this post was submitted on 02 Nov 2023
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Our children are victims of road violence. We need to talk about the deadly norms of car use (theconversation.com)
submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 41 points 10 months ago (5 children)

The number of PSAs about not getting mowed down during Halloween was absurd. 'Wear reflective vests', 'only cross the street in groups' - and not a single 'hey, it's Halloween and there's going to be excited kids everywhere - please avoid driving and if you have to, be super extra careful'.

My partner's idea, which I thought was brilliant, was that the speed limit on all residential streets should be dropped to 20km/h for the day.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The speed limit on all residential streets should be at the very most 30km/h year round. Since I started active commuting every day, I've noticed how alarmingly scary it is going 50 when I do have to drive. Reaction times at that speed do not allow for the amount of braking distance required.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The more I active commute, the more my distaste for driving grows. I don't really want to drive in a big downtown like Philly or Seattle again if I can help it. Its stressful and there are too many people around for everyone to take up one F-250, one Hummer, or one Escalade worth of space.

I don't understand all these PSAs. Nobody is trick or treating along a 45-55 mph suburban arterial. They're in the neighborhood. I don't care how fast people drive on the freeway as long as they're safe about it, but if you can't drive 25 in the neighborhood, you should be forever forced to park on a main road outside of it and walk in on foot.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The problem is that many neighborhood streets were designed to be wide so you could feel completely safe driving on them, however the problem is that this makes you drive faster, meaning that when accidents do occur, they’re more severe, and happen more often. This is also why many people speed on stroads, because they feel comfortable at 60 when the limit is 45.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I totally agree. I'm not willing to let the individuals off the hook for their driving, but I'm willing to acknowledge that design plays a large part in this.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago

Don’t let them off the hook - driving safety should be taken way more seriously than it is. But don’t think that telling people to drive better solves the problem. You tell people to drive better by making design choices that cause them to feel more comfortable driving safely. Design isn’t the whole problem, but it’s at least 90% of the solution.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 10 months ago (1 children)

There needs to be both. We had to drive because I'm disabled, and the number of people, adults and children, walking in the road wearing black or dark clothes was ridiculous.

I'm in the UK, and we've had horrible weather this week. It was dark, wet, and windy, and we passed dozens of families who were walking their kids out into the road without looking, dressed in the dark clothes I mentioned, and without a single light or reflective item between them.

This is without mentioning the dickheads who drive at 40 everywhere, or the moron who was driving with no lights.

Without meaning to sound like a miserable old man, there's no common sense.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

This is without mentioning the dickheads who drive at 40 everywhere

Is this 40 mi or km per hour? The UK seems to arbitrarily flip either way. Both are far too fast for a residential street.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

Vehicle speed is always measured in miles per hour in the UK. It might change at some point, but it's not going to be for a while. We randomly use either metric or imperial for everything else though.

We seem to get a lot of people, at least in my little corner of the country, who drive at 40mph on the 50, 60, and 70mph roads, frustrating the drivers behind them, but then stick to 40mph through the 30 and even 20mph limits. They seem to be the same drivers who sit in either the middle or right hand lane when the law says to stay left unless you're overtaking.

We've got more than our fair share of bad drivers, but everyone thinks that it doesn't include them...

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The number of PSAs about not getting mowed down during Halloween was absurd.

But I thought Halloween was supposed to be scary?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

I'd we keep this up we'll add a bunch of 4 foot tall ghosts in Barbie sneakers every year. :''-(

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago

15 actually, and extra street accessories to prevent speeding.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 10 months ago (3 children)

How about starting with proper driving lessons and tests and not letting children drive 1+ ton death machines?

[–] [email protected] 16 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Also regular tests for people who have been driving to ensure they understand the changes in driving laws and to reinforce safety guidance.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 10 months ago

I haven't had to take a driving test in over 20 years. Only once I had to take a multiple choice test on the meaning of various signs and you get three chances to pass it. It's absolutely absurd that they allow people to get their license at 16 and rarely have to retake a driving test.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 10 months ago

Also not have wide straight roads on residential areas.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

That didn't work out too well with guns

[–] [email protected] 11 points 10 months ago (2 children)

There's proper lessons and tests for guns? In America?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 10 months ago

First test: Do you have enough money to purchase this gun?

Yes? You passed! Here's your gun.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

There used to be. But then racists and democrats got upset that black people were also learning about guns, so they cancelled all of the in-school teaching etc.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

they cancelled all of the in-school teaching

How far back are you talking? Civil war era? I know guns weren't taught when i was in school. I did have to go to a special safety course to get a hunting license though.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 10 months ago

Hard to say. I know (from my grandparents) they had them in the 1950's in at least Texas, Indiana and Idaho schools. And I know from myself they didn't have them in the 90's. If I had to guess they disappeared in the late 1960's. Though lots of schools can still choose to have them if they wanted. There isn't any state or federal law that would prevent it.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 10 months ago

In one of those situations only someone in a long term relationship can understand my wife was upset as I was not worried that she may be dead when I wake up. Please don't ask me to explain these kinds of things. The main point is I was saying I was worried about her when she is off driving someplace as that is the most dangerous period of time.