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I'm not American either but I can understand not wanting excessive traffic in streets that were meant for feeding the suburbs. It's not that there shouldn't be

I'm not American either but I can understand not wanting excessive traffic in streets that were meant for feeding the suburbs. It's not that there shouldn't be cars on those streets but they're meant to connect homes not as an extension of the highway. As such, they are being somewhat misused. It's not unlike city zoning - for example, you wouldn't want to have an industrial plant in the middle of a residential zone, so why would you want commercial traffic going through the back streets of a residential neighborhood? One part of the issue is being addressed by restricting traffic (e.g. forbidding left or right turns, etc.) but it also inconveniences the locals. I think a part of a better solution would be if the streets and roads were graded with more nuance in the maps Google/Waze/others use. As it is now, there is little distinction between a proper street or a small back street that's really just a single lane split for both directions, or something that's basically a glorified driveway.

cmiles74 10y ago
We have an interesting situation where I live. There is a wide four lane road that is suitable trucks. Drivers who use Google or Waze, however, are directed to go down a surface street that heads to a railroad overpass with especially low clearance. At least once a year we see a truck plow into the overpass and put this crazy dent in it.[0] Then they have to let the air out of the tires and tow it. To some degree Google and Waze seem to have caught on to this and are directing these trucks to take a left prior to the overpass. Now we have signs that disallow trucks on these roads since they are residential and nobody wants a truck running children over.[1] The last of these streets contains the local elementary school. My point is that it's more complicated than it looks. Increased traffic is one thing, but large vehicles represent and entirely different issue. In this case, Google and Waze aren't really serving anyone at all. [0]: http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/11/northamptons_truck-eating_brid_2.html http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/11/northamptons_... [1]: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bridge+Street+Elementary+Schl,+2+Parsons+St,+Northampton,+MA+01060/@42.3270439,-72.6250873,3a,66.8y,242.25h,81.91t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sBH5U4n3_edru63LmEMzgFg!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x89e6d7378ce83e57:0xc69879638abe0bc9 https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bridge+Street+Elementary+S...
tommarmstrong 10y ago
Sydney makes extensive use of no left/right turn between 6-10am/3-7pm signs. It makes sure that traffic stays on the main roads instead of side streets that would quickly fill up during peak hour otherwise but isn't an inconvenience outside of those times

cmiles74 10y ago

We have an interesting situation where I live. There is a wide four lane road that is suitable trucks. Drivers who use Google or Waze, however, are directed to go down a surface street that heads to a railroad overpass with especially low clearance. At least once a year we see a truck plow into the overpass and put this crazy dent in it.[0] Then they have to let the air out of the tires and tow it. To some degree Google and Waze seem to have caught on to this and are directing these trucks to take a left prior to the overpass. Now we have signs that disallow trucks on these roads since they are residential and nobody wants a truck running children over.[1] The last of these streets contains the local elementary school. My point is that it's more complicated than it looks. Increased traffic is one thing, but large vehicles represent and entirely different issue. In this case, Google and Waze aren't really serving anyone at all. [0]: http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/11/northamptons_truck-eating_brid_2.html http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/11/northamptons_... [1]: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bridge+Street+Elementary+Schl,+2+Parsons+St,+Northampton,+MA+01060/@42.3270439,-72.6250873,3a,66.8y,242.25h,81.91t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sBH5U4n3_edru63LmEMzgFg!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x89e6d7378ce83e57:0xc69879638abe0bc9 https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bridge+Street+Elementary+S...

tommarmstrong 10y ago

Sydney makes extensive use of no left/right turn between 6-10am/3-7pm signs. It makes sure that traffic stays on the main roads instead of side streets that would quickly fill up during peak hour otherwise but isn't an inconvenience outside of those times