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Re:Light Traffic by ColanR on Sunday January 14, 2018 @02:48PM (#16145943)
re shared spaces, from the wikipedia:

> Hans Monderman and others have suggested that, by creating a greater sense of uncertainty and making it unclear who has priority, drivers will reduce their speed, in turn reducing the dominance of vehicles, reducing road casualty rates, and improving safety for other road users.

clearly, Hans Monderman has never driven in Mumbai, India.

Re:Light Traffic by rcarmo on Sunday January 14, 2018 @02:55PM (#16145990)
I think that shared spaces make sense in small towns, university campuses, and other contexts where traffic flow is low due to the inherent context (and, above all, where pedestrians can support each other).

But for modest to high volume traffic, roundabouts are better (although if the traffic flow is constant, you usually have to place the crossings a bit further away from the center of the roundabout, which makes it a little harder on elderly pedestrians to go fully "across" since they have to walk the extra distance).

Re:Light Traffic by ryth_ on Sunday January 14, 2018 @03:13PM (#16146103)
They actually introduced a shared space at Amsterdam Central Station about 1-2 years ago that I cross daily. The shared space is right next to the incredibly busy ferries and perpendicular to what used to be a bicycle lane. It's now one big square shared by bicycles, pedestrians and scooters.

It does work incredibly well and there are rarely any accidents. The downside however is that it's quite a struggle to cross. It makes me dread to leave the ferry and enter the warzone once again every morning. I understand that it is designed to make me uncomfortable, but it is taken to such an extend that I don't even really want to walk there.

Re:Light Traffic by danmaz74 on Sunday January 14, 2018 @03:37PM (#16146240)
> one big square shared by bicycles, pedestrians and scooters

You mean, no cars?

Re:Light Traffic by burfog on Sunday January 14, 2018 @07:43PM (#16147570)
For high traffic, a roundabout would have to be truly huge. It isn't viable unless land is practically free. You need something more like this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Five_Interchange

That crosses 16 lanes with 14 lanes. (3,5,5,3 with 3,4,4,3)

Re:Light Traffic by lsc on Monday January 15, 2018 @02:02AM (#16149034)
>clearly, Hans Monderman has never driven in Mumbai, India.

I'm reminded of my time in Berkeley. Now, in spite of what Fox News might tell you, Berkeley is one of the most ridiculously upper class places possible. But, it's right next to Oakland, a place that... isn't.

In Berkeley? If you even look like you were about to step out into the road in the middle of the street, people would stop for you. Over in El Cerrito or Oakland? you could be in the crosswalk, and nobody even slows down.

Re:Light Traffic by danmaz74 on Sunday January 14, 2018 @03:38PM (#16146247)
> clearly, Hans Monderman has never driven in Mumbai, India.

Or Naples, Italy.