4 ms·

Another thing I only noticed when I visited Amsterdam - it's scary for pedestrians. Compared to what? Los Angeles? Cairo? Less sarcastically: I get your poin

Another thing I only noticed when I visited Amsterdam - it's scary for pedestrians. Compared to what? Los Angeles? Cairo? Less sarcastically: I get your point, but it's a tradeoff. It's a beautifully car-free (and just plain beautiful and eminently livable) city otherwise. Yes, you do have to be careful about the bikes (as one must with cars, buses, and trucks, motorbikes and scooters just about anywhere else) -- but wherever you go, you pick your battles.

mathgenius 5y ago
I find traffic in LA is extremely chilled. For example, on the smaller roads turning cars yield to pedestrians always (at least in the more affluent areas). This is pretty unique. I've lived in big cities in four different countries and LA traffic is the most relaxed i've found anywhere.
- gomox 5y ago
  Well, they know they're not getting anywhere anytime soon, so why rush? :)
- almeria 5y ago
  Given that the carless are second-class citizens in LA -- and that this is one of the most obvious and ever-present facts of life in basically every city that made the ill-fated decision to follow the Los Angeles development "model" -- The first-class citizens might as well take pity on them, after all.
dazc 5y ago
Ha, well pick your battle with an angry car driver and he'll probably shout, gesticulate and then drive away. Do the same with an angry cyclist and the outcome can be somewhat more severe.
- addicted 5y ago
  Or if you’re in the US the car driver will pull out a gun and shoot you. https://abcnews.go.com/US/disconcerting-rise-road-rage-shootings-resulting-death-injury/story?id=78181165 https://abcnews.go.com/US/disconcerting-rise-road-rage-shoot... > So far this year, as of June 7, a person has been killed or injured in a suspected road rage shooting on average every 18 hours in the United States
  - dazc 5y ago
    Luckilly, in the UK, gun ownership is rare. I will take note and adjust my expectations next time I'm the US.

mathgenius 5y ago

I find traffic in LA is extremely chilled. For example, on the smaller roads turning cars yield to pedestrians always (at least in the more affluent areas). This is pretty unique. I've lived in big cities in four different countries and LA traffic is the most relaxed i've found anywhere.

gomox 5y ago
Well, they know they're not getting anywhere anytime soon, so why rush? :)
almeria 5y ago
Given that the carless are second-class citizens in LA -- and that this is one of the most obvious and ever-present facts of life in basically every city that made the ill-fated decision to follow the Los Angeles development "model" -- The first-class citizens might as well take pity on them, after all.

dazc 5y ago

Ha, well pick your battle with an angry car driver and he'll probably shout, gesticulate and then drive away. Do the same with an angry cyclist and the outcome can be somewhat more severe.

addicted 5y ago
Or if you’re in the US the car driver will pull out a gun and shoot you. https://abcnews.go.com/US/disconcerting-rise-road-rage-shootings-resulting-death-injury/story?id=78181165 https://abcnews.go.com/US/disconcerting-rise-road-rage-shoot... > So far this year, as of June 7, a person has been killed or injured in a suspected road rage shooting on average every 18 hours in the United States
- dazc 5y ago
  Luckilly, in the UK, gun ownership is rare. I will take note and adjust my expectations next time I'm the US.