The Case for Anarchism Proven
Here's Christopher Hutsul in the Toronto Star:
"Imagine, for a moment, a busy downtown intersection with no traffic lights, signs or sidewalks. There are no markers on the ground, no speed bumps, no police officer conducting the flow of vehicles. There's not even a curb. Every element of traffic _ pedestrians, bikers and drivers _ is left to fend for itself. Sounds like a recipe for chaos, right?
Wrong.
The implementation in a number of European communities of what some have dubbed "naked streets" has been hugely successful.
Urban planners in Holland, Germany and Denmark have experimented with this free-for-all approach to traffic management and have found it is safer than the traditional model, lowers trip times for drivers and is a boost for the businesses lining the roadway.
The idea is that by removing traffic lights, signage and sidewalks, drivers and pedestrians are forced to interact, make eye contact and adapt to the traffic instead of relying blindly on whether that little dot on the horizon is red or green.
Planners have found that without the conventional rules and regulations of the road in place, drivers tend to slow down, open their eyes to their environment and develop a "feel" for their surroundings.
In effect, every person using the street, be it an SUV owner or a kid with a wagon, becomes equal."
I believe it. Ever notice how the arrival of a cop at a cross roads invariably preludes gridlock? Ever try to drive in Berkeley? The traffic design there is the definitive refutation of social democracy. I sent ther bit from the Toronto Star to my friend Sainath, with whom I spent late March and early April in various cars including an Ambassador diesel, driving around northern Kerala and other parts of India. I have strong nerves in cars, particularly when I'm driving. I wouldn't drive in India. Sainath sent back a smug note:
"I always knew we were on the right path. I like the bit about 'In effect, every person using the street, be it an SUV owner or a kid with a wagon, becomes equal.' All are equal. Some behind the wheel, some beneath it
Here's Christopher Hutsul in the Toronto Star:
"Imagine, for a moment, a busy downtown intersection with no traffic lights, signs or sidewalks. There are no markers on the ground, no speed bumps, no police officer conducting the flow of vehicles. There's not even a curb. Every element of traffic _ pedestrians, bikers and drivers _ is left to fend for itself. Sounds like a recipe for chaos, right?
Wrong.
The implementation in a number of European communities of what some have dubbed "naked streets" has been hugely successful.
Urban planners in Holland, Germany and Denmark have experimented with this free-for-all approach to traffic management and have found it is safer than the traditional model, lowers trip times for drivers and is a boost for the businesses lining the roadway.
The idea is that by removing traffic lights, signage and sidewalks, drivers and pedestrians are forced to interact, make eye contact and adapt to the traffic instead of relying blindly on whether that little dot on the horizon is red or green.
Planners have found that without the conventional rules and regulations of the road in place, drivers tend to slow down, open their eyes to their environment and develop a "feel" for their surroundings.
In effect, every person using the street, be it an SUV owner or a kid with a wagon, becomes equal."
I believe it. Ever notice how the arrival of a cop at a cross roads invariably preludes gridlock? Ever try to drive in Berkeley? The traffic design there is the definitive refutation of social democracy. I sent ther bit from the Toronto Star to my friend Sainath, with whom I spent late March and early April in various cars including an Ambassador diesel, driving around northern Kerala and other parts of India. I have strong nerves in cars, particularly when I'm driving. I wouldn't drive in India. Sainath sent back a smug note:
"I always knew we were on the right path. I like the bit about 'In effect, every person using the street, be it an SUV owner or a kid with a wagon, becomes equal.' All are equal. Some behind the wheel, some beneath it
