<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2963" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE>@page Section1 {size: 21.0cm 842.0pt; margin: 2.0cm 76.55pt 2.0cm 3.0cm; } P.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman" } LI.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman" } DIV.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman" } H2 { FONT-SIZE: 18pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0cm; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0cm; FONT-FAMILY: Arial } A:link { COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline } SPAN.MsoHyperlink { COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline } A:visited { COLOR: purple; TEXT-DECORATION: underline } SPAN.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { COLOR: purple; TEXT-DECORATION: underline } SPAN.emailstyle17 { FONT-WEIGHT: normal; COLOR: black; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; LETTER-SPACING: 0pt; TEXT-DECORATION: none } SPAN.EmailStyle19 { FONT-WEIGHT: normal; COLOR: black; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; TEXT-DECORATION: none } DIV.Section1 { page: Section1 } </STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY lang=EN-US vLink=purple link=blue> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=642552907-18082006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>My comment on the video clip (<FONT face=Tahoma color=#000000>In Your Car No-one Can Hear You Scream</FONT>) is too long for youtube comments. So will post it here and maybe Eric can forward to the filmmaker?</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=642552907-18082006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=642552907-18082006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I found this clip very stimulating, confronting and thought provoking. The footage of the same four-way intersection with and without its traffic lights is striking and persuasive. The film promises to be a strong missive in favour of wider application of shared space ideas.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=642552907-18082006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=642552907-18082006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><STRONG>BUT I notice THREE PROBLEMS.</STRONG> </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=642552907-18082006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=642552907-18082006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>ONE, the clip fails to sell a key benefit of shared space (at least as I understand it, so far). This is the creation of a <STRONG>lower-speed street environment</STRONG> in which vulnerable road users can share comfortably and safely (including being a great boon for bikes, blades, wheelchairs and other 'personal mobility devices'). In high speed traffic the human mind is not capable of negotiating by eye contact. We can only do this below 30km/h. By coming close to suggesting that speed limits are not needed at all, the film's arguments are likely to lose a key set of allies, namely people concerned with road danger for vulnerable road users. </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=642552907-18082006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=642552907-18082006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>TWO, it over-reaches by not recognising the limits of the approach. Monderman and the other shared space 'gurus' make clear that their ideas <STRONG>apply only to the part of the network that can be designated as 'public realm'</STRONG>, where speeds should be no more than 30km/h or so. This includes many streets where we have currently allowed traffic to dominate but it does not include most major multi-lane arterials (main roads). In traffic space, speeds are high and traffic engineering and control will need to remain. In the public realm we can and should design for lower speeds, especially at intersections, and eliminate most signs and controls, and rely much more on common-sense and social interaction. </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=642552907-18082006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=642552907-18082006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>THREE, the film seems to misunderstand congestion to some extent. And therefore takes aim at some of the wrong targets, such as congestion charging (or demand management more generally) and bus priority measures. Again you lose some potential allies for no good reason. Congestion will apparently not be worsened by removing many traffic controls and unnecessary delays at off peak times can be reduced. BUT <STRONG>this approach cannot magically solve peak period congestion</STRONG> altogether. The peak problem will remain unless the demand side is tackled somehow. Some kind of demand management and some kind of priority for public transport are necessary. Shared space will have no hope politically (since it requires a lower speed street environment) unless it is complemented by its natural allies, which include bus priority and demand management. Otherwise, we will keep seeing demands to expand the traffic space and shrink the public realm as we have for the last 50 years.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=642552907-18082006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=642552907-18082006><SPAN class=642552907-18082006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Paul</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=642552907-18082006><SPAN class=642552907-18082006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=642552907-18082006><SPAN class=642552907-18082006></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-au><FONT face=Arial size=1>Paul A. Barter | Assistant Professor | LKY School of Public Policy | National University of Singapore | 29 Heng Mui Keng Terrace | Singapore 119620 | Tel: +65-6516 3324 | Fax: +65-6778 1020 | Email: paulbarter@nus.edu.sg | <A href="http://www.lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/faculty/paulbarter/">http://www.lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/faculty/paulbarter/</A>  |   I am speaking for myself, not for my employers.<BR></FONT><BR><FONT face=Arial color=#800080 size=1>Perspectives on urban transport in developing countries:</FONT> <FONT face=Arial size=1><A href="http://urbantransportasia.blogspot.com/">http://urbantransportasia.blogspot.com/</A></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>