How to cope when lane lines vanish
CBC has a possibly useful instructional video showing how to navigate the Ville-Marie when the painted lane lines have disappeared.
CBC has a possibly useful instructional video showing how to navigate the Ville-Marie when the painted lane lines have disappeared.
JP 01:16 on 2020-03-08 Permalink
The fact that the ministry thinks this is acceptable makes my blood boil. Even if there are no accidents, this is dangerous and ridiculous.
Jonathan 08:34 on 2020-03-08 Permalink
Actually in urban environments there is a lot of research that shows that having no lane markings is safer. Makes everyone pay attention, which you assume they already do, but they don’t. In places around the world that I have seen and experienced, this is definitely the case. I lived in Southeast Asia for 7 years. Daytime accidents in Hanoi, for example are extremely low despite having what we see as disorder and no clear markings in a lot of places.
Kate 11:49 on 2020-03-08 Permalink
Not a driver, but wouldn’t it mostly depend what drivers were expecting? If you were used to relying on lane markers, not having them could be hazardous. But if you never relied on them, you’d have learned to navigate without them.
Francesco 14:37 on 2020-03-08 Permalink
Nah. It’s dangerous af. The lines at the pinch-points on the 40 in the West Island (at the 13 and both REM sites) keep disappearing and it’s mayhem, with half the cars moving over (where the faded lines would guide them) and half continuing straight.
Blork 17:13 on 2020-03-08 Permalink
Yeah, as Kate says, it depends on what drivers are expecting. When you do all your driving in places like Jonathan mentions, then you adapt to that reality and you’re actually a bit thrown off when you’re suddenly confronted with rules and order. Similarly, when you do all your driving in an environment where everything is clearly prescribed and then you find yourself in a free-for-all, it can totally throw you off.
Some people adapt quickly, others slowly. Some are incapable of adapting at all. So yes, this is dangerous.
BTW, YouTube has lots of videos of traffic in South-east Asia, India, etc., and it looks like utter chaos to us. But to those drivers it’s not so much, because the only “rules” they have to go by are (a) don’t hit anyone, (b) don’t get hit. This is accomplished by observing the flow of vehicles and pedestrians and flowing yourself into the gaps. If they had to worry about a rule book, or signs, or lights, that would totally throw them off. Also, take your average schlub from Beasonsfield and stick them on that road and they will die of panic because they will not know what to do.
Here’s one from Ho Chi Minh City. In this case there are even traffic cops providing a tiny bit of direction, but it’s mostly controlled chaos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZupwFOhjl4
Ian 17:21 on 2020-03-08 Permalink
Try driving on those line-less pinch points coming into the Triangle when the sun hasn’t risen yet and it’s snowing or raining. Having reduced visibility is a huge factor and is pretty common at any given time throughout winter.
In any case these studies showing that having no lines reduces traffic accidents are comparing apples to oranges. As everyone before me has noted, if people are expecting lines and there aren’t any it’s a scary ride. I avoid the 20 as much as possible, it’s a free-for-all.
A better comparison would be how when the traffic lights go out everyone starts being careful and taking turns in a very orderly way at the intersections. This is a pretty common phenomenon and yes, people do behave much better when the lights are down… missing highway lanes, not so much. Anyone who has driven on the highways in current conditions even once would know that.
Jonathan 05:48 on 2020-03-09 Permalink
When people believe something is dangerous, they act in a way that is safer for them. Lines make people confident they are safe.
Ian 21:27 on 2020-03-09 Permalink
Oh, good point.
Let’s abolish all traffic laws & infrastructure standards to make people safer and see how that goes.
Jonathan 16:14 on 2020-03-11 Permalink
I’m not talking about that Ian. But it doesn’t matter. The point is that when people think something is dangerous they act in a different way. That’s all. The fact you think it’s dangerous… Is actually the point.