Some great ideas for community traffic calming

[Peter Miller]

Some really great ideas here. Traffic calming by laying a rope across
the road is particularly neat!
http://www.wormworks.com/roadwitch/index.html

Regards,

Peter

[Alex]

I think the "road witch" is a excellent idea, if it is done as suggested and put in the side of the road but not obstructing it - the bulk of people would think its an amusing and creative practical joke rather than an explicit "anti-car" statement, whilst still slowing down if only to look at it..

Not sure I agree with putting a rope across the road like that, whoever did it would probably get nicked and if it was the "wrong sort of rope" (i.e not heavy enough) and/or not secured at each end it could create more of a traffic hazard if it got caught up in someones wheels. Also something as blatant as that could well invite reprisals from the "angry motorist" lobby, which could include ropes being tied to lamp-posts at chest/neck height to unseat cyclists :(

Alex

---

From: Peter Miller <peter....@itoworld.com>
To: cycle-...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Monday, 21 December, 2009 11:21:45
Subject: Some great ideas for community traffic calming

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[RAY WAND]

Hello Everyone,   I expect I am going to get into trouble for this but slightly tongue in cheek I am responding to Peter's e-mail with something a bit parochial for those of us who live in the north of Ipswich.    Apart from the 20mph zone protected by speed bumps outside Thurlestone High School the rest of Defoe Road is supposedly a 30mph limit but in reality is treated as a rat run and in consequence a raceway by the majority of motorists.    How ironical then that the emergence of a sizable pot hole across the east bound carriageway and the debris from it covering part of the west bound carriageway near to the junction with Fircroft Road has been the most effective traffic calming I have ever seen on the road. Now I am not advocating pot holes as a traffic calming measure because in reality it can be dangerous plus it also impedes the progress of us who are on pedalling on two wheels but just for once to see traffic in both directions being forced to slow down and give way to other traffic to get round the hole was I am afraid to admit something perhaps to be savoured.   OK it won't last because I have reported this hole to the Borough Highways Department together with a lesser hole on the other carriageway and they assure me they will be repaired tomorrow (Thursday 31st).   I know I should not feel this way but to me it really is quite shocking that we have to have holes in the highway before motorists are forced to  adhere to the prescribed speed limits thus for a short while making it safer for all users of this road. No wonder in normal circumstances so few kids cycle to Thurlestone School!   Can nothing be done to find a permanent solution to excessive speed on this road thus making it safer for all users? Any ideas?   Regards   Ray --- On Mon, 21/12/09, Peter Miller <peter....@itoworld.com> wrote:

From: Peter Miller <peter....@itoworld.com> Subject: Some great ideas for community traffic calming