review: a book called "Traffic"

D: I sort of need to read this book.
The book is very readable, other than the author's pressing need to use "timorous", a word I have never heard before. I guess he was insecure.

It begins with a review of traffic patterns historically. The author mentions Pompeii, Rome, feudal London and so on.
He shows the impact of new modes of transportation, including chariots, bicycles and cars.
The book is *really* about the automobile.
The sections on driver habits and such are terrifying.

I find myself wanting to lobby to place a cam in every car, so drivers can get feedback about just how bad their driving is!
The level of narcissistic personality and matching aggressive driving (and a grimmer view of other drivers) can be demonstrated over recent decades.
We are getting WORSE.

The cell phone and I-pod deserve mention.
It is dialing and looking for a song that critically draw eyes and attention away from the road. But talking on the phone can reduce attention even though eyes are nominally on the road. The eyes, however, only look straight ahead.
Long conversations increase risk somewhat - the duration makes it serious though.
Essentially, talking on a cellphone introduces a bad habit into an already complex task.

Instead of banning it, why don't we just subsume cell-phone related accidents into existing demerit systems? Get in accident when on phone- get 'dangerous driving' demerit.

The risk pyramid was illuminating. It is based on workplace accident studies.
For each 300 unsafe acts, there are 30 near misses and finally ONE HIT.
1x30x10...
Think of it was the tip of the iceberg. We consistently ignore the vast number of factors that need to go wrong before one accident happens.
Then we call it an 'accident'.
A comet falling on you is an accident.
Somebody with sloppy driving habits is an accident waiting to happen.
Talking on a phone while fiddling with one's I-pod and then mowing down a pedestrian at crosswalk is not an accident.
It is somebody with no sense of their prowess, or else a disrespect for others' safety.

Perhaps police reports should not stop at reporting seat-belts and the presence of alcohol.
Ipods, cellphones, looking at baby in the back seat, et al - why don't we illustrate how accidents happen?
Even just 'an Ipod was present and on at the time'.
Or: a cellphone conversation was cut off on impact.

From a cyclist's point of view, the concept of 'safety in numbers' is valid.
An occasional biker is not watched for. A steady stream slows drivers who are then paying attention.

For this reason, I think we should not focus on LOTS of bike lanes, but rather upon the high quality of key ones.