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ARTICLE #7, THE USE OF ROADS.
All streets, lanes, avenues, freeways etc., can be called roads.
The word road is generally the word used to refer to the actual
space taken up by any of the above. But long ago a word came into
usage that was used to denote any road that passed through a town
or village and connected it to other towns and villages and
cities. It was called the �highroad�. It later became �Highway�,
then �Freeway�. Highroads were probably created by armies, kept
up by commerce, often patrolled, and sometimes tolled as a means
to revenue to a village or town. Because they generally went
through the town this became the main business of two
�Highroads,� or crossroads when people used them as a common
meeting ground for trade. In effect a farmer said, �I don�t want
to walk all the way to your village, I�ll meet you at the
crossroad and we�ll swap or trade goods. Soon some interprising
person stayed all the time and got all the trade. In this way a
city grew up.
So, the road we are referring to here is usually the main
arteries through the city. In Vancouver it�s Kingsway. The
�highroad� that came from New Westminster to Main Street and
Hastings Street. Hastings street was created from the road that
led to the mills at Port Moody, and Granville street was a �High
Road� that came from the mills at steveston.
They all ended as �highroads� to the docks where the ships came
in. And docks are just another crossroads between sea and land.
Main roads through towns and cities carry the largest amount of
traffic because there use still hasn�t changed. They are still
the highroads of commerce and travel. As a result traffic must be
kept flowing with as much speed as is safely possible. Traffic
lights, cross walks, speed zones and patrol cars are a much
needed part of these roads for anyones safety. They are made up
of three lanes each way as a rule, if not more. A parking lane
for commercial use, a slow lane or right turn lane, and a through
lane with left turn abilities or privilages. In some of the more
highly traveled roads in a city they will now have times when the
parking lane is forbidden and it turns into a throughway for
traffic or becomes a bus lane.
The rules will be stricter on this road and better enforced. The
whole idea is to keep traffic flowing as fast and as smooth as it
can go without danger to people. Remember; its to everyones
advantage to know the rules and the reason behing them. A city
can be judged on its childishness or sophistication by the way
its citizens drive. Using the wrong lane shows ignorance of the
most basic laws of driving. Changing lanes every 20 yards shows
you up as a driver that can�t think ahead or doesn�t see that
while I stayed in the same lane I ended up even with you at the
next light. Safer and no farther behind on the road.
ARTICLE # 8 The use of Highways and freeways.
These are the arteries of commerce that connect cities and
states, provences and countries. They are usually maintained by
the Governments. This means that the �Passive communication� of
their rules will by layed down at a higher level.
Speeds will be greater. They will be made to stand greater loads
for the sake of trade. Anywhere else you may be ticketed for
going too fast. Here, you can get a ticket for going to slow.
These days, between any two cities or towns there are always
alternate routes to take. The Freeways, Interstates or Provencial
Highways are posted at a minimum speed of 40 miles per hour or 60
kilometers per hour. If you are using a vehicle that can�t keep
up to that speed then you are expected to use the alternate
routes. Granted, they are never as direct but they are safer for
slower traffic.
There are young people driving now that won�t remember what it
was like on the highways when the maximum speeds were 90 to 110
mph. I can only say that we were fooling ourselves badly about
our capacity to think and react to those speeds. Nor were the
cars always in good condition to drive at those speeds. Nor did
we have six lane devided highways. We had one lane going each
way. Poor shoulders. Curves, bends, dips, bumps. As usual there
were always those who felt they had to drive faster than the
speed limit. The results were often to force others that really
couldn�t handle it to speed up or get hit. Can you imagine
getting a blowout on a tire under those conditions. And all the
cars were big and heavy.When you were hit at those speed the
result was total destruction; of the car and the passengers. And
since there wasn�t much left of the cars and there were so many
accidents to look into, public funds didn�t exist for a really
full investigation of the causes of them. It was quicker and
easier to put them all down to drunk or careless driving, which
in a way it was.
However a good 50 to 80 percent of them were due to mechanical
failure at a crucial moment. We are a trusting lot. We trust the
manufacturers, the garage mechanic and all who handle our cars to
be more perfect at their trade than anyone else. Doctors make
mistakes in diagnoses and treatment and so do all other trades
that are done by humans. Yet we will stop at a garage and put our
lives into the hands of a teenage boy handling the pumps, who
checks under our hood, - then go out on the freeway and do 80 to
90 miles an hour. Race cars don�t go out on the road without an
expert checking out the engine, etc.,
Whether we will admit it or not, the present speed of 55mph or 80
km perhr is the safest we can handle, both in reaction time or
in the event of mechanical failure.
ARTICLE # 9, PASSIVE COMMUNICATION
the pedestrian.
Why start with the pedestrian when these articles are about cars
and driving? Because you always start at the beginning! It�s as
simple as that.
