Road Safety is all a matter of colour...it seems.
Discussion
This from today's Bath Chronicle.
Residents have been given the chance to speak out about a scheme which aims to alter the mindset of motorists and pedestrians.An experimental traffic calming scheme was introduced along Julian Road last summer.
The colour and texture of the road surfaces were changed to slow traffic by changing drivers' perceptions of the environment.
By blurring the traditional distinction between road and pavement, the "shared space" scheme aims to force drivers to pay more attention to other drivers as well as pedestrians.
Now outline proposals have been drawn up to extend the existing scheme on Julian Road down to the junction with Marlborough Place.
The second phase of the project went on show on St Andrew's Green on Friday.
People had the chance to air their views and voice any concerns on the work already carried out, and the outline plans for the next stage.
The proposals aim to link up the second phase with the existing scheme, and will see road space used to expand footways in the area.
The consultation also gave people the chance to have their say on changes to improve the first phase. Proposals included changing the Tarmac to concrete slabs, planting trees, and using cycle racks to improve the environment and visually narrow the road to make traffic slow down.
Nick Jeanes, team leader for Bath and North East Somerset Council's traffic and safety team said: "We had a huge amount of interest.
"We have not had a chance to analyse the written feedback yet, but from what I heard, it was a fairly mixed response."
There were concerns with issues on existing layout, including the safety of pedestrians crossing the road.
However, Mr Jeanes said the council was reluctant to use traditional solutions such as a zebra crossing because it might give the impression that people could only cross in one place.
He also felt many people had a good grasp of the concept of the scheme.
"I think a lot of people understand in the long term we are changing the mindset of drivers and pedestrians in the area," he said.
"We are trying to persuade people they can behave in different ways that is more socially excepted."
All the information will be collated and fed back at a public meeting later this month.
A rather interesting idea of Road Safety, especially the bit about the pedestraian crossing.
Residents have been given the chance to speak out about a scheme which aims to alter the mindset of motorists and pedestrians.An experimental traffic calming scheme was introduced along Julian Road last summer.
The colour and texture of the road surfaces were changed to slow traffic by changing drivers' perceptions of the environment.
By blurring the traditional distinction between road and pavement, the "shared space" scheme aims to force drivers to pay more attention to other drivers as well as pedestrians.
Now outline proposals have been drawn up to extend the existing scheme on Julian Road down to the junction with Marlborough Place.
The second phase of the project went on show on St Andrew's Green on Friday.
People had the chance to air their views and voice any concerns on the work already carried out, and the outline plans for the next stage.
The proposals aim to link up the second phase with the existing scheme, and will see road space used to expand footways in the area.
The consultation also gave people the chance to have their say on changes to improve the first phase. Proposals included changing the Tarmac to concrete slabs, planting trees, and using cycle racks to improve the environment and visually narrow the road to make traffic slow down.
Nick Jeanes, team leader for Bath and North East Somerset Council's traffic and safety team said: "We had a huge amount of interest.
"We have not had a chance to analyse the written feedback yet, but from what I heard, it was a fairly mixed response."
There were concerns with issues on existing layout, including the safety of pedestrians crossing the road.
However, Mr Jeanes said the council was reluctant to use traditional solutions such as a zebra crossing because it might give the impression that people could only cross in one place.
He also felt many people had a good grasp of the concept of the scheme.
"I think a lot of people understand in the long term we are changing the mindset of drivers and pedestrians in the area," he said.
"We are trying to persuade people they can behave in different ways that is more socially excepted."
All the information will be collated and fed back at a public meeting later this month.
A rather interesting idea of Road Safety, especially the bit about the pedestraian crossing.
Edited by XMG5 on Thursday 6th September 12:31
..some nice steel railings between the road and the pavement seems the best way of sharing the street. Ideally the bit where the wheeled things belong will be wide and smooth and able to support 2 directional traffic, the bit for walkers will be narrower as they don't need so much space, and there may be bridges or underpasses so that the two never come into conflict. Or is this too simple?
up" on NSL roads and get the country moving again?"By blurring the traditional distinction between road and pavement, the "shared space" scheme aims to force drivers to pay more attention to other drivers as well as pedestrians."
Seems like the dumbest idea ever! Makes as much sens as to put a person int a lion cage to make tem gt along...
Seems like the dumbest idea ever! Makes as much sens as to put a person int a lion cage to make tem gt along...
