Category Archives: Uncategorized

Seeing more red

Road safety minister, Robert Goodwill, is thinking of extending red time at traffic lights to allow pension-age pedestrians more time to cross the road. About 6 years ago I briefed him about my take on traffic lights. Disappointingly, he is … Continue reading

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Lethal drivers v lethal policy

In prospect: longer sentences for disqualified drivers who kill. What about drivers of lethal, unequal policy? Nothing in the news about them.

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Inequality

Economist Thomas Piketty, “is in no doubt,” writes Will Hutton, “that rising wealth inequality imperils the very future of capitalism. He has proved it.” As I keep saying, inequality on the road endangers life, and has been doing so for nearly a … Continue reading

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The Country of the Blame

Brake! wants “tougher sentences for killer drivers”. As usual, the blame is misdirected. The priority system is the cause of our problems on the road. By fashioning an unequal killing-field, it makes victims of us all. We live in the … Continue reading

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Stuck

Our roads are stuck in the age of deference. By making side roads and pedestrians defer to main road drivers, regardless who arrived first, the traffic system is chronically out-of-date, as are most of the people who run it.

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A state of violence

A new law against domestic violence – coercive control – is on the statute books. Isn’t it time to outlaw violence against the public in the form of priority-driven traffic control?

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Wrong end of the stick

(To paraphrase from this piece about education by Simon Jenkins): Traffic engineers crave quantification. They have made what is measurable important (e.g. questionable accident stats) instead of what is important measurable (such as quality of life and space).

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Fit for what purpose?

The current traffic control system is fit for the purpose of enriching the traffic control industry, but is it fit for people’s safety, convenience or pleasure?

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Walkers v drivers

Walkers and drivers can coexist in harmony. But not under the current system. Why do we allow drivers to own the road and intimidate walkers? Why must children learn traditional road safety drill, and why should adults observe it? Vehicles are the killing … Continue reading

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Rousseau (2)

From the Guardian article (in the previous post), Theo Hobson continues: “If we want to reform our world, pragmatic rationalism is not enough: we need this bold vision, of full humanity regained.” Similarly, if we want to civilise our roads, we must … Continue reading

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