3 ways to make America's roads incredibly safe AND faster

[belfpala]

Except we were not raised with them, or taught them so it would be competely different thing to learn, while driving (And knowing idiots that I see every day, learning it while talking on there cell phone)

Hilarious how people are like "LOL AMERICANS ARE DUMB THEY NO USE ROUNDABOUTS?? WAT WRONG WIT DEM?!?" When it is just not the system we used?

I landed in Geneva after an 8 hour flight, got in a rental car, and did roundabouts. Never had even heard of one before. It's not hard. But then, I'm not dumb. But you're right, it's just not the way we do it. And in much of the country, the freeway system sort of replaces the need for them.

I also landed in London, got in a rental car, and drove on the wrong side of the road. That was a blast.

[McSpriest]

Obviously we must get government off our roads so the traffic can move freely. No more road signs, carpool lanes, street lights, cross-walks, speed limits, bicycle-only lanes, or anything else that would impune the way I want to drive. When everyone drives in their own best interests, it'll have the best possible result of all worlds anyway. There would be far less accidents, much quicker transit, and a much healthier America as a result. Anyone who disagrees with this idea is a bleeding-heart liberal socialist Marxist communist who wants to leech off the ability of the better, faster drivers to make up for their shortcomings.

um... what... i really hope this was a troll because you can't honestly feel that traffic signs are people "leaching off the ability of better drivers" ... i don't even understand this.

and as an fyi socialism, marxism, and communism are all different and you actually by definition can't be all three. just saying, by definition that makes no sense.

[Twiddly]

http://think.direct.gov.uk/drivingchallenge/

[Laize]

um... what... i really hope this was a troll because you can't honestly feel that traffic signs are people "leaching off the ability of better drivers" ... i don't even understand this.

and as an fyi socialism, marxism, and communism are all different and you actually by definition can't be all three. just saying, by definition that makes no sense.

Except that towns in Europe are proving time and again that traffic signs are unnecessary at best and harmful at worst.

[Twiddly]

I landed in Geneva after an 8 hour flight, got in a rental car, and did roundabouts. Never had even heard of one before. It's not hard. But then, I'm not dumb. lol.

I also landed in London, got in a rental car, and drove on the wrong side of the road. That was a blast.

There is learning to use them, and there is also the fact that our roads are already made, and remaking everything into roundabouts would cost hundreds of millions of dollars?


People saying (Including the link in the op) that all speed limits/road signs are bad and make roads less safe are absolutely insane.

[omglazor]

Oh about removing signs:
a) not sure how much safer it'd make things considering your average driver
b) aw hell no I am not driving that slow

[Twiddly]

Except that towns in Europe are proving time and again that traffic signs are unnecessary at best and harmful at worst.

No proof. Just because something supposedly "works" does not apply everywhere.


Why is this turning into a europe vs america thread? OH NOES THEY DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT! I SPENT ONE WEEK IN EUROPE, NOW I KNOW WHAT IS BEST FOR AMERICA!!!!

[belfpala]

People saying (Including the link in the op) that all speed limits/road signs are bad and make roads less safe are absolutely insane.

I read the link to that article. It wasn't very clear, but it seemed that removing limits/signs was in specific residential areas, not everywhere.

[Lilcheeks]

Where I'm from we call #2 Rotaries... and they fucking suck. There's one about 15 minutes from my office that backs up rush hour traffic over a couple miles every. single. day. Its the dumbest thing in the universe and should not exist. Only useful on small roads with low traffic.

[Mowg]

Welcome to Hell. Something I drive through many-a-times a week...

[Twiddly]

Yeah the fact that they fail people for parallell parking (Something I have literally never had to do in almost 10 years of driving, not a single time) but do not actually..teach you how to handle things like skidding on ice/hydroplaning, (Thankfully my parents taught me how to deal with that crap) is hilarious. Tests are just lame here, in my current town the absolutely refuse to pass ANYONE on the first go (No, not making excuses, it is a straight up fact) charging for the second test must be good buisness!

[JesterOfFire]

Yeah, this would never work in Panama. In fact, more road lines and traffic lights are being added to make things go smoother.

The thing about Panama is that it is a very "Me First" type of place when it comes to driving. There is no such thing as courtesy. If you want to cross a busy street, you can't always rely on that red light. Police officers are out everywhere directing traffic. People bribe their driving instructors to get their license and start driving with a goddamned clue about what to do. There are no such things as traffic "laws" here, only very loose guidelines and suggestions. Public transportation casues more wrecks here than any other type of vehicle on the road. And so on. Admittedly most of what I just said is anecdotal evidence, but a good bit of it can be backed up by news stories.

The roundabout suggestion is awesome IMHO, and I fully support it. But the rest of it, while it may work in a more-developed country, would never work here.

[The Ogdru Jahad]

I think the only reason it was safer when they took away the lights is because it was brand new and ppl were cautious around the concept...once people get used to know signs. It will be just as if not MORE dangerous.

[Twiddly]

Ban ANY cell phone/gps use while driving

http://think.direct.gov.uk/drivingchallenge/

---------- Post added 2012-01-16 at 02:23 PM ----------

Welcome to Hell. Something I drive through many-a-times a week...

At least that thing probably intimidates people to much to drunk drive! Even the squiggly lines would do that to me!

[Sunseeker]

I hate roundabouts, and beyond that, they're almost impossible for busses and trucks to utilize without running over half the damn thing.

plus they make me dizzy as all hell.

[Pfeff]

I fucking hate roundabouts

[Laize]

http://think.direct.gov.uk/drivingchallenge/

HAH I passed because I ignored the questions and pedestrians. I saw that fucker in the suit.

[Twiddly]

HAH I passed because I ignored the questions and pedestrians. I saw that fucker in the suit.

I highly doubt you passed if you did not answer a single question or come within a certain number of the peds ;P Do you have no script? It actually blocks half the game if you have a certain thing blocked, and will not answer right.

[calahil]

There is only 2 ways to improve safety on the roads in the US.

1. Require a driving and written test upon renewal of the person's driving license. Most accidents occur with driver error doing something that is not part of driving.
2. Put an extensive physics section on the written test. It tends to be a subject that people have a problem with and would then ensure that people who don't understand the basics of Newtonian physics do not end up behind the wheel.

America keeps treating driving as a right and not as a PRIVILEGE as it should be thought of in the end. You are driving a gasoline bomb and everyone treats it like its a toy. Taking a drive on the 101 in California will make you reconsider my changes.

[Deleted]

In my city we have a bridge with two roundabouts, one on each side and until they got remade, it was a mystery in the whole country how to drive them. They even sent pictures and hired a group of specialists to figure out how to drive it