Before we get a drivers license we start out as pedestrians or
walkers who are affected by cars. We have to deal with this
traffic and know what to do with it and how to survive it. Cars
are part of our culture and we take them too much for granted for
our own safety and safety of our children.
There are so many cars we literally don�t see them anymore! If I
could I would see that every grade one class gave lessons about
street safety. Why not? Its as much a part of our lives as
arithmetic or reading. We assume that children know all about
traffic. Thats a grave error on our part.
Up until the age of schooltime a child is gaurded within the
confines of his own home area. On his/her travels with Mom and
Dad he may or may not get lessons on personal safety on the
streets. Then, one day, he/she is taken to school and from then
on he is on his own! In the dark, in the rain, in the snow! They
may be taken to school the first time by mother when its nice and
sunny out in sept. The same route in the dark of winter in
pouring rain may be a constant flirt with death for that child.
Daddy, do you know the route your 6 year old has to walk? I
watched a 7 year old crying and screaming at the side of the road
on Marine drive and kerr road one dark morning in pouring rain .
I didn�t see him in the dark until I was almost past him, as he
was on the wrong side from me, but he was cursing the cars with
his voice and fist. He couldn�t get across the road because
traffic was too heavy, it was poor visibility and no one would
stop. I might just add that in my opinion to have stopped may
have been even more dangerous to the rest. He was so small that
by the time we saw him it was too late. The adult world let him
down. We let them all down with our assumptions that they are
street and traffic wise. Why not start some programs in the
schools now to train the little ones in self defence on the
streets. And be honest with them. Tell them the other side of the
coin, that drivers can be stuped and selfish.
Watch teenagers near schools. Did you think their behaviour
around cars was smart alecky? NO! They are growing up with a
hatred and fear of drivers and this is like when they begin to
drive themselves they still carry that hatred to a certain
degree. But then, who has shown them consideration and care when
they were young?
ARTICLE # 10, THE PEDESTRIAN.
As a rule we all grow up in a suburban area where the cars are
few. We played on the street and crossed in the middle of the
block. Some area�s had sidewalks and some didn�t. Wherever we
grew up it was with the knowledge that the pedestrian was king.
And many of us died believing that foolish idea. Of course the
pedestrian has the right of way at all times! And any court of
law will back that statement up. What good is it if your dead? As
adults we flirt with death on the streets and then wonder why our
children don�t respect the danger of cars. They pick it up from
us.
Just because there is a green light for us to cross with, and a
marked crosswalk, doesn�t make you safe on some corners. It�s
still your life. And it is up to you to protect it. Keep your eye
on the traffic at all times. Especially on those drizzly days
when the drivers car window may be fogged up. It�s easy for the
police to say to you, �Wear white clothing.�, but you and I know
that we can�t afford to do that all the time.
Have you ever wondered why cars don�t stop for you when you stand
on an unmarked corner? Most of the people stand as if they are
undecided about crossing. Some look as if they are waiting for
someone, not about to cross the street. Those cars can see you,
but they don�t stop because they are not sure of what you intend
to do. Stopping a car for a pedestrian only to find that they are
not crossing can tie up traffic, make you look like a fool and
get you angry with pedestrians. The next one you see you don�t
stop for! It�s as simple as that. Be firm and look at the traffic
coming your way. Hold up a hand if neccessary. It is almost
irresistable to a driver if he sees it in time. But be a little
considerate on your part. Wait until you see a break or a
lessening of traffic. When you have caught their eye and the
first car stops, don�t whatever you do walk past him until you
make sure that cars in the other lanes are stopped also. At the
halfway mark turn your head to the opposite traffic and put your
hand up for them also. Let them know you are not going to cross
until you can see they are all stopped. As a driver, I have died
a thousand deaths for fear a car coming up on my right would not
stop for you or see you or even understand why I was stopped. To
keep you safe I would be only too happy to sit there until you
could cross safely. And I respect and appreciate the pedestrian
that knows how to cross a street the correct way. They care not
only about themselves but about me. They give me a chance to show
politeness, and those sweet people that signal their thanks as
they cross help make the day for me. My good driving has been
rewarded.
ARTICLE # 11, The Bike Rider.
This is not Europe where the people ride bikes as a practical
means of getting to work. That practice grew apace with the car
traffic and is an aknowledged member of the road. There are a
number of factors that, should we say, allowed for the bicycle as
a legitemate member of the traffic plan; cost, space, parking,
size of the streets in some towns and cities, pollution on
ancient buildings and works of art. Of course the wealthy don�t
give a hoot about those things when it comes to their privilege
to drive a car.
In North America after the war the need to create jobs as well as
the desire to make money forced the car onto the public. During
the war Vancouver had a very good transport system. But when
certain people got into the car dealerships then the transit
system began to fall apart. If people wanted to get to their jobs
now they had to get a car because the public transportation
system failed them. At a time when the returning vets were moving
out to the suburbs to live the interurban system that took them
from Richmond was shut down. As they moved out to Burnaby and New
Westminster that system was also shut down. The people were
forced to get cars. The entire advertizing system was designed to
make fun of any male that didn�t have a car. Bikes were
belittled.
