4 ms·

It is an uncommon event. If it were common, we would be protecting every street corner with large bollards or a concrete wall. How many cars pass through an in

by tghw 13y ago

It is an uncommon event. If it were common, we would be protecting every street corner with large bollards or a concrete wall. How many cars pass through an intersection on any given day. How many end up on the curb?

kanamekun 13y ago
In parts of the world, bollards are much more common. But in New York City, they are much more rare: http://www.streetsblog.org/2005/10/14/making-nycs-streets-safe-for-hydrants-pay-phones/ http://www.streetsblog.org/2005/10/14/making-nycs-streets-sa... There have been a significant number of cases where cars end up sidewalks near where I live. It's not just drunk drivers; it's often distracted drivers who are texting or using an app. Bollards are a great and fairly cheap solution, but many bureaucrats are pro-car and oppose them for the danger they might pose to drivers. << [O]ne of the downsides to bollards is that while protecting human beings, they can do damage to automobiles. John Kaehny, the former executive director of Transportation Alternatives was a big fan of bollards and often pushed the city to install them at dangerous locations. DOT traffic engineers consistently opposed his efforts telling him that bollards were no good because they did damage to cars or that bollards struck at high speed could "become dislodged and become dangerous projectiles that might kill or injure pedestrians." These are the kinds of stories that makes one think New York City traffic engineers empathize more with automobiles than people. >>
- scott_karana 13y ago
  Wow. What a disgusting quote. As if a "high speed" car on the sidewalk isn't already a dangerous projectile :P
- desas 13y ago
  It may be unlikely but it does happen. I know someone who drove off the road (60mph single carriageway) at high speed and into a bollard. The bollard went through the air, smashed through a house window and caused the inhabitant to have a heart attack.
  - kanamekun 13y ago
    If someone hits a pedestrian at even 40 mph, it's 85% likely to result in a fatality: http://www.streetsblog.org/2010/04/27/waiting-for-raymond-deadly-driving-too-common-for-nypd-to-bother-with/ http://www.streetsblog.org/2010/04/27/waiting-for-raymond-de... If that same accident happens at 20 mph, there's only a 5% chance of a fatality. That's a big reason why London lowered the speed limit in the heart of the city to 20 mph: http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/09/13/the-heart-of-london-adopts-20-mph-speed-limit/ http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/09/13/the-heart-of-london-ad... New York is pushing for a similar change... hopefully if and when it happens, more bollards can be put in place without endangering others. http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/05/16/neighborhoods-across-nyc-readying-20-mph-slow-zone-applications/ http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/05/16/neighborhoods-across-n...
CompleteMoron2 13y ago
it happens a lot. I've seen it - been close to getting hit once - car went airborne over the curb and landed and popped 3 tires right in brooklyn by one hanson place - read about it in other cases, sometimes its a little bump sometimes people get killed. you might perceive it to be uncommon because of your personal experience.
wahsd 13y ago
I don't know, I've witnessed it twice that I can recall and I don't even spend a lot of time walking around among traffic. I think the game might actually lower the risk profile since at least one pedestrian and possible observers would be inclined to stand behind the metal pole, rather than on the curb of the street. I would hope that the game were a little more engaging though, considering it would get old after the first time playing.
benjamta 13y ago
It's common enough that many crossings in the UK are protected with metal barriers. It's not at all uncommon to see those barriers bent and twisted where a car has hit them. Sure thousands of cars can pass through a crossing every day with out on mounting the pavement. But road safety is all about improving the odds.

by tghw 13y ago

kanamekun 13y ago

In parts of the world, bollards are much more common. But in New York City, they are much more rare: http://www.streetsblog.org/2005/10/14/making-nycs-streets-safe-for-hydrants-pay-phones/ http://www.streetsblog.org/2005/10/14/making-nycs-streets-sa... There have been a significant number of cases where cars end up sidewalks near where I live. It's not just drunk drivers; it's often distracted drivers who are texting or using an app. Bollards are a great and fairly cheap solution, but many bureaucrats are pro-car and oppose them for the danger they might pose to drivers. << [O]ne of the downsides to bollards is that while protecting human beings, they can do damage to automobiles. John Kaehny, the former executive director of Transportation Alternatives was a big fan of bollards and often pushed the city to install them at dangerous locations. DOT traffic engineers consistently opposed his efforts telling him that bollards were no good because they did damage to cars or that bollards struck at high speed could "become dislodged and become dangerous projectiles that might kill or injure pedestrians." These are the kinds of stories that makes one think New York City traffic engineers empathize more with automobiles than people. >>

scott_karana 13y ago
Wow. What a disgusting quote. As if a "high speed" car on the sidewalk isn't already a dangerous projectile :P
desas 13y ago
It may be unlikely but it does happen. I know someone who drove off the road (60mph single carriageway) at high speed and into a bollard. The bollard went through the air, smashed through a house window and caused the inhabitant to have a heart attack.
- kanamekun 13y ago
  If someone hits a pedestrian at even 40 mph, it's 85% likely to result in a fatality: http://www.streetsblog.org/2010/04/27/waiting-for-raymond-deadly-driving-too-common-for-nypd-to-bother-with/ http://www.streetsblog.org/2010/04/27/waiting-for-raymond-de... If that same accident happens at 20 mph, there's only a 5% chance of a fatality. That's a big reason why London lowered the speed limit in the heart of the city to 20 mph: http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/09/13/the-heart-of-london-adopts-20-mph-speed-limit/ http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/09/13/the-heart-of-london-ad... New York is pushing for a similar change... hopefully if and when it happens, more bollards can be put in place without endangering others. http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/05/16/neighborhoods-across-nyc-readying-20-mph-slow-zone-applications/ http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/05/16/neighborhoods-across-n...

CompleteMoron2 13y ago

it happens a lot. I've seen it - been close to getting hit once - car went airborne over the curb and landed and popped 3 tires right in brooklyn by one hanson place - read about it in other cases, sometimes its a little bump sometimes people get killed. you might perceive it to be uncommon because of your personal experience.

wahsd 13y ago

I don't know, I've witnessed it twice that I can recall and I don't even spend a lot of time walking around among traffic. I think the game might actually lower the risk profile since at least one pedestrian and possible observers would be inclined to stand behind the metal pole, rather than on the curb of the street. I would hope that the game were a little more engaging though, considering it would get old after the first time playing.

benjamta 13y ago

It's common enough that many crossings in the UK are protected with metal barriers. It's not at all uncommon to see those barriers bent and twisted where a car has hit them. Sure thousands of cars can pass through a crossing every day with out on mounting the pavement. But road safety is all about improving the odds.