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Seattle lowers traction in intersection, calls it "improvement"

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bernard farquart

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Sep 11, 2006, 3:46:09 PM9/11/06
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Talk about poorly thought out! Some neighbors were upset that
traffic was going too fast, thought about speed bumps, then got
the city to approve a big painting in the intersection. Hope no one
needs to use their brakes, or turn in this intersection. Good thing
Seattle is not know for rain, which would really lessen the friction
of your tires against the pavement while in this "improvement"

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003253218_wallingford11m.html

Or, if you prefer,

http://tinyurl.com/hqojh


Jeeze!


Bernard


Mike T.

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Sep 11, 2006, 3:58:20 PM9/11/06
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"bernard farquart" <bernard...@DELETEhotmail.com> wrote in message
news:M92dnS23M_NjIZjY...@comcast.com...

"Our goal is to cut down traffic and bring the community together and create
a sense of neighborhood," said Eric Higbee, who lives on the corner and
helped lead the project."

[ So Higbee is going to be at the top of the defendants' list the first time
a motorcycle tries to make a turn in that intersection while the paint has
water on it. MAJOR lawsuit is brewing here. ]

The intersection artwork, a pilot project for the city, has been in the
works for about five months, he said, adding that the neighborhood received
a $1,400 city grant to pay for the paint and permits.

[ So add the city to the defendants' list, also ]

Initially, he said, the city thought the design would be too big, but
officials eventually allowed the neighborhood to paint it.

[ Good, then the city can't weasel out of the resulting lawsuit, as they
officially and monetarily supported it ]

The ladybug idea was the brainchild of Lloyd Jansen, who had been talking
with another neighbor about the possibility of having speed bumps put in the
intersection. The bumps idea evolved into ladybug spots, and he then turned
the idea over to neighborhood children, who created the design.

[ Hmmmm, so far we have Higbee, the city and Jansen. How many more people
want their asses sued off? ]

"Dad thought of a ladybug and I thought it sounded really cool," said his
11-year-old daughter, Laura, who helped in the design work.

[ Ok, 'Laura's' dad just stepped forward. Good for him! I hope he has
deep pockets ]

Higbee said the residents also wanted to paint flower petals on the
sidewalks, but that was vetoed by city officials, who said it would be too
confusing for drivers.

[ Oh yeah, like a fricking ladybug where an intersection should be makes so
much more sense to a driver ]

It's only going to take one fatal accident (probably a motorcyclist will
bite the dust first, as paint is very slippery in wet conditions) to have
the city scrap the idea. They'd better be stocking up on 55 gallon drums of
paint thinner. -Dave


necromancer

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Sep 11, 2006, 4:19:28 PM9/11/06
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Ladies and Gentlemen (and I use those words loosely), Mike T. said in
rec.autos.driving:

<snip>

> "Dad thought of a ladybug and I thought it sounded really cool," said his
> 11-year-old daughter, Laura, who helped in the design work.
>
> [ Ok, 'Laura's' dad just stepped forward. Good for him! I hope he has
> deep pockets ]

Don't forget all the people who took the time to actually paint this
artwork in the intersection.

gpsman

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Sep 11, 2006, 5:11:17 PM9/11/06
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brink

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Sep 11, 2006, 5:11:11 PM9/11/06
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"necromancer" <necro...@kretp.tmy> wrote in message
news:MPG.1f6f8ec9f...@newsgroups.bellsouth.net...

I have to admit I'm with you guys on this one. Assuming this paint is as
slick as all paint gets in rain -- and I've yet to encounter non-slick
paint -- this would be a nightmare to traverse on a bicycle.

Rumor has it Seattle gets a fair bit of rain on occasion. You reckon this
could cause any problems?

I would sincerely like to hear from the other side on this issue -- Seattle
is a very progressive city with lots of bikers. Surely this was taken into
consideration, wasn't it?

brink


bernard farquart

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Sep 11, 2006, 6:52:38 PM9/11/06
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"gpsman" <gps...@driversmail.com> wrote in message
news:1158009077....@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com...
Did you see something I missed? This is in no way
connected to the article I posted links to. This is a non
skid coating, they used a paint.

Just go ahead and change your name to
"mary mary" and get it over with, already.

