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That's absolutely horrifying... Relatively small increases in speed dramatically increase the stopping distance and as such the danger of driving. Especially w

by raybb 6mo ago

That's absolutely horrifying... Relatively small increases in speed dramatically increase the stopping distance and as such the danger of driving. Especially with a huge truck like that. That's why Amsterdam (with much more food traffic) has recently reduced speed limits a lot. > At 30km/h, the stopping distance of a car is 13 metres. At 50km/h it’s more than double at 27 metres. That 20km/h reduction is the crucial difference between a pedestrian or cyclist surviving the impact of an accident – at 30km/h it’s estimated that 95 per cent of pedestrians would emerge relatively unscathed. https://www.intertraffic.com/news/road-safety/amsterdam-30-speed-limit https://www.intertraffic.com/news/road-safety/amsterdam-30-s...

strongpigeon 6mo ago
What you're saying is all true, but typically road design influence driving speed more than anything. Changing speed limits rarely has an impact on that (at least in the US).
- rapnie 6mo ago
  Not sure, but I think that in the Netherlands a municipality is not allowed to slap some 30kmh road signs along a roadway and call it a day. If the street does not 'communicate' that it is designed for that velocity, i.e. it is too broad, too many car lanes, then it must be adapted first to slow down traffic. There are a number of interesting design guidelines and manuals on the web, like CROW [0] for bicycle traffic, applied across the Netherlands. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CROW_Design_Manual_for_Bicycle_Traffic https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CROW_Design_Manual_for_Bicycle...
  - IshKebab 6mo ago
    That's how it should work but the UK definitely doesn't do that. I don't think the US does either.
- TulliusCicero 6mo ago
  Really you should do both. Otherwise you do end up with roads that feel like you have to go slow but nominally you're allowed to go fast (and some drivers will certainly take that opportunity).
- tedd4u 6mo ago
  One thing that may also help: an Amsterdam local told me that virtually all drivers there (and their parents/kids) are cyclists _also_, and so have more empathy for bikes and tend to operate motor vehicles safely them.
lofaszvanitt 6mo ago
[flagged]
- kjkjadksj 6mo ago
  You are right. Why drive at a speed where you can merely maim someone when you can drive at a speed that will inevitably explode them like a grape between the fingers instead? After all, no accidents. Yet.
  - lofaszvanitt 6mo ago
    After 500+ speedings? He is a good driver, that's all.
- burkaman 6mo ago
  [dead]
- kennywinker 6mo ago
  So you’re consistent in your defense of victimless crimes, yes? If he was shooting heroin in his off hours, you’re ok with that? If he’s smuggling drugs regularly, you’re ok with that? If he’s engaging in prostitution, you’re ok with that? Just want to be sure you have a logically consistent position here.
  - lofaszvanitt 6mo ago
    Did he harm anyone? Nope. Everyone differs. Someone can drive as a drunkard, some not. Rules put people on equal footing, while they are vastly different entities. Just like in school. Whats good for some children are not good at all for talented ones. So, what are you babbling about?

by raybb 6mo ago

strongpigeon 6mo ago

What you're saying is all true, but typically road design influence driving speed more than anything. Changing speed limits rarely has an impact on that (at least in the US).

rapnie 6mo ago
Not sure, but I think that in the Netherlands a municipality is not allowed to slap some 30kmh road signs along a roadway and call it a day. If the street does not 'communicate' that it is designed for that velocity, i.e. it is too broad, too many car lanes, then it must be adapted first to slow down traffic. There are a number of interesting design guidelines and manuals on the web, like CROW [0] for bicycle traffic, applied across the Netherlands. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CROW_Design_Manual_for_Bicycle_Traffic https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CROW_Design_Manual_for_Bicycle...
- IshKebab 6mo ago
  That's how it should work but the UK definitely doesn't do that. I don't think the US does either.
TulliusCicero 6mo ago
Really you should do both. Otherwise you do end up with roads that feel like you have to go slow but nominally you're allowed to go fast (and some drivers will certainly take that opportunity).
tedd4u 6mo ago
One thing that may also help: an Amsterdam local told me that virtually all drivers there (and their parents/kids) are cyclists _also_, and so have more empathy for bikes and tend to operate motor vehicles safely them.

lofaszvanitt 6mo ago

[flagged]

kjkjadksj 6mo ago
You are right. Why drive at a speed where you can merely maim someone when you can drive at a speed that will inevitably explode them like a grape between the fingers instead? After all, no accidents. Yet.
- lofaszvanitt 6mo ago
  After 500+ speedings? He is a good driver, that's all.
burkaman 6mo ago
[dead]
kennywinker 6mo ago
So you’re consistent in your defense of victimless crimes, yes? If he was shooting heroin in his off hours, you’re ok with that? If he’s smuggling drugs regularly, you’re ok with that? If he’s engaging in prostitution, you’re ok with that? Just want to be sure you have a logically consistent position here.
- lofaszvanitt 6mo ago
  Did he harm anyone? Nope. Everyone differs. Someone can drive as a drunkard, some not. Rules put people on equal footing, while they are vastly different entities. Just like in school. Whats good for some children are not good at all for talented ones. So, what are you babbling about?