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05/28/2003 Entry: "The thrill of the open road"
Well, I'm back.
Did you miss me? I've had a great few days at the other side of the UK in Essex, visiting our daughters' godparents. Had some fun times doing "family stuff" and got back to an box full of email and an answerphone groaning with messages. So that's tomorrow taken care of.
I've spent most of today on the motorway, including Britain's busiest road the M25. (aka the London orbital car park). What a delight that was! O! the joy of sitting in a traffic queue, breathing the healthful aroma of exhaust gases! The child-like pleasure of knowing you're making a contribution to warming the world just a little! The release of yelling at the kids that, no, we're not nearly here and it isn't my fault we're not going anywhere and will you stop fighting and talk nicely?!
Everyone agrees that there are too many cars on Britain's roads. Other people's cars, of course. What we don't agree about is what to do about it. Some say, "Build more roads." Others, "Make driving more expensive." I'm sure that there's a case to be made for shifting the economics of private vs public transport, but that's a long term issue and we have traffic congestion now. Something needs to be done right speedily if the place is not going to come to a complete standstill.
I have a partial solution to offer. which I confidently predict will be ignored completely by anyone with any authority to actually do anything about it.
We could create more space on the network without building a single yard of road. The simple expedient of reducing the speed limit to 55 mph would automatically allow more vehicles in. Secondly, the existing matrix could impose further reductions in top speed when traffic is heavy. Theoretically, this already happens on parts of the M25, but my experience today suggests that the temporary speed limits are completely ignored. As well as keeping the traffic moving (which is, after all, what traffic is supposed to do) these measures would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve road safety to boot - without costing anyone anything in tax or toll.
It won't happen of course. Cars are bought and sold with speed being a key selling point. Most motorists would argue that speed limits on motorways are too low - even when they're sitting in a line of stationary traffic.
Perhaps "queueing theory" should be intoduced into the national curriculum?
Replies:
Welcome back, indeed. I just returned from Annual Conference today and am catching up on a variety of things, as well as packing for the big move. Last year at this time we were entertaining the Halls and preparing for our journey to Sketty. Which brings me to my response: One solution to too many cars is to utilize something we don't have much of over here: your trains and buses (motor coaches?). I realize that the cost may be a factor, but I was always relieved when I could take a train or bus rather than drive. Of course, some of that had to do with my anxiety of driving on the other side of the road. Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth.
Posted by Ivan the Crank @ 05/31/2003 09:38 PM CST
Welcome back - 'course we missed you! - hope you had a good half term break but I DON'T envy you the drive! Last time I went to my parents' I didn't drive but went by coach so we could go up the bus only lane and past all the queuing (stationary!) traffic - far easier.
Posted by alice @ 05/29/2003 05:24 PM CST
