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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

#511

Post by QuarterReptile »

walleeee wrote: post #189
glimshe wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My suburb does as much as it can to make itself walkable. There are crossings and sidewalks everywhere, but it's still a low density suburb so it doesn't make much sense to walk almost anywhere (my kid does walk to school as it happens to be close, but that's it). So while they are trying to address this problem, very few people actually walk. But all of this said, I want low density. Having lived many years in a hig…

It is unrealistic to expect this lifestyle in the long term. The era of the car will come to an end, likely in the next few decades. The personal car is a profligate use of materials and energy. We can afford them at the moment only thanks to market distortion and a massive one shot energy surfeit. When the real costs are priced in, very few people will be willing or able to pay. Had the real costs been priced in fro…

I disagree with your claim that cars will be gone, as the rare non-SUV owner (and as someone who also answered parent to argue.) Cars don't cost that much when you drive reasonable cars for occasional trips. They're expensive, but certainly not as much as, say, food.

When there is enough momentum to push most cars out of town centers and to slow those not removed (10mph is ample to do the heavy lifting which should be the domain of cars), there will still be a place for asynchronous, on-demand high-speed travel. It will probably be a return to the family car for those with families, and other efficient arrangements for others.

When that happens, the relative free-loading of tractor trailers on interstates will be more exposed, plus the big box stores won't be as popular without daily car trips for all. By some highly suboptimal taxation scheme, we'll push logistics off the roads, except, once again, for high value uses where asynchronous, on-demand roads are worth the price.

Edit: I learned that the 2013 Odyssey is 19lb. over the minimum GVWR, so I am, in fact, a truck driver.

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

#512

Post by QuarterReptile »

dragonwriter wrote: post #363
SV_BubbleTime wrote: post #308

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hang on! I was there in 2008 during carpocalypse. I’ve typed this before in detail, but this is NOT A LOOPHOLE! In 2008 Obama came in and made changes to CAFE and CARB with Californias very willing help. The news headline you might have seen, and just saw again this year with Biden Admin pushing it was “All vehicles to be XX MPG by 20YY” . To which people who know absolutely nothing about vehicles clap for. People wh…

CAFE has had an exception or lower standard for light trucks and an exception for heavy trucks since 1978, and vehicles used as passenger vehicles but meeting either of the truck categories have been incentivized since then; its not something that started 30 years later. The rise of SUVs and Minivans was a product of this — in the 1980s, not the late 00s.

Do minivans meet the definitions? Mine has a pretty low ground clearance, and I don't think it meets the attack angle requirement, either (which is typically the cheapest.)

Edit: I guess I'm a trucker! The 2013 Odyssey is 19lb. over the minimum GVWR!

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

#513

Post by pnutjam »

Vecr wrote: post #488
pnutjam wrote: post #397

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is what happens when every traffic stop is billed as a combat situation. Cops feel like their dangerous (and they are) because America can't pass sensible gun restrictions.

What do you mean by "sensible"? People would probably start carrying Glocks with a suppressor, stock, vertical front grip, and micro red dot. That's only sort of safer for police as long as people don't look up how to make an armor piercing bullet.

It's always fun having gun nuts pretend to debate in good faith. Thanks

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

#514

Post by vuln »

injb wrote: post #90
vuln wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You know what else works? Making learning how to drive a requirement for getting a drivers license. Other countries that have tried this have had good success. Where is “learning how to drive” not a requirement?

Everywhere I have lived in the US.

Weird. Everywhere in the US I’ve lived one must obtain a permit, behind the wheel hours, a driving school (private or public school). Then there is a test for permit, and then another 2 part test before a drivers license is obtained.

I’ve lived all over the US and it appears to me to the be standard. Where have you lived within the US that deviated from this standard?

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

#515

Post by Eumenes »

jeffrallen wrote: post #284
Eumenes wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Transition to trail running if you can. Ive stopped taking chances with road running because of the insane drivers. Same with biking. Added benefits of being in nature and getting off pavement helps your joints a bit.

If you are a small woman and there are cougars in your area, trail running is also dangerous. You look like prey and trigger the hunting instinct. Pepper spray won't save you either, because they attack your neck from the rear. You're already dead before you are reaching for the spray! Source: the signs outside Northern California open spaces (and the newspaper)

Have ran 1000s of miles in cougar country without ever even seeing one ... Way more afraid, and more likely to be hit by a motorist on the road or struck by lightning. Not saying ignore the dangers of wildlife, but its very unlikely.

