Traffic planners have a big job in relation to signs. They need to make it clear to people what they may or may not do, what the specific rules are and they need to warn people of things up ahead. Some of these are creative, some are not. When I had a meeting with some provincial traffic planners a week ago, I past one of the offices of a sign designer who no joke had a sign that had the specifications of a warning sign and a description that says “To be used in high collision areas with a cause of collision being primarily speeding” and it read “Slow Down Stupid!”. That wouldn’t bode well with the readers. But I have some practical ideas. Some are borrowed from Europe, some are borrowed from my own head, some from North America, a bunch of places. One thing I forgot to mention is that signalized intersections would have in addition to an all red stage, the direction that will get green next will have the yellow and red lights go together for a second or two in advance of the green. Gives a bit of warning. I also skipped through the part where a yield sign and crossroads sign would be used to tell drivers that if the signals go to four way flashing amber or not working at all, then the yield signs take over, like in Europe.
I also introduce the category of freeway and expressway into official road classification, with signs to match. Default speed limits like Poland and Bulgaria and some freeways in Texas, similar size to Alberta, have posted limits of 140 (85 MPH in the US’s case) on freeways. I also introduce electronic regulatory speed limit signs that can reduce speed limits in the case of bad weather, bad conditions, collisions and congestion or whatever else might need a slowdown. I should probably also tell you that the little yellow arrow on the slide showing new traffic lights, that means you can turn but you must let cyclists and or pedestrians whose paths you may cross go first. It wouldn’t be standard but would be used when the intersection is too small to have separate turn lanes or when the intersection is too small and not busy enough to have separate signal stages.
Roads should also have predictability to help reinforce the sign’s messages. Sustainable Safety principle of Predictability demands that. 30 km/h speed zones look like 30 km/h is a natural limit. 1 way roads look narrow enough for that to look like it makes sense. Of course bicycles and mopeds should usually be allowed to go the other way, sometimes in a counter flow lane. Freeways generally look like they are, so that works nicely. But I often have trouble distinguishing between arterial and collector roads. Really. Road signs help, but physical design is better.
Thanks to Globonsomeday for some of the ideas and actual signs which I used. Please like, subscribe and share this video and watch the 100+ others I have made. It spreads my message of road safety for all, children, seniors, the disabled, adults, everyone. One death is too many. Here is the blog for the channel: https://cyclinginedmontonfromtheeyesofateen.blogspot.ca/
Post time: Jun-17-2017