Interesting article on Salon (warning: stupid daypass ahead) that argues that traffic regulation is counterproductive--we ought to be removing traffic signals and stop signs, not adding more and more. One graf gist:

Reversing decades of conventional wisdom on traffic engineering, Hamilton-Baillie argues that the key to improving both safety and vehicular capacity is to remove traffic lights and other controls, such as stop signs and the white and yellow lines dividing streets into lanes. Without any clear right-of-way, he says, motorists are forced to slow down to safer speeds, make eye contact with pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers, and decide among themselves when it is safe to proceed.

Makes a surprising degree of sense, although it's definitely something that libertarians would jump on, which gives me pause. It also seems like actually putting this plan into practice would make adjudication of insurance disputes nearly impossible, which would also please libertarians, and which therefore also makes me skeptical.

I do think that they should repeal nearly all speed limits, though, for what it's worth. And every new stop sign (like the one they put on Mendenhall last year) or traffic signal (like the one they just put up at Tate and McIver) they put up, I definitely find infuriating. I violate that pointless "No Turn on Red" at Mendenhall and Spring Garden nearly every day.

But I've seen the lunatics that are out there, and I don't want them deciding when it's safe to go. So it's a tossup.