wacky free-for-all pedestrian crosswalk

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080828.wscramble28/BNStory/National/home

Before the morning rush hour, city workers will remove coverings from new pedestrian crossing signals and unveil Toronto's first experimental "pedestrian scramble" intersection, a traffic-light configuration that stops cars in all directions with a red light to allow pedestrians to cross in all directions, even diagonally.

From behind a windshield, however, the change may not be so popular. It will mean much longer red lights for drivers to make way for this new 28-second, pedestrian-only phase in the traffic-light cycle. Currently, the longest wait at this intersection for drivers (those on Yonge Street) is 31 seconds. As of today, the longest wait for a green light will stretch to 57 seconds, and green lights for drivers will also be five to eight seconds shorter.

D: disliked by cars but loved by walkers.

The scramble concept, long ago implemented in several other cities around the world, is also known as a "Barnes dance," after Henry Barnes, a traffic commissioner in Denver credited with coming up with the idea there in the 1950s and reportedly making pedestrians so happy they were "dancing in the streets."

D: before we get too worked up about drivers waiting for a minute- pedestrians wait 1-2 minutes at some crosswalks all the time. So suck it up!!!

canucks driving more.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080814.wdriving0814/BNStory/National/home

Statscan said Canadian drivers have shown they can sharply curtail consumption in the face of higher prices:

• The volume of gasoline purchased by consumers fell 12.1 per cent between 1980 and 1984 as prices rose 65 per cent.

• Consumption fell 5.1 per cent from 1989 to 1991 as prices increased 12 per cent.

A major difference in both periods was that real incomes were being squeezed by recessions, the agency notes.

D: but

A major difference in both periods was that real incomes were being squeezed by recessions, the agency notes.

Since 2002, real incomes have risen steadily.

D: the main reason folks switch to 'green' products, for example, is:
1) better product
2) better deal
In fact, being green rarely has anything to do with it.

The only way Canadians will drive less is an strong overall impact on their bottom line.
In the wallet.
Carbon taxes are useful in that fashion.
D>

air pollution casualties.

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/08/13/air-pollution-health.html

"This year, an estimated 20,000 Canadians will die from heart and lung illnesses brought on by breathing polluted air, the CMA said. Most of the deaths will be among people over 65, who are most vulnerable to heart disease.

The costs of dirty air, in terms of treating the illnesses in hospital and visits to doctors, as well as indirect expenses for time off work, will add up to $10 billion this year.

The costs will rise to $300 billion by the year 2031 if no improvements are made, said Dr. Brian Day, CMA president."

D: put another way, our vehicles will contribute $2-3B in medical costs this year.

So, does yer SUV still look cheap?

While bicycling in traffic, and stuck behind a car that revs its engine, and inhaling the fumes, I think of this one song lyric. "I eat what you excrete."

Pic:

http://www.ec.gc.ca/doc/media/m_124/brochure/images/BR_fig3_s_e.gif

why car drivers don't signal

http://www.suntimes.com/news/transportation/1100924,CST-NWS-ride11.article

The good:

Danek says some people are afraid that if they signal to change lanes, the car in the next lane will speed up to block their car.

The bad:

He noted that turn signals didn't even become standard in cars until the 1960s -- people who wanted to signal used to have to stick their left arm out the window.

The ugly:

He said it's also a matter of habit -- like buckling your seat belt. Some people aren't taught properly and don't get into the habit of doing it

D: over half of Americans don't signal!

See my bike blog. The accident types cars/bikes get into are aggravated by a lack of signalling.

But folks who signal don't automatically get off the hook. Some:

1) signal a mere second before hauling on the brake to turn. Useless

2) signal a whole block ahead of time, passing parking lots and turnoffs the whole way. Useless.

D: Might I suggest signalling 3 seconds before turning, after the last turnoff prior to the one you want?!

I saw a car with the rear running lights off last night. Get a second person to check your car once in a while, or walk around your car while parked.

Sadly, if I try to indicated a light is out with the "L -sign", folks may think I'm calling them a loser.I try toggling or covering my bike light to imply it sometimes.

toronto selling sidewalks at expense of pedestrians

http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/473664

Lay-bys cut into sidewalk space to permit room for vehicles to load and unload or drop off and pick up passengers. Supporters say they improve traffic flow. Critics say they eat into public space, endanger the disabled and do not further the city's commitment to pedestrians and cyclists.

