This Washington Post article discusses a Smart Growth America report looking at trends in pedestrian traffic deaths over the past decade. Florida really needs to get it together, but the only other California city in the top 25 is Riverside. We can do better!
Posted May 22, 2014, 10:52 PM UTC
If they wouldn't walk out in front of my car in the middle of the fucking street, and instead chose to walk the extra 100 feet and wait for the crosswalk, I wouldn't run them over. But NO...those fucking bastards just walk RIGHT INTO TRAFFIC.
Marconi Avenue from say, Eastern to Fair Oaks is great for that. Apartments on one side, shops on the other. I've seen people use their strollers (with possible kid inside) to leverage their way in front of traffic so they can cross.
Folsom from Watt to Bradshaw is HORRIBLE about it. Bunch of apartment complexes, food, and the lightrail right there. People just cross the street wherever looks good and mosey their way through high speed traffic that's honking and braking and swerving to avoid them.
Marconi is the WORST followed by Fruitridge.
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Somewhat related: I've noticed here in Sacramento that people treat the "Walk/Don't Walk" lights very seriously. There can be zero cars coming from a one-way road and they'll still wait patiently for the white WALK guy to come on. Those signs are treated like suggestions every other city i've lived in but here it's actually followed (for the most part). The other places before Sacramento were Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Orlando.
Really? That hasn't been my experience. I have a hang up about this, I'm always worried a car will come out of nowhere, or there will be cop who sees me, so I wait. But it feels like everyone else blows through those without a second thought. I'm mostly downtown when I'm walking, maybe people pay more attention in other areas?
That's probably the case. In downtown what you're saying is absolutely correct, but once you get out there's a lot more of what BJ0's saying.
As for cars coming out of nowhere, I've had more close calls to being a statistic on these articles by walking when the crosswalk says "walk" than jaywalking at my own discretion.
My guess would be due to the number of one way streets, drunk Roseville dudebros, and the roving bands of vagrants.
I have to ask, what is a "dudebro", exactly?
The kind of person that wears one of these http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004WE0WI0?pc_redir=1400506676&robot_redir=1
And has a raised ford F150 for no reason but to have one and they've got a 3/4 sleeve of tattoos and tight shirts.
Oh no! I have a couple paracord bracelets. I don't wear them, but my 6 months of boy scouts in 3rd grade makes me want them, "just in case".
That's why you asked what a dudebro was, you knew in your heart that you are one.
We did, but in our defense, that study (or at least your link) is nearly fifteen years old.
Holy shit it's been that long? I'm getting old.
I'm sure I could put my finger on what parts of town this happening in, but it wouldn't be politically correct.
You'd also be wrong. Watt and Fair Oaks (an extremely affluent area) is one of the deadliest 4 way stop areas in the country according to a study done by State Farm Insurance. Unfortunately I can't find the actual study, but this article lists the top 10, and we are #7
I work right there, and while there's a lot of money in the area, the bike trail is there and therefore so is the transient population.
That intersection is insane though. The widening only makes people think they can go faster.
A friend that was in road and bridge building a long time ago told me that way back in the late 60s or 70s, Sacramento had a serious thought to buy all the land next to watt to turn it into a freeway/highway. It never happened, but I think that is why Watt is the way it is.
Could you imagine if they had been smart and thinking forward and actually done that? A third and much further away way to get to 80 other than going up I-5 or 99, 2 freeways that are about 2 miles apart on highway 50? I imagine it would have cleared up some traffic congestion on 99 if you could go up 50 then freeway down Watt to 80.
That'd be like living in a city with freeways that make sense!
Hmm. Article won't load for me.
I suspect that may have to do with high number of people not using crosswalks. WTF, Sacramento?
Crossing at the crosswalk will get you killed. You have to look out for cars coming at you from all directions and you have 5 seconds to cross 80 feet of pavement. Safer to cross in between intersections where you only have to look out for cars coming from one direction at a time.
With some hard work, we can be #1!!