Ban Traffic Lights: An Essay

A brief preface gives the reasons why the essay was written and why the reader should support those reasons. Chapter 1 lays out the four basic rules of traffic flow that obviate the need for traffic lights. Situations common to traffic fill out the chapter. Chapter 2 gives two basic rules for pedestrian behavior navigating through traffic. Chapter 3 discusses the the special case of bicycle riders in traffic. Chapter 4 offers some final words on the negative effect of traffic lights and traffic in general upon the happiness of mankind and the author in particular.

Based on my own experience, most city intersection accidents occur where there are traffic lights. The lights lull drivers into a false sense of security. More than half the drivers in accidents are in the right, dead right! Traffic lights exacerbate road rage problems. They almost always slow down traffic when viewed from the big picture. Remember, when that mob of shoppers blocks the street downtown, the cars entering the street from side streets have a chance to clear out of town more easily. In breaks between the crowd of pedestrians, when the cars do move, they will get out of town more quickly.