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Old November 24th 17, 06:32 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
John B.[_3_]
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Posts: 5,697
Default AG: running stop signs.

On Thu, 23 Nov 2017 22:06:50 -0400, Joy Beeson
wrote:

On Wed, 08 Nov 2017 10:22:01 +0700, John B.
wrote:

Does a bicycle have the right to ignore traffic laws in the U.S.?


On a more serious note: In the U.S. we are obsessed with safety.
We will do *anything*, however expensive, that will "improve safety".

I think that the term is more likely "obsessed with the idea of
safety". Some years ago I was doing my usual tirade about bicycle
safety helmets and someone replied that what he/she looked for was
"light weight and good ventilation". Not a peep about "safe".

However, it is plain and obvious that people can't sin; only objects
can sin. Therefore it's a waste of time to teach people to look both
ways before crossing a railroad, or to ask drivers to notice what is
ahead of them. Nothing but changes in the infrastructure can ever
improve safety.


Back when I was in the Air Force the Safety Manual had it that the
vast majority of accidents were caused by unsafe acts and I believe
that the current theory hasn't changed.

On the other hand it seems that the Safety Managers have given up
trying to keep the fools from sticking their finger in the power saw
and now are relying more and more on building things so that you can't
stick you finger in the hole.

So where-ever a "yield" sign is required, we put up a stop sign.
Stopping is ever so much safer than yielding.

I don't think I've ever seen a "yield" sign anywhere except inside a
roundabout. The city fathers sign off on whether or not to fund a
roundabout, but don't vote on individual signs inside the roundabout,
so signs inside the roundabout are chosen by traffic engineers.

So all our drivers have been trained that a red octagon means "yield".

One intersection within walking distance of my house saw several
serious collisions before the powers that be put an orange flag on the
top of the sign, and another sign below it that said "cross traffic
does not stop", to indicate that this stop sign actually is a stop
sign.


Put a Cop on the corner with a camera. Everyone that runs the stop
sign gets his picture taken and a $100 fine :-)
--
Cheers,

John B.

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