Road rules

[dpex]

We have to have them, right? The answer is yes.

But do we have to have them enforced? The answer is no.

Are they enforced? The answer is no.

Clearly, we need some generally accepted rules to keep vehicles of all types separated. You know, "Stay left. Give way. Do all needed to avoid crashing." That sort of thing.

But do such rules need to be enforced given they are blindingly obvious in their intent? Of course they don't. They are there simply to provide a knowable and usable traffic flow.

I can hear the screams coming, even now.

But wait a bit.

Are the current traffic rules enforced by supervising enforcers, AKA, the cops? Answer? No.

For example, last Sunday I rode from Auckland to a river half-way between Thames and Paeroa, fished for about six hours then rode home. During 'both' trips I saw one cop-car, and that was an ordinary (non-traffic) car. Yet the traffic wended its way. Not an accident in sight. Not a cop in sight.

So was there any 'enforcement'? Or were the drivers simply driving more or less within the accepted rules....because they wanted to?

'Nar! Not possible,' I hear the Katmans yell. 'All drivers are bad arses, just waiting to jump the ropes.

Well, it now seems such is not so. Recently, in Holland, a very forward thinking local authority has removed all signs and lights, and no cops are employed. They call it "Shared-Space" transport.

The essential principal behind this utterly ludicrous scheme is that drivers can actually think for themselves. Nar! Ridiculous! Give any driver an inch and he'll take a mile. Nab'em and fine the bastards. That's what works.

Really?

Well, it seems that after a very short time after this utterly ludicrous, "Let's let the drivers make the calls" regime came into place, the accident rate in the town dropped dramatically.

So much so that no no less than seven other European cities have opted for the same regime. Ergo:- Endow humans with complete responsibility for their actions and they will act responsibly. Stick a rule in their faces, and then get all draconian about enforcing the rules, and humans will react badly.

The Dutch, and the other seven European towns which have adopted the no-rules/no-enforcement regime, are posting a massive reduction in crash rates, pedestrian-meets-car, cyclist meets death, etc.

And the proof that we do not need to have sundry jack-booted cops handing out tickets in New Zealand, is evidenced every day of every year on our highways and byways. There's a gazillion vehicles and the odd cop.

So what causes the gazillions of drivers to act in a rational and civilised manner, without fear of being turned over by a cop on account of there are almost no cops available?

Simple. Self preservation.

And so I come back to an earlier post. Humans have a natural sense of self preservation. It can be enhanced by rewarding drivers for doing absolutely nothing more than remaining crash free, rather than constantly penalising drivers who, by their actions MIGHT crash.

The victimisation of otherwise civilised drivers is not dissimilar to the RMA rules regarding the pruning of trees. Rodney Hide has now made it legal to prune any damned tree you choose to prune, providing you own it.

The Greens are screaming that this will lead to the wholesale destruction of every tree in the land.

Will It?

Nope. All it will do is provide some folk with the right to get back a bit of sunlight which was robbed from them by a tree growing beyond imagination, and given the right to grow, at the expense of humans.

Did you know that upwards of 40% of all sales from garden centres, nationwide, are of trees!

The greens make up 13% of the population. That means the other 27% of tree-buyers buy trees because they like them. But a tree which seriously affects the living conditions of a person either has to be pruned or get felled. Now we have that right.

And so what could be if we adopted the, "It's your responsibility to drive carefully," regime, as the Europeans have adopted?

Mayhem?

The Europeans are seeing that. In fact they're seeing the diametric opposite.

Do you see what this regime is saying? It's saying, 'Your safety is YOUR responsibility.' Whereas the OSH/ACC/Traffic enforcement system is saying it's theirs. Yet the buggers are never there doing safety. They are only ever their after the event.

Wooo! Imagine lil-ol NZ adopting the 'personal responsibility' regime.

[dino3310]

i vote dpex as minister for transport

good write up mate, got me thinking and that takes a bit of doing

[sil3nt]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shared_space

Interesting Auckland is apparently looking into it.

[Mully]

Yeah, but what's the driver training program in Holland compared to NZ?

Perhaps the drivers on your trip, Dpex, were only behaving themselves because of the threat of a cop round the next bend...

