hey, i know that intersection!

[osaraba]

(via thedreamerworld)

Video of traffic at the intersection of 28th & Park shows the "bad habits" of pedestrians, cyclists & motorists. I don't think I agree that this necessarily calls for a revision of street traffic rules in NYC (pedestrians are pretty darn safe in metropolitan NYC), but this video is super fun to watch nonetheless!

I love the point (toward the end) when the videographer labels the "Agressive Yield" of the car toward the pedestrians. Yeah, have to say I really really hate it when drivers do that (though I will admit to having done that myself a handful of times).

This makes me want to re-read Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (And What It Says About Us) by Tom Vanderbilt.

Comments

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

I've seen people I'd categorize as fairly calm lose their shit behind the wheel. Is it something about getting a drivers license and driving in NYC that makes people lose their collective gourds?? I just don't understand. And as a pedestrian who's been involved in an accident with a motor vehicle I find myself routinely scared shitless by the aggressive yields and drivers that seem to give two shits about folks getting around. Just...what the eff, people?

[osaraba]

It's weird how people you wouldn't expect to have serious road rage sometimes! Are you a driver too?

I've also been involved in a super close-call accident as a pedestrian, myself, but I'm relieved to say that's the ONLY accident I've ever been in (as a driver AND as a pedestrian). Whew!

....I must also admit that I'm an aggressive pedestrian. That's... probably not the smartest thing to do, but that's where the eye contact thing comes in. (And for the record, the accident I was in was not due to my aggressive pedestrianism -- the guy turning just didn't see me.)

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

I still don't have my license. It's just me being extremely lazy and not going out for the whole road test/driving lesson thing. I'm spoiled from having lived in cities with great public transportation systems.

The best thing I saw in regards to being an aggressive pedestrian happened in Chelsea a couple weeks back. The car had the right of way and crossed the avenue towards pedestrians walking across. The car rolled up on one young man who refused to hustle, pizza in hand. The driver honked his horn and stopped quite close to the man ... who then stopped, shot the driver a cool glance, took a big bite out of his pizza, leisurely chewed and swallowed, *then* made his way to the curb. I damn near fell out. Because, really, unless the driver is going to run a pedestrian over he/she needs to chill the eff out and wait for folks to make their way across.