This post from a few weeks back -- about redesigned stop signs that, in fact, give drivers less of an absolute command and more of an instruction to take initiative -- sparked some debate in the comments section. Specifically, the debate was about roundabouts versus traffic lights versus stop signs, but in the details was an argument about whether the average motorist is capable enough to make the right decision without a clear mandate. Well, Jalopnik has an interesting video (two, actually) of a busy intersection in Budapest, Hungary, that because of a computer glitch that knocked out the traffic lights, essentially became a busy, signless intersection. The result? Better than you might expect. Motorists, cyclists and pedestrians all interacted in such a way that all groups took turns with right-of-way and traffic continued to flow -- for the duration of the video, anyway.
The idea is that when commands are removed from a busy intersection, all parties are forced to be more alert, resulting in better communication among everyone in the vicinity. These short videos seem to play this out. Check out the videos, and some of the design philosophy behind signless intersections, here. (I can't seem to embed the videos directly in this post -- sorry.)
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