See the line on the right edge of this page? It's keeping me from stringing out my entire editorial to the width of the Mississippi River. Lines help set limitations. We can only go so far.
Great Britain, however, is trying to figure out whether or not it should draw them. Traffic planners in Wiltshire have taken a step on the wild side, even if it means making the streets, well, "sideless." Traffic planners have removed the white traffic lines at 13 test sites in the hopes that people will drive more responsibly.
This is coming from the land of proper behavior, especially when it comes to traffic. Speed cameras, or at least speed-camera signs, are mounted everywhere. And motorists are constantly reminded to keep at least two "chevrons" away from the chap in front of them.
So why is most primitive form of traffic control on the verge of becoming extinct? The reason is simple--removing the lines appears to be working. Wiltshire figures show that the number of serious accidents has dropped by more than a third and speeds have reduced by up to 7 mph. This is encouraging news for Wiltshire, where officials are licking their chops just thinking of all the money they could save by not using the expensive speed cameras or even speed humps. A similar project is ongoing over in Bath, where consultant Ben Hamilton-Baillie believes the growing clutter on Britain's roads weakens drivers' concentration.
"The more you introduce markings, signs and speed cameras, the less your brain allows you to concentrate on your surroundings," he told The Mail on Sunday. "A line keeps the driver's focus on the center of the road and distracts the driver from potential hazards such as a child bouncing a ball at the side of the road or a drunk staggering along."
The wild streak runs a little deeper in Holland and Scandinavia, where they've gone to the extent of removing traffic signs and traffic lights. There, officials claim deaths and injuries have dropped 50%.
I have to tell you, my mouth literally dropped when I read what was going on across the Atlantic. Then I thought about my college days. The main drag running through my campus consisted of two lanes--one for walkers and the other for rollers (bikes and blades). A thick yellow line divided the two, and without it I think there would be mass chaos, and mass injuries.
We live in a country which is starting to show some wrinkles. The average age of the driver continues to climb, so why would it be a logical idea to remove the one visual aid that shows the driver exactly where he or she needs to be? I'm 34, and I rely on pavement markings to guide me through bad storms and those unfamiliar streets in the dead of night.
Great Britain believes that by taking the stripes away drivers are forced to be more responsible. I'm a firm believer that you can never be too safe, especially when you're operating a load of steel at a relatively high speed. We're a society which needs limits--what else is going to keep us in line?
RSS: Roads & Bridges Articles
