Author Topic: Merged thread: Countdown graphics, Nearside pedestrian figures, etc etc  (Read 29376 times)

Cudzoziemiec

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Re: Merged thread: Countdown graphics, Nearside pedestrian figures, etc etc
« Reply #100 on: 09 November, 2018, 02:24:54 pm »
I don't think there are any streets in the UK that wide, and the speed of the vehicles and trams seem to be about 5mph, and big gaps between vehicles.

Maybe this is more relevant:
London Traffic Jams (1946)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ewnGT41tuE

Apparently zebra crossing were only introduced in the UK in 1949. Looking at videos of that period, traffic seems much much slower than today.
Finally got around to watching the 1946 film. Yes, traffic seems much slower than today. Not much of it either; not just in relation to London today but San Francisco 40 years earlier. Presumably in 1946 traffic in Britain was still recovering from war time levels, with rationing and so on. It's a bit more orderly, but the pedestrians still cross the road wherever they happen to be and stop in random places between vehicles – presumably partly because there were not official crossing points other than junctions with lights, and partly because the low speeds meant they still could do this relatively safely.
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Re: Merged thread: Countdown graphics, Nearside pedestrian figures, etc etc
« Reply #101 on: 09 November, 2018, 06:10:22 pm »
Petrol was still rationed until May 1950, which would affect volume of traffic, and possibly speed too.
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Kim

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Re: Merged thread: Countdown graphics, Nearside pedestrian figures, etc etc
« Reply #102 on: 09 November, 2018, 07:23:15 pm »
Also, we're the product of a couple of generations of "Keep out of the way of the cars!" culture since then.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Merged thread: Countdown graphics, Nearside pedestrian figures, etc etc
« Reply #103 on: 10 November, 2018, 12:15:47 pm »
Also, we're the product of a couple of generations of "Keep out of the way of the cars!" culture since then.
I think that's the biggest point. I read somewhere that the term "jay walking" and the attendant concept that you should only cross the road at certain places was invented in the 1920s by the USA motor industry, in order to normalize cars.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Merged thread: Countdown graphics, Nearside pedestrian figures, etc etc
« Reply #104 on: 08 November, 2019, 09:06:15 pm »
Apparently there's now a farside with countdown in Bristol. Does this mark a (local) shift away from nearsides? Probably not. I haven't used it yet but there's a pertinent observation in the local press:
Quote
But during temperatures like this, it would be even better if we could cross Temple Gate just a little quicker.
https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/bristol-temple-meads-gate-traffic-3516644
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Merged thread: Countdown graphics, Nearside pedestrian figures, etc etc
« Reply #105 on: 17 November, 2019, 04:42:45 pm »
I used it today. You get about 6 seconds of green man followed by a countdown from 11 with neither green nor red man. Then red man, then after another second or two green for vehicles. Opinion: The farside, above head height symbols are easier to see and read (for directionality from a distance) than the nearsides. The green man time is barely sufficient. There seems to be, from what I observed, no variation in green man and countdown time according to circumstances (presence of people still crossing, etc) so I'm not sure what the advantage is of having countdown rather than making it all green (presumably to discourage people starting walking in the last 11 seconds). The major problems are the same as with any style of signal-controlled crossing: too long a wait for green man and crossing obstructed by queuing cars. Hopefully the last might be ameliorated when the surrounding roadworks finally finish (over a year and counting). Additionally, this one is a Toucan (I was on foot) but there is no indication of which side is walk, which cycle. Not that anyone ever takes any notice anyway. Again, that might be signed when everything's finished.

So far, little improvement over nearsides.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.