3 ms·

Background: I am Dutch, in my fifties and recently moved to the US. Mondermans ideas are only implemented in a very limited part of the Netherlands: only in on

by raarts 12y ago

Background: I am Dutch, in my fifties and recently moved to the US. Mondermans ideas are only implemented in a very limited part of the Netherlands: only in one of the 12 provinces, and only in about hundred locations. And this is one of the least inhabited provinces.. So, the fact that the Netherlands has a 60% lower fatality rate can absolutely not be attributed to just his work. In my personal view the real causes are: - mandatory traffic lessons in elementary school - standards for drivers licenses are much higher - kids must be 18 to get a license - less big cars - smart road design, more lighting, better road quality - narrower roads with more variety make drivers more careful, especially wrt bikers - slower traffic must keep right on highways - maximum speed for trucks is 15mph lower than other cars - much attention to traffic safety everywhere - stricter traffic laws and enforcement So even though Monderman was on to something, many more things are needed, to keep the stupid and irresponsible from ruining lives.

Swizec 12y ago
It is terrifying to me as a European how easy it is to get a driver's license in the US. Everything I hear from friends beggars belief. No wonder speed limits have to be kept annoyingly low everywhere. I recently drove on some mountain roads in Californias[1] where I could safely drive 2x above the posted speed limit most of the time. Driving as slowly as the rules wanted would be no fun at all. And, naturally, I will never understand why people are allowed to operate 2 tonne death machines before they are allowed to look at tits. [1] the speed limit was 35mph, in the Alps we'd have the speed limit set at 55mph and the road would be about half the width with cliffs on each side right next to the road (no shoulder, just railings or even just stone pillars every few meters). For example: http://irena.blog.siol.net/files/2009/02/cesta.jpg http://irena.blog.siol.net/files/2009/02/cesta.jpg
- joshAg 12y ago
  Were those posted limits on white or yellow signs? Just in case there's a cultural barrier (like right turn on red) you know the yellow signs are not mandatory in CA, right?
  - Swizec 12y ago
    I did not know that about yellow signs. This changes everything! Except for the being allowed to drive before being allowed to see tits thing. This doesn't change that.
    - tejon 12y ago
      General summary of color-coding for American highway signs: - Black & White is an enforced regulation. - Red is a vehicle collision hazard. - Yellow is a single-vehicle hazard. - Green is city and town locations/distances. - Brown is national landmarks, parks, etc. - Blue is all other information. A few geographical signs, like city limits and bridge names, are also sometimes white but the text is much, much smaller. If it's important, you can read it from far away.
    - joshAg 12y ago
      Have fun going faster. :D just beware CA has am absolute limit of 65 (unless marked up to 70) above which any speed is considered a priori unsafe, which means you can be cited regardless of road conditions. And beware you can always be cited for unsafe speed (as determined by the cop) regardless of the marked limit and whether you were under it or not. In my experience that means you won't be cited unless you are doing something truly outrageous compared to the indicated limit or conditions (eg 60 in a rainstorm at night around a turn with an advised speed of 35, >78ish, etc., 65 on a freeway in a blizzard), or weaving out of your lane, or in a speed trap at the edge of a small town.
- portlander12345 12y ago
  So if you're driving along that narrow mountain road at 55mph, what happens when around the next curve there is a cyclist?
  - Swizec 12y ago
    Simple, you don't go 55mph into blind curves because you aren't an idiot. Also you would have to drive quite a beast of a car to be able to even make a blind curve at 55mph. That's some rather impressive grip.
Shorel 12y ago
And less automatic transmissions?

by raarts 12y ago

Swizec 12y ago

It is terrifying to me as a European how easy it is to get a driver's license in the US. Everything I hear from friends beggars belief. No wonder speed limits have to be kept annoyingly low everywhere. I recently drove on some mountain roads in Californias[1] where I could safely drive 2x above the posted speed limit most of the time. Driving as slowly as the rules wanted would be no fun at all. And, naturally, I will never understand why people are allowed to operate 2 tonne death machines before they are allowed to look at tits. [1] the speed limit was 35mph, in the Alps we'd have the speed limit set at 55mph and the road would be about half the width with cliffs on each side right next to the road (no shoulder, just railings or even just stone pillars every few meters). For example: http://irena.blog.siol.net/files/2009/02/cesta.jpg http://irena.blog.siol.net/files/2009/02/cesta.jpg

joshAg 12y ago
Were those posted limits on white or yellow signs? Just in case there's a cultural barrier (like right turn on red) you know the yellow signs are not mandatory in CA, right?
- Swizec 12y ago
  I did not know that about yellow signs. This changes everything! Except for the being allowed to drive before being allowed to see tits thing. This doesn't change that.
  - tejon 12y ago
    General summary of color-coding for American highway signs: - Black & White is an enforced regulation. - Red is a vehicle collision hazard. - Yellow is a single-vehicle hazard. - Green is city and town locations/distances. - Brown is national landmarks, parks, etc. - Blue is all other information. A few geographical signs, like city limits and bridge names, are also sometimes white but the text is much, much smaller. If it's important, you can read it from far away.
  - joshAg 12y ago
    Have fun going faster. :D just beware CA has am absolute limit of 65 (unless marked up to 70) above which any speed is considered a priori unsafe, which means you can be cited regardless of road conditions. And beware you can always be cited for unsafe speed (as determined by the cop) regardless of the marked limit and whether you were under it or not. In my experience that means you won't be cited unless you are doing something truly outrageous compared to the indicated limit or conditions (eg 60 in a rainstorm at night around a turn with an advised speed of 35, >78ish, etc., 65 on a freeway in a blizzard), or weaving out of your lane, or in a speed trap at the edge of a small town.
portlander12345 12y ago
So if you're driving along that narrow mountain road at 55mph, what happens when around the next curve there is a cyclist?
- Swizec 12y ago
  Simple, you don't go 55mph into blind curves because you aren't an idiot. Also you would have to drive quite a beast of a car to be able to even make a blind curve at 55mph. That's some rather impressive grip.

Shorel 12y ago

And less automatic transmissions?