Affordances and Constraints and Social Practices

The five technologies listed in Activity 1 offer some interesting perspectives on affordances and constraints. Traffic signals, for example, allowed city engineers to regulate traffic while they also created circumstances in which drivers have to stop multiple times, making it take longer to get to a destination. I always envisioned someone watching a big screen somewhere thinking to herself, okay I’ll let these drivers go now. Physically, then, drivers have to follow specific rules (although in Omaha, running a red light is too common for comfort) if they want to drive a vehicle in the city. They also have to physically pass a driver’s exam (both on paper and behind the wheel). Although a student once told me that in Omaha, a behind the wheel exam is not required. If that’s true, it explains a lot about drivers in this town.

Drivers communicate meanings and establish relationships all the time while driving by stopping or going at a traffic light, by signaling a turn or driving into a left or right turn lanes, and by honking to get someone’s attention. Although I don’t do this very often, I always honk at drivers who don’t move right away on that weird turn from Dodge to Happy Hallow. Only four/five cars can fit in the north bound lane waiting for the light to change and I don’t want to miss my chance because I hate having to move over to the east bound lane to wait for the light because (as is common in Omaha) other drivers never allow you into a lane. I don’t understand that because if they simply used the zipper approach, we would all be able to make the light. What meaning are they communicating when they do that? Are they unaware, indifferent, or bullies when they prevent other drivers from entering their lane? When I lived in Phoenix, drivers automatically entered into a zipper approach if there was an obstruction (stalled car or construction).

Traffic signals are significantly important to how we think about driving, other drivers, and roadways. They organize the space of the roadways and indicate where drivers are allowed to go and how they are allowed to go about it (e.g., you can’t turn left on Dodge unless there is a designed left turn lane). They also organize time in that they are synchronized for optimal movement, especially during rush hours. This organization makes sure that the traffic flow is smooth and accommodates drivers.

In terms of social identities and traffic lights, drivers can take on a defensive identity where they are always on guard for problems or a road rage identity that makes it more difficult for other drivers. What identity, I wonder, is the person who consistently runs a red light? Do they do it because it’s too late to stop? Do they do it because they don’t want to wait 2 minutes for the next green light? Do they do it because they are inconsiderate? Almost every accident I’ve heard about happened because of someone running a read light. I wonder did traffic signals make these identities possible or did we already have these identities and traffic signals enhanced them. Something to ponder.

Traffic signals afford us a safe and consistent driving experience, but they also constrain us in how fast we want to go (speed limits), when we want to go (red/yellow/green lights), and how to maintain distance from other drivers (lane indications). The color system also constrains people who are color blind, which necessitated the spacing of the lights with red at the top and green at the bottom.