This looks like the type of design sometimes referred to Shared Space originally developed in the Netherlands. The idea is that by taking away segregation and priorities you actually slow motorised traffic down and encourage all road users to negotiate who comes first. An added benefit is a more visually attractive streetscape that takes away the domination of the car.
It got trialled in a fair few places in the UK. The one that perhaps got most attention was redevelopment of the Exhibition Road in Kensington in 2012. The approach always had more critics here than in some other countries and is no longer supported by UK standards. Some of the criticism came from accessibility groups with particular concerns in relation to people with visual impairment.
I travel to City Rd everyday via the ‘main’ Old Street Roundabout which has been under alteration for at least 2 years now, this is apparently creating a safer space for cyclists and pedestrians. Unfortunately this has resulted in chaos for buses in the area, an increase of idling traffic in general and of course cyclists deciding whether to use the designated cycle lanes depending on whether the lights controlling them are green or not.
As I’ve said on here before there are stupid cyclists and stupid motorists, unfortunately for those in favour of less cars on the road, the most vocal in their community are becoming more and more militant and irrational which is leading to a greater divide between all road users. I would have hoped that campaigners for any cause would have learned from the european referendum, if you patronise those you don’t agree with, those who are indifferent are unlikely to back those they consider as bullies.
Apologies for going off the topic of E-Scooters, but it has become impossible to have a rational conversation on here (and most social media) about the use of motorised vehicles.
Some years ago the mini-roundabout at the back of East Croydon train station was flattened with kerbs removed in something that must have been inspired by the ‘shared space’ concept. It seemed ok to me (as a pedestrian) with road edges marked with tactile paving presumably for the visually impaired:
More recently it’s been reconfigured and has been peppered with road markings and bollards to make the following slightly confusing monstrosity (though the addition a cycle storage for the station is at least good thing):
There are indeed stupid ones on both sides, applies also to eScooter riders. The difference of course is that they have a vastly different impact, pun intended due to kinetic energy of cars being orders of magnitude higher. That’s why you need a license and insurance to drive a car and not to ride a bike or an eScooter. They are not equivalent.
I’m not sure what you mean why this exactly? Is this simply dressing up people as another flavour of ‘angry mobs’ again - I thought we’d moved on from that eh? Is telling people they can cycle to Victoria in 30 mins, or ‘please drive less if you can’ considered militant? Perhaps we could start another topic in the #lounge to discuss this if you’d like.
Why we can’t all just get along and see things from each others perspective. If we all act sensibly there’s enough room on the roads for cyclists, e-scooterists, grown men riding skateboards and normal people.
Militant, favouring confrontational methods in pursuit of a social or political cause, such as using passive aggressive words, like eh.
Irrational, not logical or reasonable, comparing the limiter being removed from a car which has a top speed of 155 mph but will never be driven on the pavement, to increasing the speed of an e scooter which are to be seen regularly on pavements.
No need for any new thread, that would only end up going down the same path.
The police say that e-scooters are the equivalent of a motor car. That is why they require MOT, insurance and number plates, if used on the road or the pavement.
The logic used above seems to me to be like someone saying “I’m not as bad as him. I only stab people. He shoots them.”
Hey. Take off you hoser. That’s cultural misappropriation! Unless you can wash down a dozen Timbits covered in maple syrup with a litre of Clamato juice you have no right to use that phrase. Eh!?
next gen e-scooters are to compete with the useless Southern Railway, with rail based ‘e-Scootas’ to use empty rail capacity. New company ScootRail says the carbon fibre Scootas will bypass all the traffic and bikes on the roads to give a trouble free and fun rail trip into the heart of the city. Details in Railway News here.
I honestly don’t think anything motorised (or actually anything) should be doing 15 mph on a pavement. And I get your point that if you and your family are on the pavement and the scooter is on the pavement that is more of a risk to you than if you are on the pavement and a car is minding its own business in the road.
On the road, scooters are more of a risk to themselves I think. I do have a pet hate of motorised transport in cycle lanes but I think now e-bikes are so prevalent it’s going to be even harder to give non powered (or person powered) bikes anywhere where they are away from motorised vehicles of various sorts. But overall the scooters are much less of a threat on the road. Although I was cycling up Perry Vale to the station today and two whizzed past me - I hadn’t realised how quiet they are and I didn’t know they were behind me so a good reminder (if I needed one, given I’d already cycled back from croydon purley way this morning) of the multiple hazards that can be around you on the road!
It is glorious! Has great relevance to this thread with his take on Scooterboys but, really, has much deeper resonance about the approach to travelling by road in the urban environment. Flow
