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3D crosswalk in Iceland helps slow down speeding motorists

icelandmag.visir.is

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Re: 3D crosswalk in Iceland helps slow down speeding motorists

#141

Post by falsedan »

Tomis02 wrote: post #132
snowAbstraction wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would you suspect Romanians in particular in Iceland? Why not citizens from other European countries who as have relatively many road fatalities per capita? I am usually most worried about Americans since many have little experience with roundabouts and they are used to turning right on red, often in practice without a full stop. This is very dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians.

> Why not citizens from other European countries who as have relatively many road fatalities per capita? When it comes to pedestrian safety, the only EU country with a record that can match Romania's is Latvia, but it has a population that's 10 times smaller. http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/... > I am usually most worried about Americans since many have little experience with roundabouts a…

> When it comes to pedestrian safety, the only EU country with a record that can match Romania's is Latvia

The roads in Latvia are OK, but they have (signal-controlled) pedestrian crossings on 60 mph highways… and uncontrolled ones on 40-50 mph.

Re: 3D crosswalk in Iceland helps slow down speeding motorists

#142

Post by GonzaloCamacho »

MUTCD Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The US Federal government has its MUTCD and each state has its MUTCD. All of them are generally the same. Uniformity is critical in driver behavior. The lack of uniformity on traffic controls is and will cause random behavior from drivers which likely will reduce safety. Streets are not games. The lives of people and children are in the line.

Re: 3D crosswalk in Iceland helps slow down speeding motorists

#143

Post by ntheont32tnh »

I feel like this points to a bigger problem. Why do drivers feel the need to drive faster than the speed limit? Why do drivers and pedestrians hate each other so much? This really feels like a band-aid on a much larger problem. And it also seems like the type of thing that will make people react even worse once they realize the situation. Like those signs that say, "Drive like your kids live here." Fuck you! I don't have any kids and I don't like kids. (Not really, but I know people who think like that.) I've seen people drive way worse between speed bumps to "show the man" that they can't be controlled. It's ridiculous, but solutions like this engender anger while maybe slightly reducing accidents (if at all). THere's a bigger problem we need to understand and all the games we're starting to play with parking between traffic and bike lanes, and cross walks that are farther back from the intersection, and other such remedies are papering over it.

Re: 3D crosswalk in Iceland helps slow down speeding motorists

#144

Post by QAPereo »

StavrosK wrote: post #129
prophesi wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

During the winter, it's about 5 hours of daylight. I recommend visiting there; it's absolutely beautiful during the sunrise/set, and you'd understand what I mean about it being a dark place.

I've been, that's why I ask. It didn't seem darker than any other place at night. It's absolutely beautiful at all times, though.

I think the key fact you’re forgetting is that when it is dark in most places it is night time, which time is famous for having the fewest people driving. By contrast in the range of the polar night you could have rush-hour during what amounts to midnight in terms of ambient light. It’s really that simple.

Re: 3D crosswalk in Iceland helps slow down speeding motorists

#145

Post by ntheont32tnh »

grkvlt wrote: post #135
jschwartzi wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People still blow past them, in my experience. The only real way to make roads safer for pedestrians is to remove all the cars.

Wow. Surely (and especially if there are red-light cameras) that'd be an automatic ticket, with fine and points? Same for not stopping at a zebra crossing. I can't say I've ever witnessed this sort of behaviour in the UK, except maybe as exceptional events shown on 'World's Worst Driver' clip shows on TV...

In some jurisdictions (like mine - Los Angeles), traffic cameras have been deemed illegal because the law stipulates that a person must witness the infraction, and a camera doesn't count.

Re: 3D crosswalk in Iceland helps slow down speeding motorists

#146

Post by ntheont32tnh »

jon_adler wrote: post #93

In the UK, we have "New Layout Ahead" signs everywhere. Once erected, they seem to stay in place forever and increase noise. Is there any evidence that these are beneficial?

Is that what this sign means? [0] As an American, I couldn't figure out its meaning.

[0] https://www.flickr.com/photos/dcardani/3321935026/

Re: 3D crosswalk in Iceland helps slow down speeding motorists

#147

Post by ygra »

ntheont32tnh wrote: post #146
jon_adler wrote: post #93

In the UK, we have "New Layout Ahead" signs everywhere. Once erected, they seem to stay in place forever and increase noise. Is there any evidence that these are beneficial?

Is that what this sign means? [0] As an American, I couldn't figure out its meaning. [0] https://www.flickr.com/photos/dcardani/3321935026/

This means that road priorities changed, e.g. you may no longer have the right of way at a particular intersection. It's a sign you can safely ignore when not driving there daily, since the upcoming signage is accurate anyway. It's a warning to those that have made a habit out of that route.

Re: 3D crosswalk in Iceland helps slow down speeding motorists

#148

Post by Phrodo_00 »

hellofunk wrote: post #100
SeriousM wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't like speedbumps, but they work.

You're not supposed to like them; and really the only people that are inconvenienced by them are those going to fast anyway.

Well made speed bumps are like that, but it's full of badly made ones (too narrow or too high) that make your car jump and wreck your suspension even when going at half the speed limit.

Re: 3D crosswalk in Iceland helps slow down speeding motorists

#149

Post by madeofpalk »

Tomis02 wrote: post #133
madeofpalk wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Considering the majority of tourists (from my observation) in Iceland are American, I’m not really sure why you bring up Romanians.

Who said anything about tourists? It can also be economic migrants. I bring up Romanians because they have a very particular disability - they find it really difficult to stop at pedestrian crossings, even when people are obviously about to cross the street.

It’s Iceland. They have a population of 300k, and get 700k tourists every year.

I don’t know why your keep bringing up Romanians apart from flat out racism.

Re: 3D crosswalk in Iceland helps slow down speeding motorists

#150

Post by snowAbstraction »

adventured wrote: post #134
snowAbstraction wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would you suspect Romanians in particular in Iceland? Why not citizens from other European countries who as have relatively many road fatalities per capita? I am usually most worried about Americans since many have little experience with roundabouts and they are used to turning right on red, often in practice without a full stop. This is very dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians.

> I am usually most worried about Americans since many have little experience with roundabouts That's no longer a very accurate statement. The US has been on a roundabout building frenzy in the last ten years, particularly in the last five. We've gone from having a thousand roundabouts ten years ago, to having more than 15,000 now. To put it into contrast. Ten years ago the US had about 1 roundabout per 10,000 inters…

Thanks for the update. I didn't know that the change was happening so fast. I left the US about 10 years ago but when back in California and Minnesota during last years I barely saw any roundabouts. I don't remember seeing a single one combining active pedestrian and bike traffic. But perhaps other states are different.
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