Traffic author Tom Vanderbilt writes about the modern stop sign. Vanderbilt describes the stop sign’s origins, its failures, and a few proposed alternatives. One alternative (“Drivers Alert”) “attaches a secondary stop sign to the back of the stop sign across the intersection, giving the driver two chances to see the sign. It also graphically advises whether cross traffic is meant to stop or not.” Another alternative would read “Take Turns,” and tell drivers: “If cars are waiting please stop and alternate.” Readers, any ideas for making the stop sign more effective? [%comments]
How to Improve the Stop Sign?
TAGS: transportation
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Draw a set of eyes on each sign.
Blinking neon font. Everything is better with blinking neon font.
We might not need traffic signals:
I was once driving in Albany, NY on a busy street during rush hour, and because of a storm all of the traffic lights had turned off for over a mile. Everyone was driving slowly, cautiously, and halting to let others make left turns.
I’m sure it’s easier to have centralised control over traffic, but people are more than capable of managing it collectively.
In Mexico people in villages enforce their own traffic controls with the use of “topos” or speedbumps. Some of these are amazing…almost tank traps.
You’ll stop. Believe me!
Google: “How I beat a LIDAR speeding ticket”
I have a pretty simple solution. Use less stop signs. I’ve lived in municipalities that have gone stop sign crazy and put all-way stops at every meaningless intersection. I’ve also lived places that were more sparing in the use of stop signs, only using them at intersections that actually warrant them for safety reasons, such as limited visibility and cross streets where there might actually be another car. There is an obvious difference in the way people react to the stop signs, with drivers rolling through every one, regardless of the merits in places that have an overabundance and drivers stopping and carefully looking both ways in areas where the stop signs are less common. In my experience, over-use of stop signs desensitizes the locals, making all stop signs seem trivial and unimportant.
I’ve had the opportunity to live, and drive, all over the world. First; the majority of stop signs should be replaced with yield signs. It takes far more fuel to come to a complete stop, then start again. Second; American drivers are some of the worst in the world, so driver education should be increased and the ability to acquire a license to drive made much more difficult.
Where I live, (Vail, CO) many of the intersections have been redesigned to include roundabouts, which keep the traffic moving, instead of sitting still burning gas.
Davey: That video’s great! I lived in Italy for a couple of years and yes, the traffic just takes care of itself. To the average American it looks like chaos, but it works just fine.
Of course, in an environment like that you can’t put on makeup, text, or in the case of that twit in Florida, shave your bikini line..
Most stop signs could be replaced by roundabouts which require drivers to yield, not stop. This should prevent significant unnecessary deceleration+acceleration and thus reduce commute times, gas usage, emissions, etc.