It's so funny seeing most of the comments, plus the original article, implying that roundabouts are always better or always worse than traffic signals. As someone who used to be a Transportation Engineering professor, they have a time and place where they outperform traffic signals but it's definitely not everywhere. It is known and there are many traffic simulation software tools that will give you a pretty good indication of what will happen if you put a roundabout here or a traffic signal there.
This thread reminds me of when my libertarian friend was explaining to me how traffic shows how everything can work well when everyone acts in their own self interest. Well, sure, except for all the traffic laws, the difference between User and System Optimal that traffic engineers spend much of their lives trying to bridge, and, you know, the fact that it took an enormous effort by government to build smooth roads and put up signs everywhere. Sigh. I'm not saying Transportation Engineering is the most important, innovative field, but funny things happen when not transportation engineers talk about transportation systems.
> the fact that it took an enormous effort by government to build smooth roads and put up signs everywhere
"Traffic" here is an analogy for "society at large", so any response along the lines of "but the government built the roads" or "but public transport is more efficient" is kind of missing the point. And it's a good analogy in that it shows how much order can emerge from people acting in their self interest without being aware of other peoples plans or goals. I also think it makes it pretty intuitive that predictable and general rules of the game are far superior to ad hoc and ever changing ones, although as an argument in favor of laissez faire, it's definitely not a good one.
kj4211cash · · focus · HN ↗
This thread reminds me of when my libertarian friend was explaining to me how traffic shows how everything can work well when everyone acts in their own self interest. Well, sure, except for all the traffic laws, the difference between User and System Optimal that traffic engineers spend much of their lives trying to bridge, and, you know, the fact that it took an enormous effort by government to build smooth roads and put up signs everywhere. Sigh. I'm not saying Transportation Engineering is the most important, innovative field, but funny things happen when not transportation engineers talk about transportation systems.
ImTotallyVegan · · focus · HN ↗
"Traffic" here is an analogy for "society at large", so any response along the lines of "but the government built the roads" or "but public transport is more efficient" is kind of missing the point. And it's a good analogy in that it shows how much order can emerge from people acting in their self interest without being aware of other peoples plans or goals. I also think it makes it pretty intuitive that predictable and general rules of the game are far superior to ad hoc and ever changing ones, although as an argument in favor of laissez faire, it's definitely not a good one.