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My main concern would be traffic. I live in an affluent neighbourhood with a lot of stressed people driving SUVs. I've had a car run over my foot. On one occasi

My main concern would be traffic. I live in an affluent neighbourhood with a lot of stressed people driving SUVs. I've had a car run over my foot. On one occasion, my kids had to be yanked out of the way by their mother to avoid being hit by a left-turning car that didn't see them. My impression is that the Swiss are more fastidious about following traffic regulations. Is this outdated?

m_mueller 10y ago
It probably depends on the location in the US, but every time I go there I find Americans amazingly relaxed when driving. Swiss are probably some of the more careful drivers in continental Europe (which is to say they're slow), but I think it's still way more nervous than in the US. However, one of the issues is probably the sheer size of US roads, it's just much harder to cross I think. And from my own experience, kids who are tasked to look after themselves, after a certain age will actually learn to be careful very quickly. Plus, near school there's lots of warning signs and drivers are generally careful there. Generally it's not an issue, but I can see how US suburbia could be ill fitted for such a system.
- rumcajz 10y ago
  I've also seen lots of hand-made signs like "Attention! Kids! Voluntary 30km/h!" in Switzerland.
  - drozycki 10y ago
    Parents put "Drive like your kids live here" signs in some parts of Palo Alto. I think the clever phrasing makes it more likely to be taken seriously by a driver.
- JabavuAdams 10y ago
  This is in Toronto, Canada, but we share a lot of US behaviours.
vacri 10y ago
US drivers seem particularly hostile to pedestrians. I spent only a couple of months there, but there were two times (one each in TX, CA) that I was crossing with the 'walk' sign and had to literally stop because a car was turning right in front of me and I would have walked into the side of it. And I'm a 6'6" guy with broad shoulders, not hard to see. There were other close shaves and pedestrian-hostile behaviour as well, but actually having to literally stop walking stuck with me. Oddly, despite the reputation, I actually felt safer to cross the road in NYC than most other places.

m_mueller 10y ago

It probably depends on the location in the US, but every time I go there I find Americans amazingly relaxed when driving. Swiss are probably some of the more careful drivers in continental Europe (which is to say they're slow), but I think it's still way more nervous than in the US. However, one of the issues is probably the sheer size of US roads, it's just much harder to cross I think. And from my own experience, kids who are tasked to look after themselves, after a certain age will actually learn to be careful very quickly. Plus, near school there's lots of warning signs and drivers are generally careful there. Generally it's not an issue, but I can see how US suburbia could be ill fitted for such a system.

rumcajz 10y ago
I've also seen lots of hand-made signs like "Attention! Kids! Voluntary 30km/h!" in Switzerland.
- drozycki 10y ago
  Parents put "Drive like your kids live here" signs in some parts of Palo Alto. I think the clever phrasing makes it more likely to be taken seriously by a driver.
JabavuAdams 10y ago
This is in Toronto, Canada, but we share a lot of US behaviours.

vacri 10y ago

US drivers seem particularly hostile to pedestrians. I spent only a couple of months there, but there were two times (one each in TX, CA) that I was crossing with the 'walk' sign and had to literally stop because a car was turning right in front of me and I would have walked into the side of it. And I'm a 6'6" guy with broad shoulders, not hard to see. There were other close shaves and pedestrian-hostile behaviour as well, but actually having to literally stop walking stuck with me. Oddly, despite the reputation, I actually felt safer to cross the road in NYC than most other places.