CONTACTTRAFFICABOUT TOM VANDERBILTOTHER WRITING CONTACT ABOUT THE BOOK

Archive for August 27th, 2009

Learning Curve

I don’t know what the hell a “traffic calming circle” is and whether it varies from a modern roundabout, but I was needless to say intrigued by this tale.

“Please listen to us”…[said] one of several people to speak against the circle Tuesday. “It’s unsafe and definitely against our wishes. We do not want the calming circle and we don’t understand why you want it for another day. Take it out!”

Yes, killer traffic calming circles! Run for the hills!

What exactly are they doing, these vicious facilities? Terrorizing local children and small dogs? Raising the number of collisions?

But city traffic engineer Maria Esther Rodriguez said the circle has worked to reduce speed. Studies show the average speed on Holm has dropped from 37 to 30 mph since the installation, she said.

Residents wanted something else instead.

The council was skeptical of the circles from the beginning, approving the project on a 4-3 vote in April. Foes favored four-way stops, but staff said they lead to more traffic congestion.

Engineers know, of course, from experience that stop signs are not a speed control mechanism.

In the meantime, the city is investigating using the sign above to ensure speed compliance. Just kidding.

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Posted on Thursday, August 27th, 2009 at 3:24 pm by: Tom Vanderbilt
5 Comments. Click here to leave a comment.

Kafka at the DMV

Via the Detroit News:

Ferndale — After pulling over a reportedly stolen car early Wednesday morning, police discovered that the driver, Renee Lashon Beavers, 33, of Detroit, had been issued 45 license suspensions from the Michigan Secretary of State.

“Actually, she has never had a driver’s license from us,” said SOS spokesman Fred Woodhams. “She definitely has a record with us, but we show that she’s never had a license.”

According to the SOS, it is possible to receive driving suspensions without ever having acquired a valid driver’s license.

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Posted on Thursday, August 27th, 2009 at 3:17 pm by: Tom Vanderbilt
6 Comments. Click here to leave a comment.

Always an Interesting Question

Enforcement, education… or engineering. Which changes behavior most effectively?

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Posted on Thursday, August 27th, 2009 at 3:15 pm by: Tom Vanderbilt
3 Comments. Click here to leave a comment.
Traffic Tom Vanderbilt

How We Drive is the companion blog to Tom Vanderbilt’s New York Times bestselling book, Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us), published by Alfred A. Knopf in the U.S. and Canada, Penguin in the U.K, and in languages other than English by a number of other fine publishers worldwide.

Please send tips, news, research papers, links, photos (bad road signs, outrageous bumper stickers, spectacularly awful acts of driving or parking or anything traffic-related), or ideas for my Slate.com Transport column to me at: info@howwedrive.com.

For publicity inquiries, please contact Kate Runde at Vintage: krunde@randomhouse.com.

For editorial inquiries, please contact Zoe Pagnamenta at The Zoe Pagnamenta Agency: zoe@zpagency.com.

For speaking engagement inquiries, please contact
Jenna Meulemans at the Knopf Speaker Bureau.

Order Traffic from:

Amazon | B&N | Borders
Random House | Powell’s

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U.S. Paperback UK Paperback
Traffic UK
Drive-on-the-left types can order the book from Amazon.co.uk.

For UK publicity enquiries please contact Rosie Glaisher at Penguin.

Upcoming Talks

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