Achicane(/ʃɪˈkeɪn/) is aserpentinecurve in a road, added by design rather than dictated by geography. Chicanes add extra turns and are used both inmotor racingand on roads and streets toslow trafficfor safety. For example, one form of chicane is a short, shallow S-shaped turn that requires the driver to turn slightly left and then slightly right to continue on the road, requiring the driver to reduce speed. The wordchicaneis derived from theFrenchverbchicaner,which means "to create difficulties" or "to dispute pointlessly", "quibble", which is also the root of theEnglishnounchicanery.[1]The Spanish verbchicanearalso means "to use trickery".[2]
Motor racing
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On modern racing circuits, chicanes are usually located after long straights, making them a prime location for overtaking. They can be placed tactically by circuit designers to prevent vehicles from reaching speeds deemed to be unsafe. A prime example of this is the three chicanes at theAutodromo Nazionale Monza,introduced in the early 1970s; the Chase atMount Panorama,added in 1987; and the Tamburello chicane atImola,which was placed in 1995 afterAyrton Senna's deathat the original corner. AtLe Mansin 1990, two chicanes were placed on the 6 kilometres (3.7 mi)Mulsanne StraightwhereGroup Cprototypeshad previously achieved speeds of 400 kilometres per hour (250 mph) in order to conform to new international regulations limiting the maximum length of a straight on a motor racing circuit to 2 kilometres (1.2 mi).
Some tracks, such as theYas Marina CircuitinAbu Dhabi,feature optional chicanes. Faster cars will take the chicane, but slower cars (such as amateur club racers) may avoid the chicane because they are not capable of reaching equally high speeds on the straights.Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunyahas one at Europcar, which became the source of controversy when it was instituted for MotoGP after a fatal crash.
Chicanes can makeslipstreamingless potent and break uppelotonsduring motor races.[3]
The term is used in other types of racing, such asbobsleigh,to indicate a similar shift in the course or track.
A slower driver or vehicle that delays competitors is sometimes disparaged as amobile chicaneormoving chicane.In some cases they may not move out of the way quickly enough to allow competitors in higher positions (having completed more laps) past, despite repeated showings ofblue flags.This can cost competitors valuable time and championship points. This same term, applied to traffic calming, can refer to the usage of portable devices to create a chicane configuration.
Traffic calming
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Chicanes are a type of "horizontal deflection" used intraffic calmingschemes to reduce the speed of traffic. Drivers are expected to reduce speed to negotiate the lateral displacement in the vehicle path.[4]There are several variations of traffic-calming chicanes, but they generally fall into one of two broad categories:
- Single-lane working chicanes, which consist of staggered build-outs, narrowing the road so that traffic in one direction has to give way to opposing traffic
- Two-way working chicanes, which use build-outs to provide deflection, but with lanes separated by road markings or a central island.
Limited crash data for chicane schemes indicate changes in injury crashes (range from −54% to +32%) and crash severity.[clarification needed][5][6]
Chicanes can also be used to prevent access to certain vehicles. TheVermont Agency of Transportationhas considered adding chicanes toRoute 108inStoweandCambridgeto prevent the passage oftractor-trailers,which often get stuck further up the road.[7]
Pedestrian
editApedestrian chicaneis a kind of permanentfenceused at arailway crossingto slow pedestrians down and to force them to observe both directions before crossing therailway tracks.While passing the chicane, one has to turn to the left and to the right, increasing the probability of seeing an approaching train. A similar arrangement is sometimes used at the entrances ofparksto impedebicycle,car, mobility scooter, and wheelchair access.
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Chicane to prevent pedestrians from carelessly running across the track. -
Chicane used for slowing cyclists
See also
editReferences
edit- ^Webster's New World College Dictionary(4th ed.). Cleveland:Wiley Publishing.2006. p. 253.ISBN0-02-863118-8.
- ^spanishdict
- ^Bradley, Charles (18 April 2021)."Short racing circuits: In defence of commonly overlooked venues".Autosport.Retrieved18 April2021.
- ^A Road Safety Good Practice Guide for Highway Authorities, First Edition, Appendix A.6,TRL Limited, Judith Barker and Chris Baguley, for the UK Department for Transport, March 2006 (Accessed 16 August 2011)
- ^UK Department for Transport Traffic Advisory Leaflet 12/97Archived2011-10-05 at theWayback Machine,December 1997 (Accessed 16 August 2011)
- ^Urban Traffic Calming and Health, National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy, Canada
- ^Reporter, Stowe (30 May 2019)."Stuck trucks botch Notch despite VTrans bans, fines and signs".VTDigger.Retrieved4 July2022.
