01-23-2009, 04:52 AM
I’m on the fence on the roundabout issue, so I appreciate the discussion.
I agree with Jon about taking personal responsibility for one’s own safety. But it doesn’t logically follow that the environment didn’t make the accident more likely. Very few problems/accidents have just one cause. Environmental factors certainly can contribute to and exacerbate problems.
Here’s what I don’t get: a certain percentage of the population runs red lights and stop signs, therefore roundabouts are a bad idea.
Using the same logic, then shouldn’t we also eliminate stop signs and red lights too?
Environmental factors have been shown to change culture and behavior, but it doesn’t happen overnight. As a former plant manager and productivity improvement consultant, I observed on many occasions factory accidents drop off based on multi-faceted strategies including education, improved layouts, job rotation policies, a clean, orderly, safe environment, visual management systems, safety mechanisms on equipment, etc. Lots of “causes” converge to create accidents and problems (not only individual behavior), so it only makes sense to employ a multi-pronged attack. Why wouldn’t the same basic logic apply in making our roads safer?
But… I agree that many drivers in Hawaii don’t understand the concept of “merge”. When you come from a big city, you learn early in life that merging is an indispensible driving skill. Chicago doesn’t have many roundabouts (got one in Des Plaines, though), but if you don’t know how to merge in the big city, then you can’t get on the expressway to get to work, not to mention that you tick off all the feisty drivers behind you who KNOW how to merge (anyone from a big city knows what I’m talking about). It would certainly take time to change the driving culture here. In the long run, is it worth it? I’m keeping an open mind…
Tim
I agree with Jon about taking personal responsibility for one’s own safety. But it doesn’t logically follow that the environment didn’t make the accident more likely. Very few problems/accidents have just one cause. Environmental factors certainly can contribute to and exacerbate problems.
Here’s what I don’t get: a certain percentage of the population runs red lights and stop signs, therefore roundabouts are a bad idea.
Using the same logic, then shouldn’t we also eliminate stop signs and red lights too?
Environmental factors have been shown to change culture and behavior, but it doesn’t happen overnight. As a former plant manager and productivity improvement consultant, I observed on many occasions factory accidents drop off based on multi-faceted strategies including education, improved layouts, job rotation policies, a clean, orderly, safe environment, visual management systems, safety mechanisms on equipment, etc. Lots of “causes” converge to create accidents and problems (not only individual behavior), so it only makes sense to employ a multi-pronged attack. Why wouldn’t the same basic logic apply in making our roads safer?
But… I agree that many drivers in Hawaii don’t understand the concept of “merge”. When you come from a big city, you learn early in life that merging is an indispensible driving skill. Chicago doesn’t have many roundabouts (got one in Des Plaines, though), but if you don’t know how to merge in the big city, then you can’t get on the expressway to get to work, not to mention that you tick off all the feisty drivers behind you who KNOW how to merge (anyone from a big city knows what I’m talking about). It would certainly take time to change the driving culture here. In the long run, is it worth it? I’m keeping an open mind…
Tim
Tim
A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions--Confucius
A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions--Confucius