Two Dutch writers consider how to make the roads more human friendly. Dutch journalist Thalia Verkade teams up with the self-described “cycling professor” Marco te Brömmelstroet to examine the ways our roads and streets are currently used. Congestion, road rage, injuries, hospitalisations and fatalities are the current reality of our roads. Drivers rule the roads while pedestrians and cyclists must keep out of danger's way and avoid getting hit. News stories always report a pedestrian did something wrong – appearing out of nowhere, not crossing the lights in time. Verkade and te Brömmelstroet argue that the onus should be more on motorists to drive carefully. It is they who are at the wheel of a dangerous machine and should carry more responsibility. Speed limits should be reduced (speed causing the most fatalities) and an attitudinal change fostered to see roads and streets as public places, owned by all. In many ways, it is time – the need to get back and forth between places with clockwork precision – that is the enemy of this book. Movement doesn't propose any easy fixes to the problems of traffic congestion and road fatalities (around 1.3 million people die globally every year.) The authors rather meditate philosophically on how public space should function. Who should have the most right of way? What sort of safety should pedestrians be able to expect? Can cycling really save the day, or could it end up imitating cars with a desire for speed and exclusive access? The thinking for decades has been that we could build our way out of congestion by rolling out more roads. But as all research shows, build it and they will come. New roads designed to curb congestion have the opposite effect and soon fill up. On the other hand, reduce road availability and car drivers find alternative modes of transport. Another common belief is that reduced parking means reduced commerce. However, creating public spaces that are pedestrian friendly have shown to greatly increase foot traffic, and hence customers for business. In the final analysis, Movement argues for more human environments where cars don't dominate. How this mammoth task is achieved is anyone's guess. Verkade and te Brömmelstroet offer some stimulating ideas on the way forward. Movement, by Thalia Verkade and Marco te Brömmelstroet. Published by Scribe. $29.99 Review by Chris Saliba Comments are closed.
|
AuthorNorth Melbourne Books Categories
All
Archives
March 2024
|