[headers]

No point cribbing about the barricades - They are put to reduce road speed of the motorists - This is easier than trying to "educate" the educated public on how to cross the road.

How many times have we witnessed some idiot jumping into lane 1 right opp tidel park on OMR - They are all super heroes in the making.

And we find females joining in too:

[Arch-Angel]

I really find it hard to believe how bad some car drivers are in this city. We were nearly rammed off the road by an idiot in a qualis. This happened quite long back. But its disheartening to see that there are quite a few number of idiot bikers to give their 4 wheeled brethren company :/.

[headers]

^^: Lets think on how we can make it a better city than crib about all issues:

What is the point in ranting in this thread - please do continue if it lowers your BP

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I must be the only one that doesn't think the barrels are all bad. Traffic speed on that road is seriously in need of control for reasons of safety. I admit that there may be much better ways of doing it, but, at minimal budget, this might help.

There are indeed better and cheaper ways for the 2 issues :

1) Controlling speed : As mentioned earlier, have speed-cams installed and also have boards clearly indicating that the stretch has speed-cams installed, with speed-limits clearly mentioned. Should be enough restraint for most people. For the rest, some hefty fines should take care and will also provide a source of income for the Govt. Also since there is no human interface in this system, instead of 100bucks going to the cop without receipt, we will have 4-5 times that going straight to the Govt.

2) Avoiding accidents due to pedestrians jumping across the road : Barrels on the road is not a solution for this. This is not your usual city road which is at best a couple lanes wide (like the ones in Pondy Bazar etc) which you can leap across without getting killed. This is a really wide road and it is risky/foolhardy to jump across the road. Since we will still have people who think they can beat the speeding cars, the cheaper/better solution is to make the medians high, so that people can't cross over. This is happening on the road in front of Chennai Central station - they are installing a high iron fence/barrier with sharp/pointed edges which will not allow people to cross over.

It is nothing but sheer stupidity to build a beautiful road to ease the flow of traffic and then defeat the whole purpose by blocking 3 of the 4 lanes on it.
By this logic, why not then extend this barrel-logic to the beautiful/wide TN highways too.

[headers]

^^: The point I agree is that people are stupid to jump across the road.

Just FYI, event the tall medians have their share of problems of people coming through them - Some nutcase will bend the bar at night and this becomes a regular route for people.

Examples are near the railway track running from Guindy to Chengelpet.

The barrel is a quick and easy way to control the situation. Please suggest any other means of controlling the mob that jumps over the median.

Forget the speed cameras etc especially when 80% of the guys driving the vehicles do NOT own it. It may work in Kerala but definitely not here IMHO.

[Arch-Angel]

I absolutely agree about the ranting part headers. The problem is that we need to highlight some issue, but once we discover that we can't change it, it just looks like we are complaining. I guess if someone wants to change something, he must change himself first.

And considering the barrels thing, SB made a good point regarding the roads. I feel good roads+barrels doesn't make sense. Instead have pot holed roads where people cant even think about speeding .

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by headers

The barrel is a quick and easy way to control the situation. Please suggest any other means of controlling the mob that jumps over the median.

The barrel is NOT controlling the mob jumping over the median. It is actually making it convenient for the people jumping across. Is that what should be encouraged ?

Originally Posted by headers

Forget the speed cameras etc especially when 80% of the guys driving the vehicles do NOT own it. It may work in Kerala but definitely not here IMHO.

I assume you are talking of cabs/office-vans etc. Even so how does it matter who owns the vehicles ? The owner knows who is driving the car and can recover the fine from their salary.

[binand]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

1) Controlling speed : As mentioned earlier, have speed-cams installed and also have boards clearly indicating that the stretch has speed-cams installed, with speed-limits clearly mentioned. Should be enough restraint for most people. For the rest, some hefty fines should take care and will also provide a source of income for the Govt. Also since there is no human interface in this system, instead of 100bucks going to the cop without receipt, we will have 4-5 times that going straight to the Govt.

I usually disagree with people who put forward this particular argument ("revenue for the government"). My problem with it is that once this thought process kicks in, two things happen:

1. The government forgets the social reason for the speed cameras, instead focusing only on the revenue outcome of it. So, there will be no beat (traffic) cop presence in the area - all we have would be mailed-in demand for fine payments. My underlying point is that government should work on prevention of traffic violations, not detection and correction - after all, a loss of life due to an accident needs to be prevented, not post-facto compensated.

2. A bunch of people who can afford it will then treat the violation as a matter of course. You will have Mr. CEO telling his driver "burn the gas, I have to get to the meeting in 15 mins, the deal is worth crores - we will see about the Rs. 500 fine". Psychological research has proven this point.

Overspeeding has to be detected and prosecuted on the spot, not weeks later via some automated mechanism. IF a majority of drivers (and their passengers) find out the hard way that violating the speed limit will lighten their purse AND will result in them reaching their destination later than had they not violated the limit, THEN we will see some adherence to the limit. Not before.

