tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666195730630249633.post7374598411816665214..comments2024-03-25T17:49:41.408-07:00Comments on Salem Breakfast on Bikes: Why Pedestrian Rights themselves may not be SufficientSalem Breakfast on Bikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618055627843335993noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666195730630249633.post-9509912675758008952016-09-13T18:35:12.639-07:002016-09-13T18:35:12.639-07:00Waitaminit. I thought by state law every intersect...Waitaminit. I thought by state law every intersection is a crosswalk. Do they not teach this any more? And at the crosswalk, whether painted or not, the pedestrian has the right of way.<br /><br />Am I completely misunderstanding this?babblefroghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12230612446478431799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666195730630249633.post-58529699903330529222016-02-16T09:05:54.358-08:002016-02-16T09:05:54.358-08:00Anon, we cannot agree here. You wish to make the p...Anon, we cannot agree here. You wish to make the public space called a road an exclusive space for autos and their drivers. This is a form of "might makes right."<br /><br />The priority should in fact go the other way, and drivers should be the ones who are required to take on an extra burden of care towards unarmored, more vulnerable users of the road.<br /><br />You say "[Drivers] will make mistakes and they will drive distracted - no matter what - so there is a very finite limit to the benefits realizable by trying to alter the behavior of drivers."<br /><br />But why is that statement more true or important than, "People walking will make mistakes and they will walk distracted - no matter what - so there is a very finite limit to the benefits realizable by trying to alter the behavior of walkers."<br /><br />We have a system that exacts catastrophic penalties for walking mistakes, and shields drivers from consequences in small errors of steering and braking and speeding.<br /><br />In every way you argue for "might makes right," and this is unjust.<br /><br />If you would like to learn more about the way walking has been criminalized and those walking marginalized, see <a href="http://www.vox.com/2015/1/15/7551873/jaywalking-history" rel="nofollow">this history of jaywalking</a>.<br /><br />All intersections have unmarked crosswalks, and people on foot should not have to travel hundreds of feed out-of-direction in order to cross. Just look at the problem faced by the person in a walker in the image above in the blog post. Your claim means that he must traverse two block faces in addition to the crossing length. Some distances to signalized crosswalks do in fact add up to great distances. This is not fair for the walking public, either able-bodied or disabled.Salem Breakfast on Bikeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15618055627843335993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666195730630249633.post-92229556020201121282016-02-15T23:56:07.722-08:002016-02-15T23:56:07.722-08:00There is a serious problem.
Behaviors of pedestri...There is a serious problem.<br /><br />Behaviors of pedestrians and drivers are subject to change via appropriate government effort.<br /><br />The change to driver behavior is limited. They will make mistakes and they will drive distracted - no matter what - so there is a very finite limit to the benefits realizable by trying to alter the behavior of drivers.<br /><br />On the other hand, we can definitely change the behavior of pedestrians and those changes will save lives.<br /><br />How, you ask.<br /><br />We make it clear that intersections are intersections. They are not crosswalks. Crosswalks are crosswalks.<br /><br />If a pedestrian wants to cross a street, then that pedestrian should either wait for traffic to clear or take the trouble to walk to an actual crosswalk.<br /><br />That should not be so difficult - after all they are pedestrians and it is not like we are talking about mile long hikes here.<br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666195730630249633.post-73049067227148327512015-12-09T12:12:49.525-08:002015-12-09T12:12:49.525-08:00Thanks, Cara!
And there has been lots of discussi...Thanks, Cara!<br /><br />And there has been lots of discussion and analysis of it here on posts labeled "<a href="http://breakfastonbikes.blogspot.com/search/label/Downtown%20Mobility%20Study" rel="nofollow">downtown mobility study</a>."Salem Breakfast on Bikeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15618055627843335993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666195730630249633.post-6443095602274748612015-12-08T22:53:59.200-08:002015-12-08T22:53:59.200-08:00Susann - there was a Central Salem Mobility Study ...Susann - there was a Central Salem Mobility Study done a few years ago and available on the City's website at http://www.cityofsalem.net/mobilitystudy -- look under "Analysis" and then the "Existing Conditions" link.Cara Kasernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666195730630249633.post-52375038673380947932015-12-07T20:03:27.399-08:002015-12-07T20:03:27.399-08:00I do not often go out south on Commercial but I ha...I do not often go out south on Commercial but I had to give someone a ride to the doctors and to the pharmacy at Fred Meyer then home so got a good taste of what it is like to drive during rush hour in that area. I was shocked at how many people were running lights, turning in front of people, cutting people off, changing lanes recklessly. A pedestrian would not stand a chance!<br /><br />Back in the mid-90's the City did a study of Lancaster Drive. I may have mentioned it here before. They were looking at how to decrease accidents both between cars and cars and pedestrians. The study was not well published. I think I have one of the 3 print copies. However, they did find that there are things that can be done to the streets to make them safer.<br /><br />The last Street Bond had some of the projects included for Lancaster Drive. It iinvolves more controlled access, more controlled egress (right turns only) and more dividers. Also, are islands to help pedestrians find safe havens in very wide streets.<br /><br />So, I think that a lot could be done to help make it better for pedestrians. We need to advocate harder for these tools for pedestrians. Also, the education campaign that the City it trying to use is a good idea too.<br /><br />But in the end, we have to get the drivers to be more watchful and understand they have a great responsibility when you get behind the wheel of a car. As I wrote on another post, it is super hard sometimes to be able to see people on bikes or walking, so there is a lot of work to do to make improvements in what we do and how we do it.<br /><br />Does anyone know if the City has every seriously studied the downtown traffic flow and what it might mean is they had a different system?<br />Susann Kaltwassernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666195730630249633.post-36085734918907823982015-12-07T17:54:30.919-08:002015-12-07T17:54:30.919-08:00As if on cue...this is right at Parrish Middle Sch...As if on cue...this is right at Parrish Middle School -<br /><br />http://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/crime/2015/12/07/siblings-hit-car-while-crossing-street/76955216/<br /><br />"Two siblings were hit by an SUV this morning while they were crossing the street in a crosswalk.<br /><br />At 7:04 a.m., Salem police officers responded to a report of a crash at Capitol and D streets NE.<br /><br />A 12-year-old boy and 14-year-old girl were crossing the street when an eastbound 2006 Jeep Liberty hit them, said Lt. Dave Okada, with the Salem Police Department.<br /><br />The children received minor injuries and were taken to Salem Hospital. They've since been released, Okada said.<br /><br />Another vehicle had stopped for the children, but it seems the Jeep driver did not see them. If a driver sees another car stopped, that's usually a sign that there's something going on and they're stopping for a reason, Okada said.<br /><br />Robert Knechtel, 61, of Salem, was cited for failure to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk. Knechtel cooperated with officers at the scene, Okada said."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com