1454 replies to this topic

[rjag]

http://www.thetimes....d600c4776627ab6

 

 

 

 shouldn’t be surprised that Manchester council has dropped its much-vaunted 20mph speed limits. Launched with a fanfare in 2012, the £1.7 million road safety project across 1,800 zones has led to little reduction in average speeds or accidents. But that’s what happens when local councils provide kneejerk solutions to traffic and transport issues. Generally they don’t work.

[sebberry]

http://www.thetimes....d600c4776627ab6

 

Idling engines in stationary traffic raise ground-level emissions by 70 per cent and a series of speed bumps can increase them by 100 per cent.

 

Interesting, but I'd like to see some numbers to back that up.  I remember asking CARS once if they were advocating for monitoring pollution levels before and after the speed limits were reduced.  Ya, no answer.

 

Oh well, I'll keep doing 40kph on Quadra only to have someone pull around to pass me just as we enter the school zone.  Or they'll jump the light in the right lane to get ahead.  Every. Single. Day. (almost)

[exc911ence]

Low speed limits only result in drivers being so bored they start looking for other distractions to keep their brain active. You want people to pay attention to what they're doing? Scare them.

 

Abolish all speed limits and make cars out of glass with big rusty spikes sticking out of the middle of their steering wheels... I think you'd see a huge increase in driver attention and safety on the roads.

[Nparker]

...although a speed limit hike is the [BC Transit] commission's preferred solution, potential alternatives include dedicated bus lanes and transit signal priority, where buses are fitted with devices that turn traffic lights green for them.

I can guarantee you which one the city would choose...and it won't involve raising speed limits. That would mean admitting they were wrong to impose a blanket policy and I think we all know this administration never eats crow.

[PraiseKek]

The speed limit should have been zero. It's the only prudent and safe thing to do.

[rjag]

40's not good enough anymore....now its 30 according to Corey https://www.vicnews....n-local-roads/ 

[sdwright.vic]

^Big surprise... 😡

[sebberry]

40's not good enough anymore....now its 30 according to Corey https://www.vicnews....n-local-roads/ 

 

"It's a bike route and you as a car are a guest".

 

If that's not evidence that there's an anti-car ideology at play here, then I don't know what is.

[Nparker]

...Burger pointed to New Brunswick implementing Ellen’s Law this year, in which drivers passing cyclists must give at least a metre of space between their vehicles and the cyclist...

https://www.vicnews....on-local-roads/

This isn't going to be easy on sections of Fort Street. Perhaps the bike lanes there should be scrapped and chalk the cost up to "lessons learned".

[rjag]

"It's a bike route and you as a car are a guest".

 

If that's not evidence that there's an anti-car ideology at play here, then I don't know what is.

 

I missed that part....oh thats a bit of a stretch isnt it? 

[rjag]

the comments here https://www.facebook...6&notif_t=like 

[Cassidy]

30K speed limits represent the pondering of complete idiots

[Cats4Hire]

I think it's a great idea. I saw someone biking down the side of the Pat Bay last night so how about we lower the limit there to 40 or 50? The TCH probably has cyclists so same there. Maybe we can see if emergency vehicles can slow down as well and make their sirens a little quieter as it might startle some poor cyclist if they go by with it blaring.

[sebberry]

Reducing the speed limit to 20mph has caused a rise in death and serious injuries, a council has admitted, but is refusing to reverse the scheme because it will cost too much. 

Bath and North East Somerset Council spent £871,000 bringing in the 13 new speed zones just 12 months ago.

 

[...]

 

http://www.telegraph..._source=Twitter

[sebberry]

http://www.telegraph..._source=Twitter

 

Someone please share this with Rob and Shellie over at CARS? 

[shoeflack]

A very relevant article from the UK.

 

'Safer' 20mph [32 km/h] zones led to rise in number of road deaths but too costly to reverse, council admits

 

 

Bath and North East Somerset Council spent £871,000 bringing in the 13 new speed zones just 12 months ago. But one year on, a report has found that the rate of people killed or seriously injured has gone up in seven out of the 13 new 20mph zones.

...

However, their review pointed out that 20mph zones in which other traffic calming measures were introduced alongside the reduction in limit were much more effective.

 

I think that second point is pretty key. You can't just slap a lower speed limit on a road and think all will be good and dandy, as we've seen on Gorge. The traffic calming measures are the only way to get people to actually slow down safely.

[Jackerbie]

^ People drive at whatever speed feels comfortable on the road. Design is key. If a neighbourhood street has mature trees, street parking, and narrow lanes, people will naturally drive more slowly than they would on a street with wide lanes and no sense of enclosure. Changing the number on a sign does not make up for poor/flawed/misplaced design.

[Baro]

Talk to any traffic engineer,  trying to reduce speeds with signs isn't just useless it's dangerous.  If you want lower speeds you have to design for them, there's no alternative if the goal is actually reduced speeds and increased safety.

[Jackerbie]

Talk to any traffic engineer,  trying to reduce speeds with signs isn't just useless it's dangerous.  If you want lower speeds you have to design for them, there's no alternative if the goal is actually reduced speeds and increased safety.

 

Which is exactly where the study mentioned in this topic comes in. Rise in fatalities and incidents since changing the signs, but success noted where design interventions were made.

[Victoria Watcher]

Haynes, who first pitched the idea to his fellow mayors in March, said reduced speeds will help fight climate change by making side roads safer and encouraging more people to get out of their cars and walk or cycle.

 

????

 

 

https://www.timescol...test-1.24181791

 

more people will walk and cycle because it'll be just as fast as driving?  or more people will walk and cycle because cars near them will be going slower?