Experiments in modern life.

[rubato]

The idea of this thread is to present ongoing or proposed experiments in urban design or government as a way of seeing how other people are trying to address common problems.

There are a lot of ideas being tried and if we actively look for them we will find solutions for our own local-state-federal government problems.

Experiments should be thought of broadly as including both mechanical engineering and social engineering. Attention should be given to three questions; what is the problem, what are they doing/proposing which is different, what do (or will) the results tell us.

yrs,
rubato

[rubato]

(see links)

http://knowmore.washingtonpost.com/2014 ... where-too/

http://www.protectedintersection.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... lApbxLz6pA


The Dutch are a more cycling-frendly culture and have some novel ways of traffic engineering to reduce conflicts and injuries. As more US cities are seeing increasing numbers of cyclists we could well learn from their experiences. And since cities are continually in a process of tearing things down and re-building them we can incorporate newer and better designs as we 'remodel'.


yrs,
rubato

[Rick]

Conway Arkansas is turning intersections with traffic lights into roundabouts, it's a slow process and the elderly tend to have some issues with them but overall I really think it's a good plan.

Personally I have tried to adopt the UPS rule and only make right turns as my method of controlling traffic flow, I am an army of one.

Maybe I'll look at yer links now....naw

[dgs49]

This summer I spent time in Linz Austria and in Copenhagen, and in both of those cities the bike lanes were adjacent to the pedestrian sidewalks and not part of the street. That is, there was a pedestrian sidewalk, a marked bike lane (sometimes with a mini-curb), then the curb, parked cars, and finally the roadway where the cars travelled. I sometimes found myself inadvertently walking in the bike lane, causing the bikers to sound their bells to alert me to get the hell out of the way. In time, I'm sure I would have made the mental adjustment.

In Copenhagen, Bicycles were a major part of the transportation system, with hundreds of bikes parked in designated areas outside workplaces, restaurants and so on. I have the impression that many of those hardy souls continue to use their bikes in Winter (confirmed by UTube videos). There was one main commuting road (I think they called it the "Green Line") where the traffic lights were timed for bikes moving at 20kph, and it was said that you could go for several kilometers without having to stop, once you got into the flow.

Interestingly, with as safety conscious as Western Europeans generally are, I saw very few bikers wearing helmets in either Linz or Copenhagen. Also, most bikes were not locked when parked. But I saw very few bikes that I would consider worthy of coveting or stealing.

It would be nice to live somewhere where it were possible to bike to work. Or Segway.

[Rick]

Oh this is about cyclists?

Heck I just give them a nudge they always give way...