Traffic signs an invitation to stop thinking?

[Forest]

This article was linked on A&L Daily a few days ago.

Basically it presents the idea that traffic engineers are treating people like idiots by over-simplifying the roading system, and this causes drivers to drive idiotically (since their brains are becoming disengaged).

http://www.wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=wq.essay&essay_id=462572

[slofox]

Ja......gut!

[Jantar]

A good find, and absolutely correct.

Remember though that motorist do rely on signs to know where and when to do what. As a good example, the last couple of times I've been through the Maungatawhiri are, I noticed a large sign saying something like "Crash Zone - next 15 km". Guess what? Motorists obey that sign and sure enough that is where they crash.

[vifferman]

This idea is easily demonstrated by observing what happens when traffic lights aren't working. Drivers adopt "headless chicken mode" and forget that traffic lights are only an aid to traffic flow (a largely mindless, automated one!) and that there are road rules to govern behaviour at intersections.

[ElCoyote]

Ja......gut!

Sehr............gut

[Badjelly]

I've seen several articles about Monderman's ideas in the last few years (but thanks for the link--that's the best I've seen yet), but I don't know if they've been tried outside the few towns mentioned in the article. It would be interesting to see first-hand how they do work.

Mind you, if anyone wants to observed drivers cooperating without benefit of signs and signals, come to Wellington and ride or drive along some of our narrow suburban streets. Where cars are parked the streets are too narrow for two-way traffic and people have to work out for themselves who goes first. This works surprisingly well, even when one of the vehicles is a motorcycle.

[Blackshear]

Sehr............gut

Du bist sprechen ze Deutsch, ja?
Oder nein?

[Max Preload]

Basically it presents the idea that traffic engineers are treating people like idiots by over-simplifying the roading system, and this causes drivers to drive idiotically (since their brains are becoming disengaged).

Having worked with traffic 'engineers' in the not too distant past I can confirm they are indeed treating the public like traffic engineers... ummm I mean morons. Spotted a classic example yesterday - turning left into Plunket Ave from Wiri Station Road and there's a GIVE WAY sign that is already covered by the GIVE WAY RULE - now the knuckleheads are going to think they don't have to give way to their right when in similar T-intersections because there are no signs.

[Ixion]

Ah. A wise man. He articulates what i realised many years ago, that what is needed is roads which appear very dangerous, but are not. Rather than what we have, roads which appear safe but are not.

[Eddieb]

There's a city in Holland that has put this into practice at a roundabout that sees some stupid amount of cars per day. They removed all markings and road signs i think bar the centre line and the accident rate dropped from something like 5 deaths a year to none in 2 or 3 years.

Can't find a link for it now but.

[sunhuntin]

This idea is easily demonstrated by observing what happens when traffic lights aren't working. Drivers adopt "headless chicken mode" and forget that traffic lights are only an aid to traffic flow (a largely mindless, automated one!) and that there are road rules to govern behaviour at intersections.

o yeh... i hate when traffic lights fail. generally have more near misses just getting through the intersection than i do commuting across town.