"By blurring the traditional distinction between road and pavement, the "shared space" scheme aims to force drivers to pay more attention to other drivers as well as pedestrians."
There are enough pedestrians out there already who seem quite capable of blurring the distinction-young parents who think pushing a pushchair into the road regardless of traffic flow is preferable to waiting a few seconds for a safe gap, numpties so engrossed in their phone conversations they don't realise they've just walked out into the road, feral scrotelings who think the road belongs to them etc-for me to be a bit worried should we start positively encouraging such behavior amongst the rest...
Instead of placing more of a burden on drivers, shouldn't we be trying to educate pedestrians as to *their* responsibilities in the whole road safety system? Bring back common-sense road safety education from an early age (just like those of us above a certain age will most likely still remember) rather than the somewhat politically slanted "the driver is always wrong" crap they've been fed in more recent years, and maybe we wouldn't need to mess around with blurring anything.
There are enough pedestrians out there already who seem quite capable of blurring the distinction-young parents who think pushing a pushchair into the road regardless of traffic flow is preferable to waiting a few seconds for a safe gap, numpties so engrossed in their phone conversations they don't realise they've just walked out into the road, feral scrotelings who think the road belongs to them etc-for me to be a bit worried should we start positively encouraging such behavior amongst the rest...
Instead of placing more of a burden on drivers, shouldn't we be trying to educate pedestrians as to *their* responsibilities in the whole road safety system? Bring back common-sense road safety education from an early age (just like those of us above a certain age will most likely still remember) rather than the somewhat politically slanted "the driver is always wrong" crap they've been fed in more recent years, and maybe we wouldn't need to mess around with blurring anything.
L1OFF said:
I think they have done this somewhere in Sweden (IIRC) and also done away with stop, give way etc roadsigns \ road markings and it work extremly well.
It was in Holland. Was pretty successful too. I hope this trial is successful, but I fear that drivers in this country are (in general) so used to not having to think about their actions that it is doomed to fail.andy400 said:
Saw this on the TV in a British town as well (wish I had a memory for the detail of these things...)
London?High Street Ken is a pilot for new street furniture blurring pedestrian and car boundaries. I think most of the peds who I see getting nearly run down don't realise they are in the road.
7db said:
andy400 said:
Saw this on the TV in a British town as well (wish I had a memory for the detail of these things...)
London?High Street Ken is a pilot for new street furniture blurring pedestrian and car boundaries. I think most of the peds who I see getting nearly run down don't realise they are in the road.
Funny?....Cardiff did the opposite...
...one Saturday night a pissed bloked jumped the railings and got run over by a bus and died....
.... so they permanently closed the main street (and main thoroughfare!) to all traffic on Fri and Sat 7pm to 4am.
Obviously they hadn't read the report... or heard of natural selection.
...one Saturday night a pissed bloked jumped the railings and got run over by a bus and died....
.... so they permanently closed the main street (and main thoroughfare!) to all traffic on Fri and Sat 7pm to 4am.
Obviously they hadn't read the report... or heard of natural selection.
andy400 said:
Saw this on the TV in a British town as well (wish I had a memory for the detail of these things...). Apparently works really well - though could just be propaganda....
Like our Speed Cameras (sorry...Safety Cameras) THEY work really well at Road Safety too....apparently....or so I've heard.....but of course that might be propaganda as well. 
HertsBiker said:
..some nice steel railings between the road and the pavement seems the best way of sharing the street. Ideally the bit where the wheeled things belong will be wide and smooth and able to support 2 directional traffic, the bit for walkers will be narrower as they don't need so much space, and there may be bridges or underpasses so that the two never come into conflict. Or is this too simple?
Exactly. Some years ago there was a kind of dual carriageway (30) that went through Plymouth city center that had pedestrian crossings at both ends and an underpass in the middle where most people would cross. Then some brainiac decided it would be a great idea to fill in the underpass, replace with a crossing and reduce the two lanes into one lane for the crossing. Oh and add speed cameras in both directions. Right...so you allegedly have a speeding problem on the road, but you force pedestrians to walk accross the road rather than use an underpass...Sheepy said:
It was in Holland. Was pretty successful too. I hope this trial is successful, but I fear that drivers in this country are (in general) so used to not having to think about their actions that it is doomed to fail.
It will be an unmitigated success of course, because everyone will obey the 30 mph limit (all we need to think about) and thus magically not have any accident. Honest gov......
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