Overseas News
Biking around the world
Safety in chaos
A town in Holland is getting rid of its traffic lights and discovering that it never needed them in the first place...
story David Millward
Most traffic lights should be torn up as they make roads less safe, says one of Europe's leading road engineers. Hans Monderman, a traffic planner involved in a Brussels-backed project known as Shared Space, said that taking lights away helped motorists, cyclists and pedestrians to co-exist more happily and safely.
Residents of the northern Dutch town of Drachten have already been used as guinea-pigs in an experiment which has seen nearly all the traffic lights stripped from their streets. Only three of the 15 sets in the town of 50,000 remain and they will be gone within a couple of years.
The project is the brainchild of Mr Monderman, and the town has seen some remarkable results. There used to be a road death every three years but there have been none since the traffic light removal started seven years ago. There have been a few small collisions, but these are almost to be encouraged, Mr Monderman explained. "We want small accidents, in order to prevent serious ones in which people get hurt," he said."It works well because it is dangerous, which is exactly what we want. But it shifts the emphasis away from the Government taking the risk, to the driver being responsible for his or her own risk. "We only want traffic lights where they are useful and I haven't found anywhere where they are useful yet." Mr Monderman, 61, compared his philosophy of motoring to an ice rink.
"Skaters work out things for themselves and it works wonderfully well. I am not an anarchist, but I don't like rules which are ineffective and street furniture tells people how to behave." In short, if motorists are made more wary about how they drive, they behave more carefully, he said.
The main junction in Drachten handles about 22,000 cars a day. Where once there were traffic lights, there is a roundabout, an extended cycle path and pedestrian area. In the days of traffic lights, progress across the junction was slow, as cars stopped and started. Now tailbacks are almost unheard of - and almost nobody toots a horn.
However, it is not the cars which seem to be involved in the greatest conflict, it is the cyclists and pedestrians who seem to jostle for space. Driving around Drachten, vehicles approach roundabouts with considerable caution - traffic approaches from the left, but cyclists come from either side. Cyclists, almost none of whom bother with helmets, signal clearly at junctions making sure motorists are aware of them.
Thus far, Drachten's drivers and pedestrians have voted the experiment a success. "I am used to it now," said Helena Spaanstra, 24. "You drive more slowly and carefully, but somehow you seem to get around town quicker." Tony Ooostward, 70, was equally enthusiastic. "Everybody is learning. I am a walker and now you are the boss at the crossroads, everyone waits for you. But at the same time pedestrians wait until there are a number wanting to cross at the same time." Kanaan Jamal, 39, like many people in Drachten, uses a bike to get around. "It is very smooth - a lot better than other towns," he said.
The consensus is that the creation of uncertainty by taking away the lights and even in some places the road markings has worked "Anybody who is new here doesn't know what to do. They don't know who has priority, the car, bike or pedestrian. It's all confusing, but because of that everybody takes care," Mr Jamal said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO), a specialised health agency of the United Nations with 191 member states, is stressing the need for mandatory helmet laws worldwide and has published a road safety manual giving technical advice to governments on how to assess current helmet use and design programs to increase helmet wearing.
According to their estimates, motorcyclists account for more than 50 percent of the 1.2 million killed in road crashes every year, adding that the majority of those who die or are disabled in motorcycle accidents are from low and middle income nations, which is why the WHO is intensifying efforts to support governments to increase helmet use through their new publication - 'Helmets: a road safety manual for decision-makers and practitioners.'
"We want to make helmet use a high priority for national public health systems," says Dr. Anders Nordström, Acting Director-General of WHO. "We need to stress not only the effectiveness of helmets in saving lives, but the fact that helmet programs are good value for money.
Many countries have succeeded in raising rates of helmet use through adopting laws that make helmet use compulsory, enforcing these laws, and raising public awareness about the laws, as well as the benefits of helmet use. "The importance of increasing helmet use follows dramatic growth in motorisation around the world, largely from increasing use of motorised two-wheelers, particularly in Asian countries. In China, for example, motorcycle ownership over the last ten years has increased rapidly. In 2004 it was estimated that more than 67 million motorcycles were registered in the country, and approximately 25% of all road traffic deaths were among motorcyclists and their passengers," reports the WHO.
Americans turn to two wheels to save gas
According to the Californian-based Motorcycle Safety Foundation, more than 350,000 people will have taken its new-rider course in 2006, a 10 per cent increase over the year before. So many people want to ride that there's a waiting list for spots in the class, months long at times.The Motorcycle Industry Council, also based in California, knows the number of riders is rising rapidly. Sales of motorcycles and scooters climbed 8 per cent in the first quarter of 2006, compared to the same period last year.