I'd dare to argue that most of the monkeys that NZ gives licences to are simply too stupid to manage themselves if they know there's no enforcement

[tomobedlam]

I'd dare to argue that most of the monkeys that NZ gives licences to are simply too stupid to manage themselves if they know there's no enforcement

That's the argument for it. The current system creates the monkeys. With shared space you have to take responsibility and interact with other road users. You can't afford to be a monkey because you will hit someone

[PirateJafa]

Speaking from what I remember of Holland, there's far less of a "fuck everyone else, I'm the most important person here" attitude over there.

Remember that ACCouncil's goal here is to reduce overall traffic speed, amongst other things.

[Mully]

That's the argument for it. The current system creates the monkeys. With shared space you have to take responsibility and interact with other road users. You can't afford to be a monkey because you will hit someone

I see what you're saying, but isn't that what should be happening now - you should be taking responsibility and interacting properly with other road users?

How will the guarantee of no enforcement (i.e. no possibility of a ticket) make it more likely that people will behave like humans?

But going to the idea; what happens if you are a monkey, you hit someone, and you're uninsured? My insurance premiums go up again to cover these uninsured idiots.

The laughably short probationary period (particularly for cars), combined with a scratch test that wouldn't tax the abilities of a mildly retarded chimp, is one of the main issues on our roads.

Don't get me wrong, I think the idea has merit. I see it failing for two reasons:

1 - Big revenue drop for the Gummint.
2 - The laws have to cater for the lowest common denominator.

[Squiggles]

Last weekend i watched several vehicles overtake others around blind bends, as luck would have it another wasnt also coming around the corner. Could we drive responsibly if left to it? Hell no (We have far too shocking an attitude towards driving for that)

[Danae]

Can you imagine the large intersections (5 different roads) being uncontrolled? The attitude of Auckland drivers is such that we need some sort of direction. "I'm important...I need to get somewhere NOW...let me through, I hate waiting in traffic..." I wouldn't want people with that mindset having to decide for themselves when to go at an intersection. Half of them don't even know the give way rules.

[NDORFN]

I like your thinking Dpex. Obviously the extreme of removing all road signs isn't going to work, but the idea of allowing more tendancy toward self-preservation rather than what we are currently subjected to is brilliant.

[yachtie10]

Interesting idea
Ive ridden in asia quite a lot over the last 6/7 years and I see some huge similarity to what you are describing. They have rules and almost no enforcement
Im always amazed I dont see an accident everyday due to close calls and disregard for rules that I see (has made me ride much more defensively)
personal responsibility I think is what makes it work.
One issue is that in asia is that divers are relatively uneducated compared to even the average kiwi so I dont know how it would work

Do you have any links to info?

BTW although I get frustrated with the idiots here it makes me much more mellow when back in NZ

[dpex]

Can you imagine the large intersections (5 different roads) being uncontrolled? The attitude of Auckland drivers is such that we need some sort of direction. "I'm important...I need to get somewhere NOW...let me through, I hate waiting in traffic..." I wouldn't want people with that mindset having to decide for themselves when to go at an intersection. Half of them don't even know the give way rules.

Jesus H Christ! There are dozens of 'uncontrolled' 5-even 6-way intersections. They're called roundabouts. All you do is give way to your right. No lights, no cops, no prudes. But somehow, drivers seem to cope.

[Danae]

Jesus H Christ! There are dozens of 'uncontrolled' 5-even 6-way intersections. They're called roundabouts. All you do is give way to your right. No lights, no cops, no prudes. But somehow, drivers seem to cope.

As it is relatively simple. Go clockwise. Yet still there are many close calls even on roundabouts. That's how fail auckland drivers are. Doesn't help they keep planting trees and shit on them so you can't see what's coming from the other side.

[NDORFN]

Jesus H Christ! There are dozens of 'uncontrolled' 5-even 6-way intersections. They're called roundabouts. All you do is give way to your right. No lights, no cops, no prudes. But somehow, drivers seem to cope.

Yeah they're infinately better than lights. Can't believe they pulled out some roundabouts in Hamilton recently and changed them to lights.

[bogan]

a very interesting idea, I can beleive it would decrease accidents. I also see congestion issues though, as epople mat get overcourteous without directions, I would be interested to know what sort of traffic volumes this system has been implemented with.