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U.S. pedestrian deaths reach a 40-year high

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Re: U.S. pedestrian deaths reach a 40-year high

#291

Post by masklinn »

tootie wrote: post #246
LarryDarrell wrote: post #225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We've been regulating the wrong things when it comes to vehicles. Instead of being obsessed with MPG, we should have been obsessed with weight and size. There's no reason for a sedan to be heavier than 3000 lbs. There's no reason 1/2 ton pickups should be bigger than a 1994 Ford F150. Once a car is light and small(ish) the good MPG will follow. My 1988 Volvo 240 got 30mpg on a recent road trip and that's with it need…

There was a brief and futile anti-SUV movement in the 90s. Manufacturers generally got much better about size and safety compared to what they were, but they still sell based primarily on looks. For anyone who actually needs all that interior space, you're always better off with a minivan. And really most people, even families, can make do with a regular sedan. I've got a wife and two kids we can fit ourselves and en…

> And really most people, even families, can make do with a regular sedan.

That’s still the norm in Europe. Every summer you see the Dutch migrating through France in station wagons.

A roof carrier or a small trailer does wonder (when you don’t just go with a camper).

Re: U.S. pedestrian deaths reach a 40-year high

#292

Post by janitor61 »

one variable to take into consideration that I hardly see mentioned, ever - legalization of marijuana in California and other states: there's been a few times on my commute to work where I drive through distinct smell cloud of someone's exhaled pot smoke, and this is in the morning! People might be thinking weed is 'ok' to use while driving and that it's better than alcohol or something...

Re: U.S. pedestrian deaths reach a 40-year high

#293

Post by SllX »

pc86 wrote: post #274
sidewndr46 wrote: post #270

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From what I understand if you outlaw anything heavier than 3000 lbs you've basically banned most EVs other than the tiny ones resembling a city car.

I don't think the pedestrian getting hit cares whether it's an EV or not.

“My life is flashing before my eyes but at least it was an environmentally conscious Rivian that took me out and not a gas-guzzling RAM. My life may be over but the Earth is in good hands. Nice color too, really like the yellow.”

Re: U.S. pedestrian deaths reach a 40-year high

#294

Post by parineum »

I have my own opinions that I don't want to share because I would rather comment that both the content of this article and the top comments found here are a Rorschach test.

There's practically zero data provided beyond "pedestrian deaths up" yet the article and each comment seem to be confidently stating (various) different primary causes.

Re: U.S. pedestrian deaths reach a 40-year high

#295

Post by CalRobert »

Not only do we kill thousands of people a year with our vehicles, and get away with it, we stole the outdoors from our children. For every child a driver kills, hundreds — thousands — more are told to stay away from the road, to play in the backyard, not the front, and that no, they can't walk or bike to school, maybe when they're older (but of course "older" basically means "when you can drive").

Then we wonder why kids seem so insecure, anxious, and to lack independence. And why adults are so lonely. Where we used to have humans we now have steel beasts hurtling along at terrifying speeds. Our streets are places of violence.

We're moving the the Netherlands this summer because the US has gone absolutely, mind-bendingly insane. Mechs slaughter our children and far too many think the kids are the problem.

Re: U.S. pedestrian deaths reach a 40-year high

#296

Post by [deleted] »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #30
luxurytent wrote: post #11

I guess pickup trucks fall under the category of SUVs? It's wild how we've lost access to our streets and neighbourhoods for the convenience of mostly suburban vehicle users. Actually not wild, but disgraceful. The majority of roads are too wide and with little options for alternative modes of transport, drivers are growingly frustrated and angry on the road. We continue to make the mistake of thinking the solution i…

In many areas, it would take a ton of work in the effort of making destinations closer to each other. Huge parking lots, setbacks, wide roads, and detached houses on their own quarter, or even eighth, of an acre lot make it so the choice between walking/bicycling and using a personal car is not much of a choice. Public transportation is also not an option due to how inconvenient it is due to how infrequently it would…

[deleted]

Re: U.S. pedestrian deaths reach a 40-year high

#298

Post by notacoward »

carimura wrote: post #24

every time I'm in the car I'm astonished by the number of people looking down at phones while driving. Is my experience unique? Is anyone else surprised about metrics like these?

> Is my experience unique?

Not at all. When my wife and I go on longer trips, e.g. north to ski or west to where my daughter was at college, she likes to do most of the driving. Sometimes I amuse myself by counting how many of the drivers around us are using their phones while driving. It's often well over 50% and that's counting conservatively - e.g. phone actually visible in their hand, not on the dash or in their lap. If police would just enforce that one law with hefty fines and loss of license, I think safety would be significantly improved.

Re: U.S. pedestrian deaths reach a 40-year high

#299

Post by apexalpha »

sidewndr46 wrote: post #276
apexalpha wrote: post #248

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Once a car is light and small(ish) the good MPG will follow. My 1988 Volvo 240 got 30mpg on a recent road trip and that's with it needing a tune up. Doesn't this work both ways? If you focus on MPG then lighter, smaller variants of the same model will win out over bigger, heavier ones.

What does weight matter on a road trip? Unless you are exclusively driving at 30 mph uphill I don't see it mattering much. Wind resistance is the dominant force. This is the same reason why most railroads put limitations on the maximum grade they have to climb. They are mainly working against wind resistance, not gravity.

>Wind resistance is the dominant force.

Hence, smaller cars have better MPG. Smaller cars also tend to be lighter.

Re: U.S. pedestrian deaths reach a 40-year high

#300

Post by CalRobert »

LarryDarrell wrote: post #225
luxurytent wrote: post #11

I guess pickup trucks fall under the category of SUVs? It's wild how we've lost access to our streets and neighbourhoods for the convenience of mostly suburban vehicle users. Actually not wild, but disgraceful. The majority of roads are too wide and with little options for alternative modes of transport, drivers are growingly frustrated and angry on the road. We continue to make the mistake of thinking the solution i…

We've been regulating the wrong things when it comes to vehicles. Instead of being obsessed with MPG, we should have been obsessed with weight and size. There's no reason for a sedan to be heavier than 3000 lbs. There's no reason 1/2 ton pickups should be bigger than a 1994 Ford F150. Once a car is light and small(ish) the good MPG will follow. My 1988 Volvo 240 got 30mpg on a recent road trip and that's with it need…

The 240 is a beast. And yet, having just Googled it, it's 400 pounds _lighter_ than a 2022 VW Golf.
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