Pedestrian deaths spike in U.S. as reckless driving surges • Hacker News Board

Re: Pedestrian deaths spike in U.S. as reckless driving surges

#51

Post by gumby » Mon, Feb 14, 2022, 1:26 PM UTC

samwillis wrote: post #34

Here in the UK they have just changed the Highway Code (the rules that given all road users, including pedestrians) so that pedestrians have ultimate right of way in almost all cases. It’s the opposite of the situation in the US, a pedestrian in the UK can cross the road anywhere and I believe cars have to stop and make way. It’s going to be interesting to see how it effects accident numbers, I’m worry it may actuall…

That has long been the law in California, but enforcement is poor. California also has the "jaywalking" law that clearly prioritizes automobiles over pedestrians.

It's worse for bicycles: almost nowhere in the USA are drivers punished for killing cyclists, despite what's written in the vehicle code.

Re: Pedestrian deaths spike in U.S. as reckless driving surges

#52

Post by kmlx » Mon, Feb 14, 2022, 1:27 PM UTC

cianmm wrote: post #8

gameswithgo wrote: post #2

In Austin Texas we have an absurdly well marked crosswalk on the way to the elementary school, to a close approximation nobody has ever stopped to let us cross. Our daughter was nearly killed once, so far. It seems so many people in America are so fat now they don’t imagine people would ever walk, so they drive without regard for pedestrians and active hostility towards cyclists and park in the way of sidewalks, maki…

I’m in Ireland and there is a signposted pedestrian crossing that cars routinely ignore in a park near my house. A good technique, I’ve found, is point your phone at them as you prepare to cross. It seems to scare them into stopping. Normalisation of dangerous driving is a global phenomenon where car culture reigns.

elevated pedestrian crossing is the solution here. used across London with great effect.

anyway, there are many ways to calm traffic.

Re: Pedestrian deaths spike in U.S. as reckless driving surges

#53

Post by octopoc » Mon, Feb 14, 2022, 1:27 PM UTC

_dain_ wrote: post #35

efitz wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How exactly did you get to “the cause of reckless driving is fat people who don’t walk everywhere?” Show your work. In most places in America walking is not a practical mode of transportation because of distance; it’s miles from your house to the grocery store, for instance. If you live in a city this might not be obvious to you but half the country lives in the burbs or rural areas. Separately, it would be nice if w…

>Separately, it would be nice if we had more sidewalks, but they are financially unsustainable in low density areas. Doesn't this actually imply that it's the low density that is financially unsustainable, rather than the sidewalks? I mean if your settlement pattern can't even afford a place for people to walk, what the hell are you doing?

No, this is a matter of different strokes for different folks. Many people have chosen to live in low density areas even though there are no sidewalks. They have chosen for themselves what to do with their limited resources. For people who choose to live in cities because there are sidewalks there, they are the ones making the tradeoff that you like.

Re: Pedestrian deaths spike in U.S. as reckless driving surges

#54

Post by sandworm101 » Mon, Feb 14, 2022, 1:27 PM UTC

But i thought that with the push towards shorter commutes werent we also seeing more pedestrians? More pedestrians = more oppertunities for accidents. We cannot get to conclusions about trending driver behaviour before a proper analysis of the underlying statistics.

Also cellphones. 5g = better connectivity on the move = more distracted people driving/walking = more accidents?

Re: Pedestrian deaths spike in U.S. as reckless driving surges

#55

Post by baremetal » Mon, Feb 14, 2022, 1:28 PM UTC

Waterluvian wrote: post #42

sillyquiet wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Since pedestrian deaths are 'surging', its gotta be down to something that's changed, not a factor that's been constant all along, right?

Narcissism is at an all-time high.

i was gonna say something similar, entitlement

Re: Pedestrian deaths spike in U.S. as reckless driving surges

#56

Post by bdauvergne » Mon, Feb 14, 2022, 1:28 PM UTC

aww_dang wrote: post #36

gameswithgo wrote: post #2

In Austin Texas we have an absurdly well marked crosswalk on the way to the elementary school, to a close approximation nobody has ever stopped to let us cross. Our daughter was nearly killed once, so far. It seems so many people in America are so fat now they don’t imagine people would ever walk, so they drive without regard for pedestrians and active hostility towards cyclists and park in the way of sidewalks, maki…

I'm all for cycling, but as a former bike messenger this take feels a bit extreme. The obesity crisis is real and people should get out and be more active. No matter how many concessions are made, most people are just unable to get over the lack of inertia and start cycling. Even if we allow for a hypothetical safety utopia, comments here will cite sweating as a deal breaker. I understand and empathize with beginners…

What exactly is the problem with sweating ? The rest of the world sweats without thinking about it.