[sjcherian]

Really the solution would be to design the highways after studying the areas where people live and where they need to go for work/fun/healthcare/shopping. Accordingly the gaps in the median would need to be designed as follows - create secure walkways for pedestrians at ground level (without needing to climb up high on overbridges or climb down into dark subways) and have the road rise up over it so vehicles go over the secure passages. This would be of help for the disabled as well who cannot use the current style of bridges or subways. Multiple such passages for pedestrians would keep them safe and allow free vehicle passage.
Also turn lanes/exits for making turns or leaving the highways need to be properly planned.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by headers

No point cribbing about the barricades - They are put to reduce road speed of the motorists - This is easier than trying to "educate" the educated public on how to cross the road.

It is also easier than trying to educate the public on how to drive safely.

Originally Posted by Arch-Angel

And considering the barrels thing, SB made a good point regarding the roads. I feel good roads+barrels doesn't make sense. Instead have pot holed roads where people cant even think about speeding .

I actually believe that roads should not be improved until driver training, testing and law enforcement is improved. The money would be far better spent on that, and without it, better, faster roads just means more death. But ...leaders like to have something "world-class" that that can be tangibly shown off, so the road building will continue.

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

The barrel is NOT controlling the mob jumping over the median. It is actually making it convenient for the people jumping across. Is that what should be encouraged ?

I think that one of those barrel points actually has a pedestrian crossing painted on the road. What good would the paint be? How many people would actually stop? Nobody takes any notice of pedestrian crossings even on slow city streets.

I assume you are talking of cabs/office-vans etc. Even so how does it matter who owns the vehicles ? The owner knows who is driving the car and can recover the fine from their salary.

And then continue to push them to meet higher and higher targets. Even the bus drivers are subject to this. The taxi drivers, subject to even more demand and stress, will just become even more dangerous. And the taxi owners will probably have arrangements in place anyway.

[Arch-Angel]

Thad, nothing is going to happen unless these so called "educated" folks start behaving the part. I cannot fathom how much ignorance one can have. The "Road rules are for others", " I am the king" attitude is known all too well. I am just thinking that we as responsible citizens need to show everyone how it is done.

OT:

I, for one, think that our netas ought to start thinking about their country. I mean really, its around 66 years since we had our independence and we haven't seen the development most countries have experienced. I think only once the mindset of the people changes, these netas will try something. Till then, herd mentality and vote-bank politics will continue and our lovely country will continue to languish and have its lack-lustre branding stuck to its back. I feel we would have been better off ruled by the British.

[headers]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

The barrel is NOT controlling the mob jumping over the median. It is actually making it convenient for the people jumping across. Is that what should be encouraged ?

It reduces speeds and hence reduces accidents sir - full stop.

I assume you are talking of cabs/office-vans etc. Even so how does it matter who owns the vehicles ? The owner knows who is driving the car and can recover the fine from their salary.

Soon there would be no call drivers if such practices are developed sir!

Originally Posted by Arch-Angel

And considering the barrels thing, SB made a good point regarding the roads. I feel good roads+barrels doesn't make sense. Instead have pot holed roads where people cant even think about speeding .

Originally Posted by binand

My underlying point is that government should work on prevention of traffic violations, not detection and correction - after all, a loss of life due to an accident needs to be prevented, not post-facto compensated.

This simple prevention method is the barrel method: LOL

Originally Posted by sjcherian

Really the solution would be to design the highways after studying the areas where people live and where they need to go for work/fun/healthcare/shopping.

Easier option:

Have ads placed in prime time in all TV channels depicting / showing accidents due to lack of man adhering to basic road crossing procedures or show cartoons like in primary classes lady bird books.

There are a lot of people maybe even here who are in marketing / ads / networking etc. They could help use their skills in developing some material that could be aired for say 20s during prime time. This would reinforce the need for road safety and once situation improves - say in a year or 2, then the barrels would be removed.

Until then, its slalom time, folks

Originally Posted by Arch-Angel

Thad, nothing is going to happen unless these so called "educated" folks start behaving the part. I cannot fathom how much ignorance one can have. The "Road rules are for others", " I am the king" attitude is known all too well. I am just thinking that we as responsible citizens need to show everyone how it is done.

Agreed :

OT:

I, for one, think that our netas ought to start thinking about their country. I mean really, its around 66 years since we had our independence and we haven't seen the development most countries have experienced. I think only once the mindset of the people changes, these netas will try something. Till then, herd mentality and vote-bank politics will continue and our lovely country will continue to languish and have its lack-lustre branding stuck to its back. I feel we would have been better off ruled by the British.

Thats democracy for you

[supremeBaleno]

Since speed seems to be the reason for most accidents and more accidents happen on highways than city roads, it is high time we moved this cutting-edge life-saver technology to our highways too. After all it is a matter of saving lives and more the barrels the merrier !!!

And since there are people removing concrete block medians to create a convenient U-turn, there is the danger of the barrels being moved away, thus endangering lives due to speeding.
To avoid this possibility, CTP could improvise on the technique and instead of movable barrels, put up concrete pillars embedded in the road.

[headers]

Highways belong to NHAI where CCTP have little control. And BTW, there are quite a few of these traps down some highways without paint marks which pose visibility challenges, especially at night!

[Marlon]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

To avoid this possibility, CTP could improvise on the technique and instead of movable barrels, put up concrete pillars embedded in the road.

Thats what is happening in the name of 'Metro Construction'