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

#516

Post by tiny_ta »

c_crank wrote: post #470
tiny_ta wrote: post #459

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting, because I have a theory that less dependence on cars would actually lead to fewer crazy, homeless people and more vibrant neighbourhoods: the reason being that lower income folks wouldn't have to spend so much time and money on cars. As tempting as it is to look away, we're only fracturing our society more by drawing lines between different income classes, if we don't invest in things like walkable neigh…

Gangs and homeless camps are generally endemic to urban areas, not rural ones, despite rural low income groups having a far greater need to rely on cars to get around.

Huh, this is even more interesting because I always thought that homeless folk gravitate towards city centers and not that urban areas cause homelessness. I'm not looking to contradict you, just saying it's funny how we look at the same things and completely reverse the cause and effects in our heads :)

My thinking is that homeless folks tend to move towards city centers because they are more noticed, have more footfalls go past them and hence is easier for them to get food/change etc. They would not be likely to go to the suburbs because they are harder to get around, there are fewer people around to help, and it's very easy to get the police called on you for loitering around someone's lawn.

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

#517

Post by c_crank »

tiny_ta wrote: post #516
c_crank wrote: post #470

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Gangs and homeless camps are generally endemic to urban areas, not rural ones, despite rural low income groups having a far greater need to rely on cars to get around.

Huh, this is even more interesting because I always thought that homeless folk gravitate towards city centers and not that urban areas cause homelessness. I'm not looking to contradict you, just saying it's funny how we look at the same things and completely reverse the cause and effects in our heads :) My thinking is that homeless folks tend to move towards city centers because they are more noticed, have more footf…

The inability or unwillingness of city police to deal with camps of the homeless would register as a cause, to me.

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

#518

Post by tiny_ta »

c_crank wrote: post #517
tiny_ta wrote: post #516

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Huh, this is even more interesting because I always thought that homeless folk gravitate towards city centers and not that urban areas cause homelessness. I'm not looking to contradict you, just saying it's funny how we look at the same things and completely reverse the cause and effects in our heads :) My thinking is that homeless folks tend to move towards city centers because they are more noticed, have more footf…

The inability or unwillingness of city police to deal with camps of the homeless would register as a cause, to me.

I'm sure that's a contributor - thank you for highlighting the other side of this issue! :)

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

#519

Post by cmh89 »

rootusrootus wrote: post #435
cmh89 wrote: post #352

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>My experiences with pedistrian near misses have been when people step in front of my car while staring at their phone Which means you failed to see the pedestrian a yield to them. You caused the near miss.

"He was right, dead right, but just as dead as if he had been dead wrong." Outside of HN, in real life safety is a responsibility of everyone . You are careful when you drive, careful when you walk. You don't text while driving, you don't text while crossing the street. Everyone stays safer.

The 'you can be right and dead' trope is so tired.Of course we should always be looking to mitigate dangerous and distracted drivers.

>Outside of HN, in real life safety is a responsibility of everyone.

The person driving the gas propelled two ton vehicle has more responsibility to avoid hitting things than pedestrians have to avoid getting hit.

>. You are careful when you drive, careful when you walk. You don't text while driving, you don't text while crossing the street. Everyone stays safer.

Pedestrians *should* be able to text while they cross the street. The only reason they can't/shouldn't is because American drivers are largely allowed to operate their machines in a negligent manner at all times.

Walking is an inherently safe activity. Driving is an inherently dangerous activity. Drivers should have more a burden for safety than walkers. You, as a driver, should expect things to enter the road. That's why we have speed limits. That's you watch the road instead of playing on the road.

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

#520

Post by dennyabraham »

AlwaysRock wrote: post #98
poly_morphis wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The merging and the lane etiquette are the two biggest for me, though I do a lot more driving now than a few years ago. People going below the speed limit in the leftmost lanes regularly back up the freeway since no one can pass. Also is way more dangerous since some weave in the middle lanes (or right) to make the pass.

Yeah that is a weird one because no one is going to get ticketed for going the speed limit or 5 over in the passing/leftmost lane and technically they are doing nothing wrong. It just makes driving more difficult for everyone else. The rightmost lane is somewhat similar. You really shouldnt travel in it. It's for getting on and off the road. If you are in it you're making it harder for other to merge on/off the road.…

By rightmost lane, do you mean the on/offramp? Otherwise, it's legally required in much the country to stay in the right lane except when passing.
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