3 ms·

The number of comments on that article along the lines of "this happened to me / my family member" is illuminating. I think as individuals we don't have a good

by tmnvix 9y ago

The number of comments on that article along the lines of "this happened to me / my family member" is illuminating. I think as individuals we don't have a good understanding of just how harmful motor vehicles are. This is even though most people know of someone that was killed or maimed before adulthood. Like suicide, I think the consequences of motor vehicle crashes are mostly hidden. This doesn't only apply to the fatal crashes. I'm sure people that are maimed tend to venture into the public domain less often than the able-bodied. If they were more visible, we might be more aware of the carnage that happens on our roadways. I think there will come a time when the idea of guiding a couple of tonnes of metal at speeds of up to 70km/h within a metre or two of pedestrians will seem absurd.

JKCalhoun 9y ago
It is already absurd. I'm not sure why we, as a society, allowed cars to take over our "pedestrianways". I suppose it was gradual — only a few cars at first, traveling relatively slowly back then.
- ryanjshaw 9y ago
  You may be interested in the following article, 'The forgotten history of how automakers invented the crime of "jaywalking"': https://www.vox.com/2015/1/15/7551873/jaywalking-history https://www.vox.com/2015/1/15/7551873/jaywalking-history
  - awat 9y ago
    Interesting read, I didn’t realize the jay in jay walking was a slight.
- dleslie 9y ago
  It probably doesn't help that the auto industry employs a tremendous amount of Americans, from assembly to distribution and maintenance, and is a major source of advertisement funding for other industries that rely on such.
- geebee 9y ago
  I think it was both was graduate and deliberate, in different ways. San Francisco has actually allowed a remarkable takeover of pedestrian space through curb cuts and a lax attitude toward paving front yards and and sidewalk parking. http://www.spur.org/publications/urbanist-article/2008-06-01/eye-street http://www.spur.org/publications/urbanist-article/2008-06-01... I grew up in SF, and it wasn't really until I read this article that I realized why I found the urban streets in NY and Paris more relaxing than SF. I really mean it, relaxing. Once you allow cars to cross back and forth over the sidewalk to get to driveways, the pedestrian areas become hazardous. This became especially apparent to me when I had small children. I found I really had to grip my kid's hands when out on walks when were were on the sidewalk. There actually were a few close calls - I let my kids run ahead on a street with relatively few curb cuts, and they crossed the driveway section just as a car was turning in - and being small, of course they couldn't be seen above the other cars. It actually wasn't that close a call, because the other driver was very aware and paying attention. But go through this a few times, and I gotta tell you, no driveways and curb cuts is actually a very, very desirable aspect to an urban neighborhood. The sad thing for SF is that it was originally build without the curb cuts - many of the curb cuts and garages were added to the older houses. And SF did go through that very foolish period of time where new houses were required to add parking. And apparently, because the curb cuts break up the sidewalk, they don't add much net parking - supposedly every curb cut removes about 2/3 of a parking space. We really did let cars run all over us, and it's very ingrained now. hard to change.
  - Noumenon72 9y ago
    For any who don't want to read the article but are confused by "curb cuts", the idea is that San Francisco has driveways instead of curb parking, and there isn't enough curb room for a car between the driveways, so you end up with less total parking and lots of cars crossing the sidewalk.
- Fnoord 9y ago
  Reminds me of the video "A Trip Down Market Street" (in San Francisco, 1906, right before the earthquake) [1]. This comment on the video says it all: "The good old days when kids use to play in traffic lol". All the jaywalking. Look how relaxed people are. No smartphones. Its distasteful however how some people seem to break traffic laws. Especially speeding. A road at an elementary school nearby which I regularly pass enforces 30 km/h. People drive at least 55 if not 60 (the default is 50). The gains from such behaviour are minuscule, if any. Even the gains of driving 150 instead of 130 for 2 hrs are minor. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q5Nur642BU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q5Nur642BU

by tmnvix 9y ago

JKCalhoun 9y ago

It is already absurd. I'm not sure why we, as a society, allowed cars to take over our "pedestrianways". I suppose it was gradual — only a few cars at first, traveling relatively slowly back then.

ryanjshaw 9y ago
You may be interested in the following article, 'The forgotten history of how automakers invented the crime of "jaywalking"': https://www.vox.com/2015/1/15/7551873/jaywalking-history https://www.vox.com/2015/1/15/7551873/jaywalking-history
- awat 9y ago
  Interesting read, I didn’t realize the jay in jay walking was a slight.
dleslie 9y ago
It probably doesn't help that the auto industry employs a tremendous amount of Americans, from assembly to distribution and maintenance, and is a major source of advertisement funding for other industries that rely on such.
geebee 9y ago
I think it was both was graduate and deliberate, in different ways. San Francisco has actually allowed a remarkable takeover of pedestrian space through curb cuts and a lax attitude toward paving front yards and and sidewalk parking. http://www.spur.org/publications/urbanist-article/2008-06-01/eye-street http://www.spur.org/publications/urbanist-article/2008-06-01... I grew up in SF, and it wasn't really until I read this article that I realized why I found the urban streets in NY and Paris more relaxing than SF. I really mean it, relaxing. Once you allow cars to cross back and forth over the sidewalk to get to driveways, the pedestrian areas become hazardous. This became especially apparent to me when I had small children. I found I really had to grip my kid's hands when out on walks when were were on the sidewalk. There actually were a few close calls - I let my kids run ahead on a street with relatively few curb cuts, and they crossed the driveway section just as a car was turning in - and being small, of course they couldn't be seen above the other cars. It actually wasn't that close a call, because the other driver was very aware and paying attention. But go through this a few times, and I gotta tell you, no driveways and curb cuts is actually a very, very desirable aspect to an urban neighborhood. The sad thing for SF is that it was originally build without the curb cuts - many of the curb cuts and garages were added to the older houses. And SF did go through that very foolish period of time where new houses were required to add parking. And apparently, because the curb cuts break up the sidewalk, they don't add much net parking - supposedly every curb cut removes about 2/3 of a parking space. We really did let cars run all over us, and it's very ingrained now. hard to change.
- Noumenon72 9y ago
  For any who don't want to read the article but are confused by "curb cuts", the idea is that San Francisco has driveways instead of curb parking, and there isn't enough curb room for a car between the driveways, so you end up with less total parking and lots of cars crossing the sidewalk.
Fnoord 9y ago
Reminds me of the video "A Trip Down Market Street" (in San Francisco, 1906, right before the earthquake) [1]. This comment on the video says it all: "The good old days when kids use to play in traffic lol". All the jaywalking. Look how relaxed people are. No smartphones. Its distasteful however how some people seem to break traffic laws. Especially speeding. A road at an elementary school nearby which I regularly pass enforces 30 km/h. People drive at least 55 if not 60 (the default is 50). The gains from such behaviour are minuscule, if any. Even the gains of driving 150 instead of 130 for 2 hrs are minor. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q5Nur642BU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q5Nur642BU