Bernard


Dave

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Sep 11, 2006, 8:17:30 PM9/11/06
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>
> I have to admit I'm with you guys on this one. Assuming this paint is as
> slick as all paint gets in rain -- and I've yet to encounter non-slick
> paint -- this would be a nightmare to traverse on a bicycle.
>
> Rumor has it Seattle gets a fair bit of rain on occasion. You reckon this
> could cause any problems?
>
> I would sincerely like to hear from the other side on this issue --
> Seattle is a very progressive city with lots of bikers. Surely this was
> taken into consideration, wasn't it?
>
> brink

Fuck bicycles. Wait until a 500 pound motorcycle bounces off your head
because the motorcycle had no traction on rain-slicked paint. -Dave


Ted Kennedy - President of DDDAMM (Drunk Driving Divers Against Mad Mothers)

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Sep 11, 2006, 8:36:14 PM9/11/06
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Hi. This is the meow-send program at usenet. I'm afraid I wasn't able
to deliver any clue to the following address: "bernard farquart"
<bernard...@DELETEhotmail.com>
This is a permanent error; I've given up. Sorry it didn't work out.

I'm lost. The provided link, which includes "anti_slip_paint.htm" as
a part, is about anti-slip paint. Is everyone certain that those who
painted the ladybug (as retarded as an idea as that is) didn't use
this product?


---

"Do we operate under a system of equal justice under law? Or is there one system for the average citizen and another for the high and mighty?" ~ Senator Ted Kennedy, 1973

--

El Pollo Loco (Laura Bush Murdered Her Boyfriend) demonstrates it's complete gullibility, stupidity, and state of delusion when it falls for an April Fool's joke, hook, line, and sinker:

> http://groups.google.com/group/alt.politics.democrats.d/msg/008d032d86999983?hl=en&

Ragnar wrote:
> Gods, you're dumb. Its a rather obvious April Fool's joke. And you're
> the Fool.

This is no joke.

Paul Hovnanian P.E.

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Sep 11, 2006, 10:14:59 PM9/11/06
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brink wrote:
>
> "necromancer" <necro...@kretp.tmy> wrote in message
> news:MPG.1f6f8ec9f...@newsgroups.bellsouth.net...
> > Ladies and Gentlemen (and I use those words loosely), Mike T. said in
> > rec.autos.driving:
> >
> > <snip>
> >
> >> "Dad thought of a ladybug and I thought it sounded really cool," said his
> >> 11-year-old daughter, Laura, who helped in the design work.
> >>
> >> [ Ok, 'Laura's' dad just stepped forward. Good for him! I hope he has
> >> deep pockets ]
> >
> > Don't forget all the people who took the time to actually paint this
> > artwork in the intersection.
>
> I have to admit I'm with you guys on this one. Assuming this paint is as
> slick as all paint gets in rain -- and I've yet to encounter non-slick
> paint -- this would be a nightmare to traverse on a bicycle.
>
> Rumor has it Seattle gets a fair bit of rain on occasion. You reckon this
> could cause any problems?

Well, somebody is going to have to test this. Take a vehicle, preferably
a heavy truck with duals, get a run at the intersection and lock up the
brakes on the paint. Take a look at the length and quality of skid marks
left behind.



> I would sincerely like to hear from the other side on this issue -- Seattle
> is a very progressive city with lots of bikers. Surely this was taken into
> consideration, wasn't it?
>
> brink

--
Paul Hovnanian mailto:Pa...@Hovnanian.com
------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Why do mountain climbers rope themselves together?
A: To prevent the sensible ones from going home.

Jim Yanik

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Sep 11, 2006, 10:42:06 PM9/11/06
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"bernard farquart" <bernard...@DELETEhotmail.com> wrote in
news:M92dnS23M_NjIZjY...@comcast.com:

What a CHEAPO newspaper,couldn't even show a picture of the painting.

What also was not clear is whether the "painting" is just flat paint(slick
in rain),or raised bumps like some of the reflective road decals used for
turn arrows,stop lines,and other intersection markings.
They did say the "painting" evolved from speed bumps to "ladybug
spots",then to the "painting" design.

I don't see how an ordinary painting would slow people down without some
bumpiness to it.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

Jim Yanik

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Sep 11, 2006, 10:46:15 PM9/11/06
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"bernard farquart" <bernard...@DELETEhotmail.com> wrote in
news:qZOdnXZyQ7AudZjY...@comcast.com:

The reflective decals DOT lays down for road markings like "stop lines" and
turn arrows is very slick when wet,much more than pavement.
And they are THICK,not like a layer of paint.Sometimes when they replace
worn markings,they just lay new decals over the old,and make an even
thicker bumpy marking.

Arif Khokar

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Sep 11, 2006, 11:29:47 PM9/11/06
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Jim Yanik wrote:

> I don't see how an ordinary painting would slow people down without some
> bumpiness to it.

