1454 replies to this topic

[LJ]

Yeah the whole "slower traffic keep right" thing goes out the window when there's left turns.  That only works on highways when the only reason to be in the left lane is to pass, you never need to be there to get on/off the highway (unless it's a terribly designed highway).

There are lots of highways that have left turn exits, Pat Bay for one. A lot of freeways have exits to the left as well.

[Mike K.]

Freeways with exits on the left? For real?

[lanforod]

Freeways with exits on the left? For real?

highway one in surrey and Langley now has two left exits.

[Mike K.]

That's crazy. Can you point them out on a Google map? I'd like to see how they do it.

[sebberry]

This was posted on the SENSE facebook page:
 
 
 

In its 1992 report, the U.S. Department of Transportation cautioned, “Arbitrary, unrealistic and nonuniform speed limits have created a socially acceptable disregard for speed limits.” Lt. Megge has worked on roads with a compliance rate of... nearly zero percent, and a common complaint among those given traffic citations is that they were speeding no more than anyone else.
With higher speed limits, Megge says, police officers could focus their resources on what really matters: drunk drivers, people who don’t wear seat belts, drivers who run red lights, and, most importantly, the smaller number of drivers who actually speed at an unreasonable rate.
 
[...]
 
“I don’t want to lie to people,” Lt. Megge tells us. It may make parents feel better if the speed limit on their street is 25 mph instead of 35 mph, but that sign won’t make people drive any slower. Megge prefers speed limits that both allow people to drive at a safe speed legally, and that realistically reflect traffic speeds. People shouldn’t have a false sense of safety around roads, he says.

http://priceonomics....-limit-too-low/

 
 
It's very much in line with what any of us can observe happening on our own streets.
 
Setting limits too low will create a general disregard for them, including in areas where they're actually set correctly for safety purposes.  The result is often drivers disobeying the limits, even where they're appropriate (school and playground zones for example).
 
So if you want drivers to obey the 30kph school zones on Finlayson for Quadra Elementary, don't clobber Quadra street with limits people will become accustomed to dismissing.

Edited by sebberry, 26 July 2014 - 09:11 AM.
Botched the quote tags

[VicHockeyFan]

That's crazy. Can you point them out on a Google map? I'd like to see how they do it.

 

HOV only exit at 156th street in Surrey.

 

https://www.google.c...28b4898abd598e0

 

And here in Langley:

 

https://www.google.c...28b4898abd598e0

[Mike K.]

Oh HOV exits, yeah for sure, but not main traffic exits. I see.

[lanforod]

HOV yes. No reason the same type of exits couldn't work for regular traffic.

[LJ]

There are many left turn exits off freeways. Have you never noticed that exit number is on the left side off the sign when it is a left turn exit and on the right side for a right turn exit. These can be with or without HOV lanes I5 has them outside of Seattle, and the one I am going to try to post is in Phoenix.

 

 

https://www.google.c...000004,0.002288

 

OK you have to scroll over a little the right there or go to street view to see what I mean.

Edited by LJ, 26 July 2014 - 06:37 PM.

[rjag]

interesting article: Casualties increase in 20mph zones http://www.iam.org.u...-in-20mph-zones

[sebberry]

interesting article: Casualties increase in 20mph zones http://www.iam.org.u...-in-20mph-zones

 

So twenty is plenty fast enough to still be hurt?

[29er Radio]

I announced it on the 29er Radio thread, but we have a lively debate about the speed reductions on the latest
Lisa, Gene & Eric show so check it out if you are so inclined http://bit.ly/1qzFemn

[sebberry]

Lisa seems like one of the more logical members of council and even she has drunk the idealists kool-aid.

[sebberry]

As for livability, I have to remove the stereo faceplate from my car every night along with all valuables, I have perimeter lighting around the property, all doors need to be checked before going to sleep, all valuables from the backyard removed, all windows secured and even then drug addicts prowl the streets at night and will smash a car window to look for change or just break in to your home. Livability through lower speed limits? Give me a break.

 

I was at a dinner tonight and a couple of the guests are residents of James Bay.

 

One had complained that various cars in her complex have been broken into on multiple occasions and she's afraid to leave her windows open on the 2nd story.  Oh, and the property manager has had to sweep for needles multiple times. 

 

Another complained that the bottle collectors are regularly entering her property to sort through recycling, and on multiple occasions she's had to clean up human excrement from her yard.

[LJ]

 

 

Another complained that the bottle collectors are regularly entering her property to sort through recycling, and on multiple occasions she's had to clean up human excrement from her yard.

Well there is the difference between downtown living and suburban living.

There are multiple occasions when I have had to clean deer excrement from my yard. And the little bas%^&** stole some of my apples and plums and flowers.

Edited by LJ, 10 August 2014 - 07:06 PM.

[sebberry]

I hate it when the deer steal my wallet. 

[Mike K.]

It's the deer with mullets that you have to watch out. Thinking they're so badass and whatnot...

[sebberry]

CARS shared this exemplary piece today demonstrating... oh Christ, just watch and laugh

 

https://www.facebook...752078674833590

 

 

[Mike K.]

149 likes on that Facebook page, hey? That's a massive .0004% of the population.

[sebberry]

149 likes on that Facebook page, hey? That's a massive .0004% of the population.

 

Bet it feels like 149,000,000⁵ likes to them.