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Road Safety & Vision Zero Plan

pman said:
I think speeding is one of the issues, actually. There’s a lot of evidence that hitting a pedestrian at 30km/h is significantly less damaging than hitting them at 40km/h. Even the City of Toronto has finally recognized that, and has changed some of the numbers on its signs as a result. Big deal. Cameras enforce compliance full stop, in a far more cost-effective manner than hiring an army of traffic cops. As do speed bumps, lane narrowing, roundabouts and ruthlessly enforced zebra crossings. But AB, I’m truly curious about your dismissal of cameras as part of the solution. Admittedly NSW is the only comparison about which I have any truly intimate knowledge, but I guarantee you they’re a big part of the equation there, and getting even bigger with the implementation of AI to detect driver phone use.

However, speeding is by no means the only issue. RTOR is a nutso Ontario thing that has no place in a city. I’ve driven a fair amount in Europe and the UK over the years, in addition to Australia, and just assume RTOR is illegal in other cities. Since I generally don’t get honked at while stopped at a red with my right (or left as the case may be) turn signal on, I’m guessing most jurisdictions ban it. Furthermore, our lack of mid-street pedestrian refuges as a matter of standard design is absurd. And our oh-so-Toronto glacially slow progress on physically segregated bike lanes is sad.

I’m by no means suggesting that a massive roll out of cameras would be sufficient to implement an honest Vision Zero, only that cameras are a proven and important part of the solution.
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In Toronto, they rotate the red-light cameras, between dummy and real cameras. This was a relinquishment to the suburban automobile disciples. They should ALL be real cameras.
 
Over in the cycling thread, a sub-discussion about the accomplishments or lack thereof, of Barbara Gray, the current head of Transportation Services in Toronto.

She was with the City of Seattle previously.

Coincidentally, I happen to follow a Transportation Engineer in Seattle on Twitter, and he regularly posts pictures and plans of what they are doing there.

So much more innovative and ambitious than what we see here.

At any rate, I thought to place this particular picture from today here, to show one small example of something I love from Seattle that we ought to be able to bring here with little controversy.

Chicanes.

Yes, yes, we have some in Toronto, though not as many as we ought.

But I was particularly taken by the much audacious natures of these in Seattle vs what you see in Toronto.

1587745364237.png


https://twitter.com/x/status/1253718562935410689

Note the larger size, but also that they've active made the chicanes into Community Gardens. City puts in the tree and the hardscape and soil, but the community plants.
 
More modest looking, only if due to its newness is this public realm project which provides good space for its trees but then uses interesting plants for a ground cover, not sod or brick. All the while incorporating seating too.

1587745628210.png


https://twitter.com/x/status/1253677853532540929
 
The city and Police have reported a spike in speeding and stunt driving in recent weeks despite fewer cars on the road. Early in the year, Automated Speed Enforcement (photo radar) was supposed to play a role in increased traffic law enforcement. But with the pandemic, the ASE pilot was deemed non-essential and shelved.

 
Northern Light said:
Over 300km/ph! That's beyond nuts!

Speeding is one thing; but most professional drivers would struggle to keep control at that speed, particularly on a road/track that isn't closed, where other traffic can interact at any time.
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That's why the expressways are designed that way. They're designed not for the posted speed limits, but for the "safety" of the speeders. Notice that the speeder did not have a collision, but was able to be stopped by the cops.
 
I actually wasn't aware that non-crazy exotic cars could even go that fast. Some serious speed. Wonder if anyone will make 350km/h by year's end. Highways so empty they're basically a proving ground atm.
 
Northern Light said:
Over 300km/ph! That's beyond nuts!

Speeding is one thing; but most professional drivers would struggle to keep control at that speed, particularly on a road/track that isn't closed, where other traffic can interact at any time.
Click to expand...
Jeez. In 2018 I reached 230 kph on the Autobahn in a diesel Opel Zafira minivan with six speed manual, and that was plenty fast enough, where I soon dropped down to cruising at 185-190 kph. With good highways and driver training such speeds can have the right time and place.
 
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Admiral Beez said:
Jeez. In 2018 I reached 230 kph on the Autobahn in a diesel Opel Zafira minivan with six speed manual, and that was plenty fast enough, where I soon dropped down to cruising at 185-190 kph. With good highways and driving training such speeds can have the right time and place.
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Seeing as he was a 19-year-old G2, I'll guess dumb luck.

Somebody out there will see this as a challenge. I'm guessing a few crotch-rockets will try to give it a go.
 
44 North said:
I actually wasn't aware that non-crazy exotic cars could even go that fast. Some serious speed. Wonder if anyone will make 350km/h by year's end. Highways so empty they're basically a proving ground atm.
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Maybe not a crazy exotic but the car is an AMG which is the high performance division of Mercedes. The factory standard engine for the c63 AMG puts out 470 hp.
 
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