the things that traffic lights do is ensure fairness of use of the road - helping to make sure people can go where they need to.


I suspect this scheme will only work in places where there is not heavy congestion.

[p.dath]

South east asian cities + kazillion scooters, tuk tuks and cars + only average education levels + respected (feared) police officers + next to no signage + little to no rules = a system which works and costs little to maintain with few ugly signs or painted lines on roads

Don't those same cities have high fatality rates? Ditto for India.

[scumdog]

Don't those same cities have high fatality rates? Ditto for India.

200 dead on a long weekend in Malasia is the norm...:yes:

[Dadpole]

It has only been 4 weeks into this experiment which is hardly enough time to gauge an accurate outcome.

Has anyone checked the date of the original article? :facepalm:

[rustyrobot]

Has anyone checked the date of the original article? :facepalm:

Yeah I noticed that too - I had a pretty good look to try and find something more recent, but no luck. Even a google translate of the official website for the town (http://www.bohmte.de) only finds 2008 references. I suppose they are all either very happy with it, or they've all been taken out by tourists expecting stop-signs. :shit:

[scissorhands]

Don't those same cities have high fatality rates? Ditto for India.

Yes they do, but congestion is often ridiculous, and young males get sporty 125cc bikes with expansion chambers and think they are in a Bollywood movie. Then you have overcrowded buses with bald tyres driven by reckless teenagers.....(I have been on a few) Plus many undesirable aspects that contribute to the toll

My intention is to highlight the premise of putting responsibility on the individual, to drive well, rather than the state to guide them everywhere like cattle in yards. Or in NZ like trying to herd cats.

Like having a mother-in-law in the house telling what to do at every turn.

I'm sure a middle ground could easily be achieved in NZ, and be much like this German town.

Auckland City now has 'shared space' streets, usually one way. No kerbs or footpaths, all users share the one platform

http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/council/projects/cbdproject/sharedspace.asp

What is shared space?

Shared space is about creating vibrant and attractive urban spaces that are people friendly.

One typical element of the design is the removal of kerbs and the traditional distinction between footpath and road. Single paving across the full width of the street allows pedestrians to move more easily in the space and provides more room for outdoor dining and other street activities and events.

How a shared space street is designed, may vary depending on an area's specific environmental and cultural needs. But the fundamental philosophy remains the same – an attractive street environment where pedestrians have priority while sharing the street with vehicle traffic.

[scissorhands]

Yeah I noticed that too - I had a pretty good look to try and find something more recent, but no luck. Even a google translate of the official website for the town (http://www.bohmte.de) only finds 2008 references. I suppose they are all either very happy with it, or they've all been taken out by tourists expecting stop-signs. :shit:

Its a social experiment too in reducing big brother at the intersection. Has a huge flow on effect regarding social attitudes.

Try googling 'rogue male' to get a meaning, impossible. The words/phrase has been totally co opted

[scumdog]

What is shared space?

Shared space is about creating vibrant and attractive urban spaces that are people friendly.

One typical element of the design is the removal of kerbs and the traditional distinction between footpath and road. Single paving across the full width of the street allows pedestrians to move more easily in the space and provides more room for outdoor dining and other street activities and events.

How a shared space street is designed, may vary depending on an area's specific environmental and cultural needs. But the fundamental philosophy remains the same – an attractive street environment where pedestrians have priority while sharing the street with vehicle traffic.

Remember, this IS New Zealand, the land of the 'me' drivers...:yes:

[awayatc]

200 dead on a long weekend in Malasia is the norm...:yes:

200?

population seems to recover pretty rapidly.........