They're hoping that the drivers will slow down to look at the painting.
They also feel that a beneficial side effect of this painting is
having drivers look at the painting instead of traffic conditions at the
intersection. Then, after the resulting crash(es), they'll have a
stronger case for lowering speed limit.

Jim Yanik

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Sep 12, 2006, 12:12:00 AM9/12/06
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Arif Khokar <akhok...@wvu.edu> wrote in
news:LQpNg.357$Ka1...@news01.roc.ny:

Most drivers would not even SEE the painting,-because- they would be
watching traffic or something else.The angle is all wrong for a driver's
view.

It's probably best viewed from the air.

Floyd Rogers

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Sep 12, 2006, 1:22:17 AM9/12/06
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"Jim Yanik" <jya...@abuse.gov> wrote
> "bernard farquart" <bernard...@DELETEhotmail.com> wrote

> What a CHEAPO newspaper,couldn't even show a picture of the painting.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2006/09/10/2003252885.jpg

Don't know where you were looking - it was there ...

FloydR


C. E. White

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Sep 12, 2006, 7:36:30 AM9/12/06
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"bernard farquart" <bernard...@DELETEhotmail.com> wrote in message
news:M92dnS23M_NjIZjY...@comcast.com...

When I see something like this, I say to myself "What were they thinking?"
At best this is a bad idea. Public artwork often upsets some significant
portion of the population (taste does vary), but to do it in the middle of
an intersection, and potentially create a safety problem seems especially
stupid. Aside from the issues of taste and traffic safety, I have to wonder
who is going to maintain this mural? How long before there are black marks
all over it from people trying to lay down rubber as they accelerate through
the intersection over the mural?

Ed


Mike T.

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Sep 12, 2006, 9:38:38 AM9/12/06
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> stupid. Aside from the issues of taste and traffic safety, I have to
> wonder who is going to maintain this mural? How long before there are
> black marks all over it from people trying to lay down rubber as they
> accelerate through the intersection over the mural?
>
> Ed

Ed - I think it's good that they chose red, so all the blood spilled in this
intersection won't mar the painting too much. -Dave


Message has been deleted

Jim Yanik

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Sep 12, 2006, 10:33:14 AM9/12/06
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Jim Yanik

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Sep 12, 2006, 10:34:34 AM9/12/06
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"C. E. White" <cewh...@removemindspring.com> wrote in
news:45069c48@kcnews01:

> How long before there are black marks all over it from people
> trying to lay down rubber as they accelerate through the intersection
> over the mural?
>
> Ed
>

Hey,good idea!

Maybe a drifting competition.

Larry Bud

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Sep 12, 2006, 11:18:19 AM9/12/06
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bernard farquart wrote:
> Talk about poorly thought out! Some neighbors were upset that
> traffic was going too fast, thought about speed bumps, then got
> the city to approve a big painting in the intersection. Hope no one
> needs to use their brakes, or turn in this intersection. Good thing
> Seattle is not know for rain, which would really lessen the friction
> of your tires against the pavement while in this "improvement"

"He thought the final design was ideal: "It signals people and nature,
a healthy garden and ecosystem."

Christ, maybe they should have painted a loon, as it seems most of
these residents are one.

necromancer

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Sep 12, 2006, 3:33:59 PM9/12/06
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Ladies and Gentlemen (and I use those words loosely), brink said in
rec.autos.driving:

> I have to admit I'm with you guys on this one. Assuming this paint is as
> slick as all paint gets in rain -- and I've yet to encounter non-slick
> paint -- this would be a nightmare to traverse on a bicycle.

If I read the article right, the "artists," did not paint the sidewalks
and maybe not the curbs. Atleast the bicyclists have options for
avoiding the painted area that a morotcycle or a car don't have.

--
necromancer

Self appointed unofficial overseer
of kooks and trolls in rec.autos.driving.

necromancer

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Sep 12, 2006, 5:31:20 PM9/12/06
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Ladies and Gentlemen (and I use those words loosely), C. E. White said
in rec.autos.driving:

> How long before there are black marks
> all over it from people trying to lay down rubber as they accelerate through
> the intersection over the mural?
>

DOn't know about Seattle, but down here, it wouldn't take long
(over/under: 5 hours) before some no muffler pickup driving rednecks
would do just that.

--
Aunt Judy demonstrates its lack of understanding
of the concept of "</killfile>," and "<killfile>,"
and what a "thread," is:

"Now that takes nerve. You claim to killfile
me TWICE in the same thread and you expect
people to take you seriously???"

Ref: http://tinyurl.com/r5qp9

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