Because of rising fuel prices, there are a lot more novices on motorcycles. In fact, the American Motorcyclist Association reports that 35 per cent of motorcycle owners plan to be on their bikes more as a direct result of pumped-up prices at the pump. The typical motorcycle in the US gets 50 miles per gallon of gas, while the average passenger car gets less than half of that at 22.4 miles. Gas prices have risen to more than $3US (£1.60) in recent times. A price that would cause rejoicing in Europe but is traumatising gas-guzzling America.
Germany's oldest motorcycle manufacturer has been rescued from insolvency by a Management Buy Out.
Sachs Fahrzeug- und Motorentechnik GmbH is the successor company of the Nuremberg-based Hercules Werke GmbH, which was established in 1886, making this year its 120th anniversary.
The initial insolvency proceedings, which were filed on 28 June 2006, were triggered by a huge pensions liability that the current management inherited from the massive Hercules bicycle works, which Sachs bought out in the 1960's. Fortunately the insolvency administrator not only enabled continued trading, but also put the Company in a position to develop new models, such as the stunning new XTC125, unveiled at the Intermot fair in Cologne in October.
Keith Davies, Managing Director of 3X who distribute Sachs in the UK, is delighted by the announcement. "This is the best news we could have hoped for. We have just taken delivery of the latest 6-speed X-Road 125 and things are looking very positive for next year." said Davies.
US motorcycle stamps
The US Postal Service recently, with great fanfare, issued a new set of stamps depicting motorcycles. Collectors who buy copies issued on the first day the stamps are available can get them with a special commemorative postmark. Unfortunately, the colourful postmark issued during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota misspells it "motorcyle." (You wouldn't find The ROAD doing that Ed err)
Having discovered this, the post office announced Friday that new orders for first-day envelopes will have a corrected postmark, unless the buyer wants it spelled wrong. In that case they can still order the version with the incorrect postmark. All they have to do is include a note asking for the incorrect version.
Any collectors who already have misspelled versions can trade them for the corrected version by sending them to Information Fulfilment, Dept 6270, US Postal Service, PO Box 219424, KANSAS CITY, MO, 64121-9424.
After decades of tumult over the morality of body art, Oklahoma has bowed to public pressure by becoming the last state to legalise tattoo artists, some of whom have done time for their illicit activities.
In Oklahoma City, lawmakers did the about-face after persistent arguments that prohibition had put needles in the hands of unlicensed ink slingers. Now tattoo artists will be forced to abide by public-health standards and learn proper techniques.
The Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations (FEMA) has welcomed proposals which will require heavy vehicles to be equipped with 'blind spot mirrors', aimed at protecting vulnerable road users such as cyclists and motorcyclists. FEMA took part in both consultative procedures and applauds the Commission's inclusion of motorcyclists' views.
America's biggest rider group, The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced that Robert Rasor will retire as the Association's President to assume the role of Director of International Affairs. Razor, who has been an AMA member for 34 years will now coordinate the AMA's relationship with the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), the international governing body for motorcycle sport and touring, as well as other international organisations. Rasor will be succeeded as AMA President by Robert M. Dingman.
Celebrity bike builder on manslaughter charge
Celebrity American bike builder Billy Lane is facing manslaughter charges following the death of a 56 year old moped rider who was killed in an accident between his vehicle and Lane's pick up truck.
Lane was charged with driving under the influence, manslaughter, driving with his license suspended after a fatal accident in connection with an accident on State Road A1A, south of Melbourne Beach.
Gerald Vernon Morelock, a Sebastian Inlet park ranger from Melbourne Beach, was killed in the head-on collision between his moped and Lane's pickup truck.
"At the time of the crash Lane's license had been suspended," Florida Highway Patrol spokeswoman Kim Miller said.
Investigators said the accident happened after Lane, the custom chopper builder featured on Discovery Channel's 'Biker Build-Off' and 'Monster Garage,' crossed a double yellow line to pass several other vehicles before striking Morelock's 1983 Yamaha moped.
Lane had been drinking throughout the day, according to investigators.
This tragedy is not Lane's only run in with the law. In June, North Carolina Highway Patrol officers arrested Lane on drunken driving charges.
Police in that case said Lane drove on the wrong side of a two-lane road without a helmet and refused to take a breath test resulting in his license being suspended for a year.
Portuguese MAG joins FEMA
The Portuguese organisation GAM has joined FEMA as a member. The FEMA committee, consisting of representatives of all member organisations, unanimously agreed on GAM's membership. GAM is a Portuguese abbreviation for Motorcycle Action Group. The organisation was founded in 2006 to establish an organisation to fight for riders' rights in Portugal. On behalf of GAM full time employee Tó Manel was welcomed to FEMA by president Kees Meijer. GAM is FEMA's 22nd member organisation. see GAM's website: www.gam.com.pt
^top