Turn those traffic lights off

gzlaser

WHAT causes traffic jams? Too many cars, right? No! Some Brits are now saying that traffic lights are to blame for much of the congestion. They suggest that traffic lights be removed at busy intersections.

The Conservatives are proposing that white lines, signs and traffic lights be removed from Britain's high streets. They believe people are a better judge of when it's safe to go ? not a traffic light programmed by an absent regulator.

A report from the Institute of Economic Affairs, a UK think tank, argues that abolishing traffic signals would decrease congestion, reduce exhaust emissions and improve safety.

The report said that removing lights should also prevent other bad behavior caused by signals, such as speeding up to catch a green light or rushing to avoid red lights. It would also avoid the wasted time when drivers have to sit at a red light even if no one is using the green.

The idea may sound strange, but it's not new. Seven cities and regions in Europe are experimenting with no-lights roads.

Drachten in the Netherlands has gotten rid of 16 of its traffic light crossings and converted the other two to roundabouts under a \"shared space\" scheme. At junctions, cyclists dutifully raise their arm when they want to make a turn, and drivers follow a first-arrived, first-through approach and communicate by hand signs, nods and waving.

The result? Typical journey time has been cut in half, and accidents and congestion have mostly disappeared.

There have been small collisions but no problem, said Hans Monderman, initiator of the scheme. \"We want small accidents, in order to prevent serious ones. It works well because it's dangerous. The driver has to be responsible for his or her own risk.