london town turns streetlights off. safer and faster is the result?

[snowface]

"Portishead lights-off trial which began on 14.9.09 and went permanent after journey times fell by over half with no loss of pedestrian safety"

too much hand-holding yields dependence:


youtu.be/vi0meiActlU

 

[Climber]

It just takes a bit of courtesy.

Won't work in the Bay Area...

 

[SuperMike]

I saw this yesterday. Very cool.

It just takes a bit of courtesy.

Won't work in the Bay Area...

I'd have to agree, as much as I'd like to see us all work together.

edit: Ooooh, Portishead.


youtu.be/ZhO2QuhBHvs

 

[jacksprat]

Really cool. Thanks for posting.

 

[Jimbo007]

Awesome for them. Would never work out here. Driver education? Bish, I live in the Sunset, you ain't safe anywhere.

 

[Karbon]

I saw this yesterday. Very cool.



I'd have to agree, as much as I'd like to see us all work together.

edit: Ooooh, Portishead.


youtu.be/ZhO2QuhBHvs

portisehead rules

 

[Mike95060]

One asshole will sadly fuck it up or take advantage and ruin it for everyone else.

 

[Bubba_s]

This would be great

on another note,

Portishead and shrooms don't mix

 

[2nsane]

did anyone else notice how many diesels were there? the U.S. needs to allow more of there come over.

 

[flying_hun]

So the folks in the video said the same thing that people in this thread are saying, "Oh, that would never work here", yet it worked there. Hmmm. What doesn't fit? How about the myth of exceptionalism. There's nothing magic about UK drivers.

 

[TommyWillB]

"Portishead lights-off trial which began on 14.9.09 and went permanent after journey times fell by over half with no loss of pedestrian safety"

too much hand-holding yields dependence:

You should read the book Traffic. It makes you think differently about traffic flow.

 

[TommyWillB]

Awesome for them. Would never work out here. Driver education? Bish, I live in the Sunset, you ain't safe anywhere.

You'd think this would require "education". But if you read about similar things done elsewhere you start to think that it speaks more to human nature.

We can walk down crowded sidewalks without bumping into people, so why can't we do the same in cars? We don't really need all this paternalistic nanny-government to protect us from ourselves. We can do alright on our own.

 

[snowface]

portisehead rules

hells yeah

So the folks in the video said the same thing that people in this thread are saying, "Oh, that would never work here", yet it worked there. Hmmm. What doesn't fit? How about the myth of exceptionalism. There's nothing magic about UK drivers.

great point

You should read the book Traffic. It makes you think differently about traffic flow.

that book looks badass - i find traffic fascinating...

 

[flips21]

So the folks in the video said the same thing that people in this thread are saying, "Oh, that would never work here", yet it worked there. Hmmm. What doesn't fit? How about the myth of exceptionalism. There's nothing magic about UK drivers.

Driving in the UK is magic. The quality of a UK driver puts the US driver to shame. Spend some time on the motorway in the UK and compare it to what we have here in the Bay Area. Here we have entitled jerks blocking the flow of traffic. In the UK, open #1 lanes used only for passing there. Here, noobs blend in with everyone else. There, they have a big red 'L' for learner posted on their car. They have to earn the right to drive without it.

In the end, they simply take driving more seriously than we do.

My personal take on the comparison.

 

[flying_hun]

I've driven there, and while I think European drivers in general are better than US drivers, it was not my experience that selfish and inattentive drivers are absent from UK roadways. Don't believe me? Read what the UK motorcycle press has to say about UK drivers.

 

[iamrob]

Honestly I don't think it matters whether the street lights are on or off. Other drivers still won't see shit and will still drive like crap.

 

[Cycle61]

You should read the book Traffic. It makes you think differently about traffic flow.

That book is freakin awesome. I need to read it again.

 

[SM610]

... There's nothing AZN about UK drivers.

FIXED!!!

 

[bluenoser]

So the folks in the video said the same thing that people in this thread are saying, "Oh, that would never work here", yet it worked there. Hmmm. What doesn't fit? How about the myth of exceptionalism. There's nothing magic about UK drivers.

UK culture != American culture. Case in point: The queue was invented in the UK. The "I got mine, Jack!" attitude was invented in America. UK cultural hegemonyis one that tends to frown upon behaviour that fails to fit to their norm. America tends to embrace and extend, which (as is the case with self-policed driving behaviour) fails to achieve the same results.

Hell, we can't even get drivers to not block an intersection when the lights here are working! And forget about roundabouts. As efficient as they are, many municipalities remove them as they lead to accidents.

 

[tuxumino]

I'm curious bluenoser if your username as anything to do with a Canadian schooner