On this continent we have relegated the bike to children and
faddists. I am not sure how this developed but a great deal of
the blame can be layed to short sighted street planners and
municipal departments. (Who all drive cars).
Before we can utilize bikes as a cheep means of transport and
convenience, we need to see laws and safety regulations as well
as space made on the roads. Streets and Avenues have space for
bikes, but the main roads do not.
Its all well and good for the traffic dept. in a city to say that
bikes are free to use these roads. However, when they have to use
the 3rd lane and pass parked cars between moving traffic they are
taking a terrible chance.
It isn�t that there isn�t laws governing bikes, it is that the
driver encounters so few that when he does come on a bike rider
he treats them as if they are invaders of his territory. The bike
rider in his/her turn fails to realize this flaw in thinking. I
am not saying to them, �you don�t belong�. I am pointing out a
fact that is dangerous in order to let them know how to safegaurd
themselves until circumstances alter. There is a great
possibility it may change as prices of cars and oil soar. It
would change faster if city planners could see into the future
that is coming.
In the meantime young bike riders can make their lives safer by
finding out how drivers see and react to their presence on the
roads. And then counteract this with some safety measures of
their own. I personnally would wear a sign saying it is against
the law to kill a cycler.
What you should know.
A commuter who drives daily to and from work gets into a habit.
He encounters the same traffic in the same place most of the
time. He becomes programmed as surely as any computer. He is
alert to car traffic but may not be alert to a biker. 7-9A.M. and
4-6 P.M. are dangerous times for bikes on main roads.
Drivers have been trained to look upon bikes as invaders of their
territory. Unless we can turn this thinking around in the future
it will remain a fact that you have to deal with. The truly
strange thing about this is that most drivers started out as bike
riders and should remember how it feels to ride a bike on the
city streets.
ARTICLE # 12, The Motorbike.
Because it is capable of speeds equaling a car and can manuaver
better this is an ideal method of transport. And this is what we
must keep in mind at all times. Cars, motorbikes, bikes, are only
means of transportation. The ego trip used by the manufacturers
of cars in order to sell them has blinded a great many people to
that simple fact. And caused most of our traffic problems. When
will we grow up?
If it fits our needs why not use it? It�s easy on gass. Uses less
space to park. And can go where many cars can�t. The fact that a
few immature individuals used it as a means of expressing their
distaste for society has blinded us to this simple fact. We did
what they wanted us to do: We looked at them and not the vehicle.
It became an adjunct of the rider; part of his image. A menace.
And lets stop the manufacturers from the ego trips. When you go
to buy a motorbike and they point out the fancy bits, ask instead
about the practical things, like gas milage, and safety features.
Has it good vision all around? Will it manuaver safely? Is the
wind screen shatterproof?
I do not ride a moterbike, therefore I will not comment about
safety helmits except to say that if bikers feel the present
helmet is dangerous to their safety, pool your power and demand a
safer helmet.
If the governments insist on making laws that force us to use
certain equipment, making those manufacturers rich, then they
have a duty to see that it meets our needs.
One of the reasons that motorcycles have a superiority over cars
is its manueverability in stalled or heavy traffic. Not being as
wide as a car it can pass obstacles that stop wider cars.
Its hidden dangers lie in the psychological block in the mind of
the car driver. Studies done in the past show that car drivers
don�t respond mentally to the shape. Most people drive
automatically after a number of years on the road. The brain is
trained to respond to the shapes of cars and trucks. They see the
byke with their eyes, but the automatic response doesn�t
acknowledge what is in front of them. As a result, while looking
straight at a bike in front of them, they will continue to drive
their car up to the back of the next car when coming to a stop
light, hence hitting the bike.
ARTICLE # 13, Vans and Mini Busses.
The most dangerous thing on the road these days in my estemation,
but loved by all who own one; the van.
To begin with; they always seem to park at the exit to a driveway
thereby blocking the vision of the driver coming out of the
drive. You have to go dangerously far out to see traffic coming
because your view is blocked. You can�t see past them on the road
so again your vision is blocked. Eight times out of ten they
tailgate.
The main differance between a car or truck and these vans is that
the driver has no engine mount in front of where he sits. His
whole perception of driving is altered. The distance between
himself and the car ahead is different. Whether we understand it
or not we mentally adjust our perception of �our space� to where
we sit in a car. This �unit� becomes an extension of our
�surround�. Where I sit in my car I adjust myself to the 4
corners that make up the size of my car. When you change from one
size car to another it takes time to make this adjustment of
space.
The Van driver has no front corners to mark his square of
�surround�.