Pedestrian Safety

[ljbab728]

Maybe all of the hand wringing we have about lack of sidewalks and walkability isn't so terrible. At least we aren't near the top of this list with cities like Austin, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, etc.


http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home...strians-foxbiz

[betts]

You know what I noticed about all those cities except Detroit. They're warm weather cities. So, there's a greater proportion of the year when the weather is nice enough to walk. I cannot comment on how Detroit fits, as I lived near there for awhile and the winters are terrible.

[Larry OKC]

A lot of the article/study made common sense. Warmer climates have more pedestrians...older people are involved (less likely to be able to move quickly out of the way) etc. But i had to laugh when I read this...

Drivers are usually at fault in crashes where vehicles turned, backed up or went off the road.

Trying to imagine how the pedestrian could be to blame for that...LOL

But the commercial for one of the insurance companies came to mind, the "Mayhem" one where the the spokesman (a male) was a hot, attractive, female jogger that distracts the driver and he plows into a light pole. So maybe so....

[semisimple]

Pedestrian safety IS a big issue here in Austin. I have personally witnessed a motorcycle-car accident that injured two (jaywalking) pedestrians late at night and nearly ran over a panhandler walking across an off-ramp from I-35.

Even with all the investment in bike lanes, trails, sidewalks, etc., Austin is at a critical mass of pedestrians, cyclists, and of course cars on many streets. After factoring in all the bars/clubs and festivals downtown I'm genuinely surprised Austin is not a lot higher on the list.

[urbanity]

OKC named as among most dangerous metros for pedestrians.

http://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/ar...king-dead.html

[MustangGT]

Many here in OKC are jaywalkers so I am not surprised. If you jaywalk please do not blame the driver when/if you get squashed.

[EMSAneedschange]

Many here in OKC are jaywalkers so I am not surprised. If you jaywalk please do not blame the driver when/if you get squashed.

i agree 100 %. most of the people get mad when they walk and you dont let them pass in a non walking lane

[Larry OKC]

There are places where pedestrians have the right of way (not just in certain approved "zones")

[ljbab728]

OKC named as among most dangerous metros for pedestrians.

http://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/ar...king-dead.html

The list ranks 52 large metros with OKC being number 22. You could also say the city in 52nd place was named among the most dangerous metros for pedestrians. While being number 22 on the list is hardly reason to celebrate, it puts us sort of "mid pack" in list of 52 cities. We have plenty of room for improvement but are far from being in the worst category.

[MustangGT]

There are places where pedestrians have the right of way (not just in certain approved "zones")

Where? If you cross mid-block you get ticketed pure and simple. That is one way the street bums and beggars are being "convinced" ply their trade somewhere other than where they are.

[Just the facts]

You know what I noticed about all those cities except Detroit. They're warm weather cities. So, there's a greater proportion of the year when the weather is nice enough to walk. I cannot comment on how Detroit fits, as I lived near there for awhile and the winters are terrible.

Do you know why most people bitten by sharks are in 3 feet of water? Answer, because that is where the people are.

The real reason is that the cities on the list have roads designed for cars (6 lanes wide and 45 mph) and very little on street parking to act as a buffer between the traffic and the pedistrians. Reduce the number of lanes, lower the speed limit, and institute on-street parking. It would be good to keep this in mind when building the new OKC Blvd.

[kevinpate]

Where? If you cross mid-block you get ticketed pure and simple. ...

If one draws attention in the process, and if that attention is from a LEO, and if s/he feels inclined to bother with it after noticing it. I'm not advocating jaywalking, but the odds of being ticketed, in business attire anyway, have always struck me as rather remote.

[MustangGT]

Generally you are correct. Now if a suit wearing jaywalker gets clipped by a car you can just about bet with certainty the suit gets a green stamp. Seen it more than once.

[Larry OKC]

Where? If you cross mid-block you get ticketed pure and simple. That is one way the street bums and beggars are being "convinced" ply their trade somewhere other than where they are.

Sorry if that wasn't clear. I didn't mean there were places here where peds have the right of way, it is somewhere else

[MustangGT]

Thanks for the clarification.

[PennyQuilts]

I was a little suprised that some of the Maryland side of DC cities weren't listed as top Pedestrian killers. They were ALWAYS having people run down to the point where they had study after study after study to figure out how to keep it from happening.

[Just the facts]

Sorry if that wasn't clear. I didn't mean there were places here where peds have the right of way, it is somewhere else

California is one of those places where pedestrians have the right of way. In the town I grew up in peds have the right of way no matter where they are crossing the street. A few of them die trying to prove that point. While driving on day I saw a guy standing on the sidewalk in the middle of the next block. As I approached him I had a feeling he was going to step off the curb right in front of me. Sure enough he did. Not only did he step off the curb in front of me but he stopped walking right in the middle of the lane. I had to lock up the brakes to keep from hitting him and I stopped probably 3 or 4 feet short of hitting him. He then started yelling at me that pedestrians have the right of way. I told him to make sure they put that on his tombstone. Then I ran over him.



okay, I made that last sentence up - but I felt like it.

[MustangGT]

If you arein a designated crosswalk pedestrains are good to go. Jaywalk in mid-block too bad so sad get over it. Many pedestrians step out at the last second and get blasted. Their fault let the driver go IMHO.

[ljbab728]

An update on pedestrian safety has OKC in about the middle of the pack. I hope bcrhis notes who is number 10. Kerry probably won't be surprised at Jacksonville's ranking.

http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/do...esign-2014.pdf