Re: Pedestrian deaths spike in U.S. as reckless driving surges

#57

Post by ben_w » Mon, Feb 14, 2022, 1:28 PM UTC

efitz wrote: post #21

gameswithgo wrote: post #2

In Austin Texas we have an absurdly well marked crosswalk on the way to the elementary school, to a close approximation nobody has ever stopped to let us cross. Our daughter was nearly killed once, so far. It seems so many people in America are so fat now they don’t imagine people would ever walk, so they drive without regard for pedestrians and active hostility towards cyclists and park in the way of sidewalks, maki…

How exactly did you get to “the cause of reckless driving is fat people who don’t walk everywhere?” Show your work. In most places in America walking is not a practical mode of transportation because of distance; it’s miles from your house to the grocery store, for instance. If you live in a city this might not be obvious to you but half the country lives in the burbs or rural areas. Separately, it would be nice if w…

I tried walking around Salt Lake City when I was there, but I kept having to backtrack because the sidewalks suddenly stopped.

Re: Pedestrian deaths spike in U.S. as reckless driving surges

#58

Post by musicjohn » Mon, Feb 14, 2022, 1:28 PM UTC

throwaway894345 wrote: post #14

gameswithgo wrote: post #2

In Austin Texas we have an absurdly well marked crosswalk on the way to the elementary school, to a close approximation nobody has ever stopped to let us cross. Our daughter was nearly killed once, so far. It seems so many people in America are so fat now they don’t imagine people would ever walk, so they drive without regard for pedestrians and active hostility towards cyclists and park in the way of sidewalks, maki…

I forget where this was, but I recall seeing video of police crossing on a crosswalk undercover and whenever a vehicle would fail to yield a cruiser would appear and pull the offender over. I would like to see a lot more of this. In Chicago, people have always blown red lights at speed right in front of parked police cars because they know police won’t do anything (and I’m not even sure if the police are allowed to d…

I think you're describing the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Tf6dFhH-nA

Re: Pedestrian deaths spike in U.S. as reckless driving surges

#59

Post by analog31 » Mon, Feb 14, 2022, 1:28 PM UTC

MrBuddyCasino wrote: post #27

efitz wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How exactly did you get to “the cause of reckless driving is fat people who don’t walk everywhere?” Show your work. In most places in America walking is not a practical mode of transportation because of distance; it’s miles from your house to the grocery store, for instance. If you live in a city this might not be obvious to you but half the country lives in the burbs or rural areas. Separately, it would be nice if w…

> Separately, it would be nice if we had more sidewalks, but they are financially unsustainable in low density areas. What makes sidewalks expensive to maintain, relative to roads? > the biggest issue by far is dietary sugar/carbohydrates This is not clear. See this highly fascinating series on the obesity epidemic: https://slimemoldtimemold.com/2021/07/07/a-chemical-hunger-p... . Other suspects are HFCS and seed oil…

It could have to do with how they are paid for. When the sidewalks were repaired on my street, each resident received a bill, proportional to how many of the segments were in front of their house. When the road was rebuilt, the money came from Somewhere Else.

Yeah, Somewhere Else is ultimately the same place, but homeowners don't see it as personally flowing out of their own pockets.

Re: Pedestrian deaths spike in U.S. as reckless driving surges

#60

Post by ericmay » Mon, Feb 14, 2022, 1:28 PM UTC

efitz wrote: post #21

gameswithgo wrote: post #2

In Austin Texas we have an absurdly well marked crosswalk on the way to the elementary school, to a close approximation nobody has ever stopped to let us cross. Our daughter was nearly killed once, so far. It seems so many people in America are so fat now they don’t imagine people would ever walk, so they drive without regard for pedestrians and active hostility towards cyclists and park in the way of sidewalks, maki…

How exactly did you get to “the cause of reckless driving is fat people who don’t walk everywhere?” Show your work. In most places in America walking is not a practical mode of transportation because of distance; it’s miles from your house to the grocery store, for instance. If you live in a city this might not be obvious to you but half the country lives in the burbs or rural areas. Separately, it would be nice if w…

> In most places in America walking is not a practical mode of transportation because of distance; it’s miles from your house to the grocery store, for instance.

Which is because we’ve specifically built everything such that there are large distances involved which necessitate cars. You’re taking this as that natural order of things instead of a deliberate decision, which it was. We could have just built towns and cities with the right level of density instead. Even where there aren’t “large distances” involved such as the suburbs where the grocery store and doctor’s office have to be built a half mile or so away everyone has to drive because surprise surprise we’re stupid and made it so that you’re crippled and have to drive to go any distance, not just actual long distances.

> Separately, it would be nice if we had more sidewalks, but they are financially unsustainable in low density areas.

All the roads and highways are unsustainable too, more so, in fact. The difference is the government subsidized these instead of subsidizing sidewalks or more density to create the illusion of progress. Can’t be stagnating as a society if there’s a new road!