Saturday, January 22, 2005
‘No one honked or shouted rude words ...’: Hub Blog likes this ‘shared space’ traffic idea a lot -- even though it comes from Europe and inevitably will be used as yet another snotty anti-American cudgel to bash all things American. ... Though it sounds socialistic, its main proponent, Hans Monderman, indeed sounds ‘almost' libertarian in his reasoning for taking down traffic lights, signs, sidewalks etc. in some areas. Hans: “Essentially, what it means is a transfer of power and responsibility from the state to the individual and the community." ... Once asked by residents to widen a road to lessen traffic congestion near a school, Hans retorted: "I wouldn't interfere with the right of people to buy the car they want, but nor should the government have to solve the problems they make with their choices." .. I like it! ... The idea of letting design/appearance dictate behavior sounds vaguely similar to the ‘shattered glass’ theory on neighborhood crime. I liked that theory, too. ...
