[Sigia-l] Counterintuitive

[Scott Nelson]

On Jan 23.2005, at 12:52, Yogesh Tadwalkar wrote:

> While it will be really nice to hear the real experience of drivers or 
> pedestrians from Netherlands, I sincerely doubt whether the basic 
> premise here that accidents happen because drivers attention  is 
> 'diverted' by signs and traffic lights is correct.

At heart, I doubt your assertions as well. I wonder if this is just 
because I think I'M not distracted by traffic signs. Having said that, 
I've run stop signs three times in my life because I haven't been 
paying attention - roads felt wrong.

It was interesting to move from Toronto -> Vancouver. The two have very 
different rules about traffic. Fundamentally different philosophies 
really. Speed limits tend to be 10km slower out there.

Live in a city long enough, you just get a feel for a road. Roads that 
feel like they should be 60 are 50 here. Highways that I'm comfortable 
driving at 100 (and I, btw, drive like a grandmother) have posted 
limits of 80 here.

> 1. No one can set expectations or form habits....this will cause 
> congestion and pollution.

I think you may have inadvertently hit on one of the points of this 
experiment? Or test? Whatever you want to call it.

Why, exactly, is congestion a problem?

I have one reason - because you're driving a car when you shouldn't be.

I am occasionally guilty of this, but not very often.

The point is, you're looking from a very car-centric view point. Stop 
it. Cars are a necessary evil at this point in our society's evolution, 
not a toy, despite what my german ex-wife (and her very german father) 
thinks.

> 2. No rules situation loads working memory beyond what's necessary.

It's not an issue of memory really, it's an issue of current attention.

> 3. No dividers between roads and sidewalks? Where do people stand if 
> they want to ask for directions or kiss someone goodbye before 
> crossing?

There are any number of roads which have no painted divider lines here, 
albeit lightly trafficked ones.

And on one of them, my car go particularly schmucked despite the fact 
that it was parked the other night.

The yellow line doesn't really help the flow of traffic much.
--
Skot Nelson
skot at penguinstorm.com