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Making an intersection unsafe for pedestrians to save seconds for drivers

collegetowns.substack.com

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Re: Making an intersection unsafe for pedestrians to save seconds for drivers

#411

Post by rafram »

ars wrote: post #322
rafram wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would it be better if they hired non-union labor at $5/hour (1/3 the minimum wage)? Would you apply for that job?

Obviously that would be better. If no one applied for the job you raise rates until someone does. You don't artificially start unnecessarily high. If you do you are basically stealing from taxpayers to give gifts to unions.

Fortunately for the workers, paying below minimum wage is illegal. (And for what it’s worth, it’s really hard to hire even at minimum wage these days. McDonald’s pays well above $15 in most metro areas - including in states which use the federal minimum.)

Re: Making an intersection unsafe for pedestrians to save seconds for drivers

#412

Post by msds »

pnutjam wrote: post #366
kspacewalk2 wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I make it clear with body language and eye contact that yes I see them and no I'm not meekly yielding my right of way. However, I leave just enough space to avoid being hit, for those situations when the True Assholes knowingly cut me off anyway. Or maybe they're not assholes by intent, but instead in the 90th percentile for inattentiveness and bad driving habits, which may even be the same thing. I don't know, I'm n…

If they get that close to me, the car is getting kicked or slapped to elicit a reaction from the driver.

Turns out you can take out a driver side mirror by putting most of your weight on it and bouncing a few times. But that's reserved for drivers that have made contact with me...

Re: Making an intersection unsafe for pedestrians to save seconds for drivers

#413

Post by archagon »

smaudet wrote: post #234
throwawayffffas wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Having almost been hit a few times by drivers making a right turn on red, I can tell you the drivers never wait even if you have the right of way. You'll be lucky if they even look for you. Right on red should not really be allowed. It's a real hazard.

The real issue are the road rage drivers who can't wait a minute and start honking behind you. We all get it, we are all late now and then, but unless you are literally trying to catch a plane or a boat, in all likelihood you can sit your candy ass down and wait a minute.

I just keep my turn signals off and wait for green (or a very obviously safe opening). Let them think that I want to go straight.

Re: Making an intersection unsafe for pedestrians to save seconds for drivers

#414

Post by mrguyorama »

throwawayffffas wrote: post #161
throwway120385 wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> With the walk signal there is a brief moment in time when the drivers are doing nothing but waiting for you and are all stopped so you as a pedestrian can account for them in preparation just before you get your signal and make your move. Having almost been hit a few times by drivers making a right turn on red, I can tell you the drivers never wait even if you have the right of way. You'll be lucky if they even loo…

> Having almost been hit a few times by drivers making a right turn on red, I can tell you the drivers never wait even if you have the right of way. You'll be lucky if they even look for you. Right on red should not really be allowed. It's a real hazard.

It hasn't been a problem here in Maine, but Portland is an extremely relaxed place. The intersection outside my apartment is quite literally a cliche'd Indian street style free for all with a set of lights that offer suggestions, but people wait for pedestrians and nobody honks.

Re: Making an intersection unsafe for pedestrians to save seconds for drivers

#415

Post by roguecoder »

david-gpu wrote: post #243
itishappy wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> ... the situational awareness of every driver who's about to get their turn is mostly absorbed in monitoring who's turn it is and who's going where. Right, that's the intent. Drivers paying attention to their surroundings is the goal. > So if you're a pedestrian and you don't time it right you could find yourself starting to cross right before someone wants to drive where you're crossing. Usually this is because yo…

> Drivers paying attention to their surroundings is the goal. In the real world, drivers don't pay attention to their surroundings; instead, they look for other cars to avoid being hit. Further down the list is avoiding static obstacles like street lights or bollards. Lastly, they may think of looking for pedestrians. In other words, they care about their safety, not their neighbor's. Cyclists, if even noticed in the…

If you treat that as a given, rather a thing for us to change with environmental design, the only ethical solution is banning private drivers entirely.

Encouraging anti-social people's deadly hobbies is terrible for the community.

Re: Making an intersection unsafe for pedestrians to save seconds for drivers

#416

Post by roguecoder »

dleslie wrote: post #13

> Why don’t lights ever sit idle with the pedestrian crossing on and the cars must wait? The author knows the answer as well as most readers do: because the intersection is being designed with cars in mind, not human beings.

Drivers are on average richer than pedestrians.

In America, with our current wealth disparity, that leaves their interests wildly over-represented in policy and infrastructure.

Re: Making an intersection unsafe for pedestrians to save seconds for drivers

#417

Post by roguecoder »

crackercrews wrote: post #266
dleslie wrote: post #205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the designers were truly considering the well-being of the occupants of the vehicles then they would be designing cities to minimize the time spent in vehicles; which means more than saving a few seconds at a stop light, it means getting them out of their cars entirely.

That might fly in temperate parts of California, but it sure doesn't work in places with less pedestrian-friendly weather.

It is working great in New York City: traffic is down 11-60% with just a $9 fee.

Re: Making an intersection unsafe for pedestrians to save seconds for drivers

#418

Post by crackercrews »

roguecoder wrote: post #417
crackercrews wrote: post #266

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That might fly in temperate parts of California, but it sure doesn't work in places with less pedestrian-friendly weather.

It is working great in New York City: traffic is down 11-60% with just a $9 fee.

Do you think people who previously drove into NYC are now walking from NJ? Or are they working remote? The photos of carless streets I've seen don't seem to be packed with pedestrians.

Re: Making an intersection unsafe for pedestrians to save seconds for drivers

#419

Post by gs17 »

rcpt wrote: post #383
andrepd wrote: post #260

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Crosswalks before the entry to the roundabout, where drivers need to stop anyway; bonus points for a gentle speed hump. Am I missing something?

What kind of roundabout has a "stop anyway"?

Some do have stop signs before you enter, but they should always have at least an implicit yield. Vehicles entering should be prepared to stop in case there's not room to enter the roundabout yet. The real issue with their suggestion is that only being able to cross "before the entry" wouldn't get you anywhere, you have to also cross where cars exit it!

Re: Making an intersection unsafe for pedestrians to save seconds for drivers

#420

Post by ajmurmann »

Kuinox wrote: post #222
ajmurmann wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The lack of adoption of best practices from other countries is generally baffling to me. When I first visited China grim Europe and saw traffic lights with countdowns (like in the US) I thought we did immediately adopt this in Europe. Cultural inertia and lack of looking outwards is really frustrating.

How are countdown signal better ?

I know if I still have time to try to cross or not. Especially on wider roads it's nice not to have to worry about being in the middle when it goes red.
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