tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post5688167098150129217..comments2024-03-29T04:56:21.385+00:00Comments on The Ranty Highwayman: Traffic Signal Pie: The Great Switch Off? No, It Runs Far Deeper.The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-67936175215472959812016-02-08T17:07:50.642+00:002016-02-08T17:07:50.642+00:00It's an interesting point that the experiment ...It's an interesting point that the experiment was allowed, but presumably the idea of traffic flow improving and less congestion was irresistible! Seriously, a lack of proper alternatives comes up time and again and we wonder why so many reply on the car and we forget about those who have no car access.The Ranty Highwaymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-3709178244853468862016-02-03T06:41:36.528+00:002016-02-03T06:41:36.528+00:00My opinion is think-tanks (regardless of political...My opinion is think-tanks (regardless of political position) are lobbying vehicles (!) to further the political ambitions of their funders and fellows. This is fine as long as people realise this, but they are often presented as authorities on a particular subject. I really think the media should mention report funders when they quote think tanks.<br /><br />I don't know the IEA's position on road pricing, but in my view it is just a way of pricing people off the roads for those who are not bothered by the costs of driving. It's all relative I know, but there are people who drive for work because of no alternatives and their costs will rise to the extent that they have to ditch car and their job. <br /><br />My view is that we need to provide genuine and high quality active and public transport alternatives and then let people fight over whatever's left!<br /><br />The Ranty Highwaymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-63072371971844218712016-02-03T06:36:17.303+00:002016-02-03T06:36:17.303+00:00I think they could well be figments of their imagi...I think they could well be figments of their imaginations!The Ranty Highwaymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-14692086410316319612016-02-03T06:29:04.022+00:002016-02-03T06:29:04.022+00:00Great, I'll read with interest! Of course, ide...Great, I'll read with interest! Of course, ideas can be used for good and evil!The Ranty Highwaymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-53188632959311948112016-02-03T06:28:22.544+00:002016-02-03T06:28:22.544+00:00Dave, I'd love to, but give me plenty of notic...Dave, I'd love to, but give me plenty of notice as my diary is always filling up!The Ranty Highwaymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-7965545857436602492016-02-02T12:20:07.910+00:002016-02-02T12:20:07.910+00:00You never see the ABD and IEA at the same time do ...You never see the ABD and IEA at the same time do you....[scratches chin].Dan Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00676108712118238091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-5904928112299140612016-02-02T10:30:34.275+00:002016-02-02T10:30:34.275+00:00I thought the IEA were at the "swivel eyed lo...I thought the IEA were at the "swivel eyed loons" end of the political spectrum.<br /><br />I'm not even sure that they are even being "outriders" for a shift in transport policy in this case.<br /><br />I found it interesting that yesterday's Evening Standard Editorial was calling for road pricing in London, something that the IEA would undoubtedly hate.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-52168146101498021702016-02-01T16:19:52.583+00:002016-02-01T16:19:52.583+00:00Firstly, Superb rant. I wish I had time to read i...Firstly, Superb rant. I wish I had time to read it all now, but alas it must wait until after work.<br /><br />Secondly, I live in Portishead and your comment "All of the debate surrounding this example completely misses the point that poor Portishead remains hopelessly shackled to motor traffic" could not be more accurate. The light switch off at the cabstand did a lot to improve congestion in the area (in effect, a staggered junction has now been replaced with two mini-roundabouts) but it is noticeable that for a town that has virtually no through traffic it is utterly dominated by motor vehicles. I actually commented on the recent introduction of the second mini roundabout on the need for improved crossings in that areas as the existing layout creates major severance between the high street and basically everything north of it. <br /><br />I would argue that the reliance on motor vehicles is because there are no viable alternatives at the moment - The demographics of the town are such that most people work in Bristol or major out of town developments and whilst I cycle the 10 odd miles into Bristol I acknowledge that a mass take up of that sort of thing is not likely. The buses have improved but still take an hour, so you can beat them on a bike, and we still don't have a train station. None of this is helped by the fact that the town, and county in general, is prime letters-to-local-papers territory where people still whine about fortnightly bin collections and the council (who, like many places, I'm sure at an officer level are working hard to improve things but, y'know, at a political level) don't give a fudge. See for e.g. the appalling lack of dropped kerbs; I've got a young child and it's enough of a pain with a pushchair; I can't imagine what it must be like trying to get around in a wheelchair.<br /><br />What IS interesting (and curious for such an old fashioned council) is the willingness for the Highways dept. to undertake trials in the town; something that lead to the changes at the cabstand.<br />TheRecklessEngineerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13710438141108076026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-26733204937524496912016-01-30T14:10:34.459+00:002016-01-30T14:10:34.459+00:00Yeah, John Adams work is very interesting. Althoug...Yeah, John Adams work is very interesting. Although he is very much pro active travel, his work has somewhat libertarian implications, such that it can easily be co-opted by the passive-travel enthusiasts. <br /><br />I wrote three summaries of his work when I had an active blog. <br /><br /><a href="https://psychobikeology.wordpress.com/2013/08/27/inactivity-cost-benefit-analysis-risk-compensation-more-john-adams/" rel="nofollow">Risk compensation, cost benefit analysis and inactivity</a>. (His arguments about the total results of seatbelt legislation are worryingly persuasive).<br /><br /><a href="https://psychobikeology.wordpress.com/2013/09/01/shared-space-and-the-dangers-of-thinkivism-john-adams-yet-again/" rel="nofollow">Shared space</a>. Yes, some of it is his fault!<br /><br /><a href="https://psychobikeology.wordpress.com/2013/08/20/hypermobility/" rel="nofollow">Hypermobility</a>. I found the implications of his argument rather depressing, as I think it implies there is no easy solution.Martinhttps://psychobikeology.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-82295311230608856762016-01-30T06:19:10.840+00:002016-01-30T06:19:10.840+00:00By allowing such partisan sentiment to colour thei...By allowing such partisan sentiment to colour their judgement and objectivity Richard Wellings and co have nosedived in my estimation of the quality of their reports.<br /><br />You really should read up on John Adams and his analysis of risk work with UCL - he was I think the mind behind that image of the truly safe car, made of non-safety glass (which would shatter into lacerating shards) and with a big spike in the centre of the steering wheel pointing directly at the driver.<br /><br />I've had some entertaining exchanges on the way that our 'security' measures are also more show than substance, strutting around with semi-automatics, which are potentially lethal when loosed off in a busy public space lined with steel, stone and concrete, and the helpful way that security check points provide a location and system that a serious agency can plan to avoid, whilst the plebian masses are left to queue and curse about. Ironically I managed to get a 150ml orange juice on to a flight once, an emergency ration lying in my bag from an earlier trip, because the container was not bottle shaped!<br /><br />I think I've a possibly trip to Excel for an HGV safety event coming up so if you fancy breakfast at the Three Mills and a bit of traffic watching at Bow roundabout (especially the near misses with vehicles going in/out of Sugar House Lane, and pedestrians making their own way across Stratford High Street (thanks to having no proper crossing points for around 1 Km) - might also take in West Ham Lane, where (in the absence of decent records from TfL and others) the London Fire Brigade's plot shows a major cluster of bus incidents in the bus only section. Dave Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11574227829528072780noreply@blogger.com