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| Re: Atlantic Avenue speed limit lower to 25 mph (292223) | |||
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Re: Atlantic Avenue speed limit lower to 25 mph |
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Posted by Stephen Bauman on Sun Apr 13 20:25:43 2014, in response to Re: Atlantic Avenue speed limit lower to 25 mph, posted by BrooklynBus on Sun Apr 13 18:20:53 2014. It is a known fact that when speed limits are set too low for what a roadway was designed for, no one will obeyHow does that square with your theory that it's the pedestrians who disobey the law and not the drivers? Just go to Queens Blvd where it is perfectly safe to drive at 40 in the main roadway and the speed limit had been 35. It was lowered to 30, and everyone still drives between 35 and 40 when traffic permits, because that is what makes sense. I grew up in Rego Park and Forest Hills in the mid 1940's to early 1950's. I remember Queens Blvd before the area became built up. Elmhurst, Rego Park, Forest Hills and Kew Gardens were separate communities. There were barren fields between them. Road geometry is not the only determinant as to what a safe speed is. If you were a driver, you would never talk the way you do. I've owned a car continuously for 52 years. You want to impose your will on everyone even if 95% of the people disagree with you. As I noted in an earlier post, 63% of all unlinked street-centric trips are non-motorized. It's about time their needs were addressed. Excessive speed, and I said excessive speed not going a few miles over the speed limit, is only one cause As I noted going 40 mph means that you will travel 80% of the 20 mph stopping distance before your foot hits the brake. That's critical in heavily populated areas with pedestrian traffic. It should not be considered a cure all to lower speed limits all over to reduce crashes and that is exactly what you are doing. What lowering impact speed will do is greatly reduce crash severity. N.B. it's similar to what car makers have practised since Ralph Nader. Driver/passenger fatality rates (per mile travelled) are lower today. It's not because crashes have been reduced. It's because, seat belts, crumple zones, air bags, etc. have reduced the severity of crashes. Car exteriors could be designed to reduce the severity of vehicle/pedestrian crashes. Until they are, the most effective way to reduce pedestrian deaths is to reduce collision speed. We need a multi-pronged approach that does not paralyze the City. Traffic congestion in an area is caused by garbage in exceeding garbage out. Reducing vehicle speed throughout on all city streets won't increase congestion. It will only add a few minutes travel time for 80% of the unlinked trips. |
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