"Lay-bys are designed for cars, not for pedestrians, not for cyclists," says Shawn Tracy, president of the Bay Corridor Community Association. "There are a growing number of them. Once one establishment gets a lay-by others will want them – it sets a precedent."

D: Funny. The order of events is as follows. Before:

1) park car

2) walk there using sidewalk

After:

1) lose sidewalk

2) use lay-by

3) explain that parking/walking is not practical.

This sort of thing will snowball!

bus lane, hybrid bus.

http://gttavisions.blogspot.com/2007/05/bus-only-lane-pitched-for-dvp-toronto.html

"It could take a few years, but Toronto is looking at making transit-friendly changes to one of Canada's busiest roads, including a bus-only lane to unplug the congested expressway.

There's no room to expand, but officials want to squeeze buses onto the centre median lane to let transit users zip ahead of car drivers in the regular lanes.

The concept, already used in Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Ottawa, would help GO Transit buses draw more passengers out of their cars, said managing director Gary McNeil."

D: Toronto had high hopes for hybrid buses. But they are not much more efficient for long steady driving.

http://www.e-traction.com/buses.htm
D: this is a nifty setup. It uses an all-electric at the wheel.
It is powered by a small steady generator that recharges the battery banks.

volt, rx8 are everything wrong with next-gen cars

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2008/07/22/volt-gm.html
D: This will be full sedan size. But as an electric, it really is only of use for short in-city commutes.
It is also very expensive.

http://media.ford.com/mazda/article_display.cfm?article_id=17134&make_id=227
The Mazda RX8/hydrogen also has a very limited range with hydrogen.
Its Renesis engine is promising. Sadly, they built a large version for sports cars/SUVs.
Placing a miniature version in a compact would have made sense.
The H2 doesn't have the range for anything but city car apps.

The future apparently involves a painless, if expensive, 'biz as usual' model.
Full sized cars that would feel at home in pre-oil crisis 1970s America.

The Renesis is particularly important since it is compact and light - appropriate to mount mid-body, which is useful for a quasi-trike layout (see yesterday).

There IS a proof-of-concept cyro/high-pressure H2 tank.
https://publicaffairs.llnl.gov/news/news_releases/2008/NR-08-06-02.html
D: but keep in mind the Trishield 5000psi costs $5000.
I am curious what the price could be with proper economies of scale.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5325/is_200202/ai_n21308637

D: note that a H2 tank able to handle long road trips necessarily will occupy the entire trunk or back seat. Allowing for cargo and luggage, what I'm saying is it cannot be a 4-5 adult passenger system in any practical fashion. Sorry. I'd like H2 to be a silver bullet as much as the next guy, but the facts just don't add up to that.

I kept running into know-it-alls that read a single book on the subject - "The Hydrogen Economy".
http://www.amazon.com/Hydrogen-Economy-Jeremy-Rifkin/dp/1585422541/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216742979&sr=8-1
They all proved hopelessly naive.
They didn't consider that without onboard O2 (impractical- see the size of that tank!!!), a H2 combustion engine still produces 1/3 the Nox.
The VOLUME required to store H2 was lost on them.
The off-gassing of H2 if cryo was also.
The losses, from feedstock to H2 gas to cryo gas (or even single OR dual stage compressor for gas) are staggering!
Combined with the 'box on wheels' able to hold 5 adults exemplified by the Volt and RX8, this would be disaster. It would simply consume all remaining coal very fast.
Without next-gen clean coal, it is bad on every count.
Aside: since India, China AND the USA are all building relatively old-school coal plants which are not cheap or effectively upgraded to clean coal tech (with 90% co2 retention), the CO2 cap is already lost. I'm just extrapolating a world with 18% o2/ 1000pm CO2 when the dust settles.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/02/26/MNGKVBHHQ51.DTL
The USA wants to help China clean up its act? Physician, heal thyself!
http://www.saskpower.com/cleancoal/index.html
D: since USA generates 50% of its energy from coal, and H2 and electricity will both likely be derived from coal, where ever coal plants go, so too all the 'clean' energy storage methods.
Then.... we plop it in a big vehicle design.