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I am optimistic that self-driving technology and electrification will go along way towards addressing the negative externalities (safety, pollution, congestion,

I am optimistic that self-driving technology and electrification will go along way towards addressing the negative externalities (safety, pollution, congestion, noise) of motor vehicles in the coming decades. In the mean time, the real problem with urban speed limits in the UK is that there is very little enforcement. Speed limits are meaningless because they are widely ignored. This blog post suggests that might be about to change, at least in Birmingham. As a driver, pedestrian, and cyclist, I think that's a very good thing.

fennecfoxen 10y ago
I don't know about enforcement frequency, but what I have seen here is that there is a lot of traffic calming, and deliberately engineered chokepoints where traffic must slow down considerably or stop for cars heading in the opposite direction. This isn't just central London, either, but in the suburbs. The complex junctions with multiple islands for pedestrian crossings (often carefully fenced such that you _have to_ cross at the zebra stripes proper) are another difference from the US, and structurally contribute to this effect.
rm_-rf_slash 10y ago
Be careful what you wish for. In the US, small-town cops use speeding tickets as a way to get funding that simply won't appear from its tax base. It's extremely common to see police cars at speed changes to catch people who dont see or slow down in time.
- kilotaras 10y ago
  But the solution to that should be decoupling money that goes to department from fines, not dismantling of speed limit enforcing altogether.
runarberg 10y ago
While I do think that drivers that speed should be ticketed, I have to note that it is a really expensive and ineffective way to reduce speed. A simpler and more effective solution is to alter the roads in such a way that people simply do not drive faster than x k∕h. You can do it by narrowing the road, adding a roundabout, elevated crosswalks, a bike-lane separated with pretty flower pots, etc.
pacala 10y ago
Every time people get a realistic economical option, they majority choses to live in their own spacious dwelling. The utopia of crowded cities where people stack on top of each other, just for the sake of walking / biking everywhere, is just that, an utopia. Self-driving technology will make extreme commutes common. Too expensive to live in Mountain View? No problem, get a nice 3000sqft house in Santa Rosa, hop in the self driving car, handle emails / some tickets, get into the office for the usual team bonding rituals, hop into the car, do some solo coding, then enjoy a quiet evening with the kids.
- ghaff 10y ago
  I'll actually be shocked if this doesn't happen where jobs are in expensive congested areas whether because people want cheaper housing or just want to live somewhere quieter and closer to nature. You don't even need door-to-door self-driving. Just on highways would be sufficient for a lot of routes. There's obviously some upper limit. But a driving commute in heavy traffic that most would consider pretty hellish today (say 1.5 to 2 hours each way) becomes a lot more palatable if you can read/work/etc. It's pretty much Economics 101 that if you make something better/cheaper/easier you get more of it.

fennecfoxen 10y ago

I don't know about enforcement frequency, but what I have seen here is that there is a lot of traffic calming, and deliberately engineered chokepoints where traffic must slow down considerably or stop for cars heading in the opposite direction. This isn't just central London, either, but in the suburbs. The complex junctions with multiple islands for pedestrian crossings (often carefully fenced such that you _have to_ cross at the zebra stripes proper) are another difference from the US, and structurally contribute to this effect.

rm_-rf_slash 10y ago

Be careful what you wish for. In the US, small-town cops use speeding tickets as a way to get funding that simply won't appear from its tax base. It's extremely common to see police cars at speed changes to catch people who dont see or slow down in time.

kilotaras 10y ago
But the solution to that should be decoupling money that goes to department from fines, not dismantling of speed limit enforcing altogether.

runarberg 10y ago

While I do think that drivers that speed should be ticketed, I have to note that it is a really expensive and ineffective way to reduce speed. A simpler and more effective solution is to alter the roads in such a way that people simply do not drive faster than x k∕h. You can do it by narrowing the road, adding a roundabout, elevated crosswalks, a bike-lane separated with pretty flower pots, etc.

pacala 10y ago

Every time people get a realistic economical option, they majority choses to live in their own spacious dwelling. The utopia of crowded cities where people stack on top of each other, just for the sake of walking / biking everywhere, is just that, an utopia. Self-driving technology will make extreme commutes common. Too expensive to live in Mountain View? No problem, get a nice 3000sqft house in Santa Rosa, hop in the self driving car, handle emails / some tickets, get into the office for the usual team bonding rituals, hop into the car, do some solo coding, then enjoy a quiet evening with the kids.

ghaff 10y ago
I'll actually be shocked if this doesn't happen where jobs are in expensive congested areas whether because people want cheaper housing or just want to live somewhere quieter and closer to nature. You don't even need door-to-door self-driving. Just on highways would be sufficient for a lot of routes. There's obviously some upper limit. But a driving commute in heavy traffic that most would consider pretty hellish today (say 1.5 to 2 hours each way) becomes a lot more palatable if you can read/work/etc. It's pretty much Economics 101 that if you make something better/cheaper/easier you get more of it.