Re: [Ebbc-Talk] One-Way Streets: Do Humans Really Think?!

I wish they would just change lanes, it appears to be a religion to some
motorists to stay in the right lane! One solution would be, on multi-lane
streets, to make the right hand lane discontinuous. Something like on
Shattuck in Downtown Berkeley (on a lesser scale). The right lane would be
for parking movements, and possibly bikes/transit, but not just so one car
can drive faster than another. 

Some think that one-way streets are better for pedestrians, as you only have
to look one way, but even ignoring "double jeopardy" and higher speeds. I
don't think they are. (Accident figures are not very useful in these debates
as people change their actions to meet the circumstances). A two-way street
may look complex but that's its advantage- everyone has to be aware. Streets
with protected turns, wide shoulders, multiple traffic signals high in the
sky etc. all take responsibility and awareness away from drivers. In London
they have traditionally placed barriers at busy intersections (think 2
two-lane roads meeting) to stop pedestrians crossing right at the corner,
moving them further away from the actual intersection. This is now being
rethought, as it just encourages faster turning maneuvers and makes walking
less convenient. 

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Kevin Dalley
Sent: 16 October 2012 15:10
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Ebbc-Talk] One-Way Streets: Do Humans Really Think?!

On the other hand, when I am on a 2-lane one-way street, I know that a car
can pass me without going into a lane going the other direction. 
The driver may still honk or yell, but I know that the driver *could* just
switch lanes and pass me.

On 10/15/2012 09:13 AM, Mike Jones wrote:
> One-way streets are designed to move more cars faster, even if they're 
> hobbled to 15mph, that is faster than many bikers ride. Just as with 
> multiple lane streets- the fastest car sets the speed. One-way streets 
> are a way of getting multiple lanes where the streets are too narrow, 
> and frequently involve pedestrian unfriendly intersections when they 
> connect with a two-way street. They're also not good for transit 
> providers or users for various reasons.
>
> On Mon, Oct 15, 2012 at 8:54 AM, Emily Thurston
> <[email protected]>wrote:
>
>> My experience with all the one way streets in downtown Portland, 
>> Oregon, is that they were GREAT for bicycles. They simplify traffic a 
>> great deal and make it easier for bicycles, which move slower and 
>> steer differently than the cars, to navigate intersections safely. In 
>> particular, turning left off a busy street works much better.
>>
>> I lived in Portland, OR for 9 years as the bicycle traffic tripled 
>> from 1% of transportation trips to 3% of transportation trips. 
>> Bicycling has tripled again since I moved to the bay area. The one 
>> way streets in and around Downtown remain.
>>
>> One added benefit of one-way streets is that it's easier to get the 
>> lights timed. In downtown Portland they were timed at 15 mph, which 
>> is a great speed for cycling.
>>
>> On Oct 10, 2012, at 6:40 PM, [email protected] wrote:
>>
>>> Message: 1
>>> Date: Sun, 07 Oct 2012 10:15:54 -0700
>>> From: Mike Vandeman <mjvande-yBeKhBN/[email protected]>
>>> To: Recipient list suppressed:;
>>> Subject: [Ebbc-Talk] One-Way Streets: Do Humans Really Think?!
>>> Message-ID: <810347.49699.bm-lZTCTkxaLTf8AbloPCyspULUdxTIq2jXG6kzb5Gsg2M@public.gmane.org>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
>>>
>>> It's really not rocket science. If there are no one-way streets, one 
>>> can always get where one wants to go via the shortest route, saving 
>>> gas and reducing accidents and global warming (assuming that you are 
>>> one of those dinosaurs still using motor vehicles). Once you 
>>> introduce one-way streets, you will often have to drive farther than 
>>> the shortest route. For a simple example, say you are at one end of 
>>> a one-way street and want to get to somewhere else on that street.
>>>
>>> While we are on the subject of traffic, have you noticed how many 
>>> residents have eliminated their off-street parking space, and forced 
>>> the city to provide them on-street parking at a ridiculously low 
>>> below-market price? On-street parking -- at least on arterials -- 
>>> should be eliminated. Instead, those lanes should be for the 
>>> exclusive use of bicyclists and emergency vehicles. That would 
>>> provide bicyclists a safe place to ride, and provide ambulances a 
>>> way to get through when the traffic lanes are full of cars.
>>>
>>> Then we could solve the homelessness problem by using the parking 
>>> lane on non-arterials for old cars that no longer run, to be used as 
>>> housing for the homeless. They could have a safe, dry place to sleep 
>>> and lock up their belongings.
>>>
>>> There! The world's major problems solved in only three paragraphs!
>>> Now get to work!
>>
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