4 ms·
The quite large homeless population living all along the streets also contribute, although hard to quantify in stats as I don't think they're kept. The number o
by cronix 5y ago
The quite large homeless population living all along the streets also contribute, although hard to quantify in stats as I don't think they're kept. The number of people who 1) are stoned out of their minds on x (not just alcohol, but things like meth/heroin) or 2) just don't care (they'll see you and step out anyway, and slam your hood when you stop), just suddenly step out in front of you from between 2 other parked cars. You have a split second to react, even at 15mph. Combine that with less than ideal visibility, especially during fall/winter (dark early/foggy/rainy) and it's a recipe for tragedy. I think I see more bike accidents caused by that than cars because the bikes are typically driving on the shoulder between the parked cars and the closest lane, so even less chance to see them step in front of you at the last second. You can see this around any large homeless population living on sidewalks in any large city in the US and it's not unique to SF at all. Just stand on a street corner for 15-20 minutes and observe the road all down the block.
- vkou 5y agoAs both a driver, and a pedestrian, I have felt threatened by a lot more distracted, dangerous, and outright reckless drivers, than I have by pedestrians as a driver. While people stepping into traffic is a thing that sometimes happens in some parts of town, reckless driving is the sort of thing that is happening all the time, anywhere. There's an incredible amount of entitlement that many people feel when they get behind the wheel, which is not matched by their ability to operate one.
- dekhn 5y agoI call this dance the "Tenderloin Lurch" (1, not 2, and I think it's often mental illness not drugs). You can sort of spot the folks who look like they're completely unaware of traffic laws and/or reality and predict when they're going to change directions and lurch out into traffic.
- boudin 5y agoThe thing is, the driver is always wrong. As a driver in a place with pedestrian, you will always be the danger and are the one responsible for adapting your behaviour.
- dahfizz 5y agoCertainly the level of "due diligence" is higher for a driver than a pedestrian, because cars present a high level of danger. But to claim that the driver is always at fault is silly. As OP described, it is possible for a driver to be perfectly diligent (drive slowly and attentively) and for a pedestrian to cause an unavoidable accident.
- wolverine876 5y agoHave you ever had a positive experience with a person who happened to be homeless? My interactions don't seem to depend on the other person lives. Plenty of jerks drive expensive SUVs, Teslas, or bicycles. The worst problems I've had with pedestrians were in a college town, where the (housed) students crossed wherever and whenever, as if it was a park.