Why cul-de-sacs are bad for your health • Hacker News Board

Re: Why cul-de-sacs are bad for your health

#141

Post by ch4s3 » Wed, Dec 11, 2013, 5:06 PM UTC

Stronico wrote: post #139

ch4s3 wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Re: 2. Narrower streets do the same thing for traffic speed. For an added bonus, tree lined streets slow traffic even more due to how nearby moving objects in your peripheral vision change your perception of how fast you're moving. So, you can get the desired effect of the cul-de-sac without the cul-de-sac.

I live on a narrow street, with lots of trees, and lots of street parking, which makes it one lane in many parts. And Speed humps. It seems to make the cautious drive slower, but the speeders don't seem to be affected that much.

mileage may vary. In all seriousness, you'll never stop some people, but good design of infrastructure does change behavior in many people.

Re: Why cul-de-sacs are bad for your health

#142

Post by dllthomas » Wed, Dec 11, 2013, 5:17 PM UTC

tracker1 wrote: post #108

enoch_r wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Walking everywhere is nice as long as you know exactly where you want to live, you don't care about space, and can afford high rent. Taking this piece by piece: > can afford high rent From the article: "The average working adult in Atlanta’s suburbs now drives 44 miles a day." The IRS estimates that the average automobile cost about 55 cents per mile. At Atlantian levels of driving, that's almost $700 a month. That…

It's worth considering that the 55 cents per mile average probably includes the cost of the car... if you're paying $500 a month for a car payment, and you need a car, even half as much, you still have to pay $500 for the payment... meaning if you spend half as much in gas, you're now at $600/month and paying >90 cents per mile, it's all relative. You only really save on the cost of a vehicle if you already own it (n…

Most people with a car probably have at least one of car payments (because it is relatively new) or high maintenance costs (because it is relatively old). Driving a car less won't lower your payments. It will bring down maintenance costs, and can lower insurance.

Re: Why cul-de-sacs are bad for your health

#143

Post by Stronico » Wed, Dec 11, 2013, 7:01 PM UTC

ch4s3 wrote: post #141

Stronico wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I live on a narrow street, with lots of trees, and lots of street parking, which makes it one lane in many parts. And Speed humps. It seems to make the cautious drive slower, but the speeders don't seem to be affected that much.

mileage may vary. In all seriousness, you'll never stop some people, but good design of infrastructure does change behavior in many people.

A valid point, but since it is a through street there are more speeders due to the higher total of cars on the road in general - It does not take that speeding cars to elicit fear. That was actually one of the first things I noticed after we brought the baby home - the speeding cars.