THE RETURN of students, while in many ways pleasant, always brings with it something people in Charlottesville dread. Just one week into the semester, traffic around the University has entered its perennially snarled state. Congestion has been a way of life around U.Va., but that doesn't have to be the case.
Traffic patterns around Grounds always develop from the interaction between three key groups of people: car drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians. Keeping traffic running smoothly requires effort from all three groups. If one person slips up, traffic is at least slowed. If the mistake is a big one, or happens at the wrong time, an accident may well result.
With the goal of maintaining smooth traffic flow in mind, I submit the following list of suggestions to people in these three groups.
Car Drivers: The most obvious fault to be found with drivers in Charlottesville is that virtually none of them signal their turns properly. For the record, the proper time to signal a turn is before you make it. In Charlottesville, if the signal is used at all, it usually is flipped on halfway through the turn.
Signaling your turns greatly improves traffic flow by allowing other drivers to predict what you are going to do. It also helps to avoid the accidents that occur when cyclists or pedestrians mistake a driver's intentions.
Another key way to improve traffic flow is to increase your creativity. While Emmet Street, JPA, Barracks Road and University Avenue are extremely convenient streets with lots of important buildings on them, they are by no means the only streets in Charlottesville. Not that you could figure that out, given the amount of traffic on them in the afternoons. While in some cases there simply is no other option, there are a surprising number of instances in which you will be able to go where you need to without using one of the main arteries.
Drivers might find it beneficial to spend a weekend afternoon driving around town working out alternate routes for getting to your favorite locations. Reaching your destination using back streets might be more complicated and require a longer drive, but given the degree of daily congestion on the main traffic arteries, the cost in time may end up being less.
The best advice I can give, though, is not to drive. Charlottesville and the University both have good transit systems, with several points for switching between the two. While they're not useful for every single situation, they'll satisfy a number of needs for people both on and off Grounds. Use of public transportation can improve traffic flow dramatically. And walking to class never hurt anybody, either. Speaking of which ...
Pedestrians: Pedestrians have a dream situation here at the University: pretty scenery, nice sidewalks and plenty of places that are only for those on foot. Where Charlottesville pedestrians run into problems are those places that are not just for walkers. In particular, I'm talking about places where people on foot have to cross the road.
What's surprising is that in most places this really doesn't require any thinking at all. The University and the city of Charlottesville have graciously put up little signals at most intersections that tell you when to walk and when not to walk. Why nobody pays them any attention is beyond me. Particular sinners are first-year students, who seem to live for the experience of dashing across the road before the brakes of the oncoming car give out.
I'm not saying to just sit there when the road is empty and the light says "Don't Walk." But when there is traffic, obey the signals. People crossing the street cause a lot of traffic problems simply by halting the flow of traffic that has (according to the light) the right of way.
If there isn't a signal, use good judgment. Don't step out into a busy street to force a halt in traffic unless the situation really warrants it. Let a group of people build up instead of crossing singly. Most drivers will pause to let pedestrians across the street, so long as it doesn't happen every other second.
Cyclists: Bicycles are an excellent solution to many traffic problems. They don't pollute, and generally don't cause traffic snarls. But several accidents a year involve cyclists. Most of them could be avoided or mitigated by paying more attention to surroundings and wearing helmets. But again, an excellent aid is signaling.
Cyclists also should stay out of the center of the road. While a cyclist has a legal right to use the entire lane if necessary, traffic flow generally improves when cyclists don't. Try to use the edges of the road or the sidewalk.
Of course, when on the sidewalk, cyclists should respect pedestrians. If you are riding up behind someone, call out so that they know you're coming. While a bicycle isn't as bad as a car, a collision will usually cause a severe injury. Calling out your approach -- "Watch out on your left!" for example -- drastically reduces the chances of an accident.
And finally, cyclists, don't take your bike on the Bryan Hall breezeway. Trust me -- everyone will hate you.
All it takes to have smooth traffic flow is cooperation between cyclists, pedestrians and motorists. Being considerate towards the people you're sharing the road with can drastically improve the situation for everyone.
(Sparky Clarkson's column appears Tuesdays in The Cavalier Daily.)
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