A silent scream

[Martin Cassini]

Will our JET ever see lift-off? At a junction where lights failed and congestion disappeared, only to reappear when the lights were back on, we are proposing a lights v no-lights Junction Efficiency Trial to see what happens long term when people are left to their own devices. But officials are calling for signs at every single approach telling drivers and pedestrians to look both ways and beware, as if they wouldn't do so anyway! The thought of distracting signage defeating the object by prescribing behaviour and adding to the clutter is enough to make you scream. Must council thinking and engineers’ recommendations remain forever inside the box? Our greatest resource is our inborn ability to negotiate safe movement based on context and commonsense. What should be a social experiment to prove the bleedin' obvious is in danger of falling foul of technocrats who only see reasons for inaction based on unfounded fears.

[Martin Cassini]

Unquestionably amber-flashing lights are an improvement on a system which demands bovine obedience and outlaws discretion. But maybe they are only called for at difficult junctions or at night. We have amber alert 'within' us. When approaching a conflict point we are instinctively cautious and co-operative. That instinct just needs nurturing through a change in culture from priority to equality, and a road network designed for people, not just vehicles.

[Ian Perry]

Would a compromise be setting the amber light to flash? In Italy at night, the lights are set to flash amber to warn drivers of the junction - although this warning may contribute to the drivers racing up to the junctions.