What the ever-loving fuck! #streetdesignfail
The first legal regulation of automobiles in my country required drivers to have a man walking on front of the car at all times waving a red flag to warn people. Motorists were also required to pull over if they saw a horse and to cover their vehicle with branches or dismantle it if it scared the horse.
Times have changed since then.
a flag is no substitute for looking drivers in the eye with murderous intent
grabs flag
stares straight into the eyes of the drivers
thinks
"See me? See this? I'll scratch the paint on your car sooooo bad if you hit me."
- Scream "don't tread on me! Don't treat on me!" as you cross, waving your yellow flag wildly :libertarian-approaching:
Don’t treat on me!
"As u wish, i eated all of your treats." :stalin-joking:
:mario: "Stalin, how could you possibly think that's what i mea-"
"Another day, another banger!" :josus-stalin:
In the early days of attempts to normalize cars, there was frequent public outcry that was later coopted under public safety campaigns. My favorite is a note to the editor from one person who described their new strategy for dealing with the dangers of car traffic when crossing the street:
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Carry a revolver.
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Look left, squarely aim the recovery at incoming traffic. Keep your aim trained on that traffic as you cross.
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Half way across, switch to pointing at the other direction of traffic.
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Complete the crossing, uncock the revolver.
I like the idea of carrying a mace and holding it high over my head so it would bash through a windshield even if I was hit from behind.
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you can't cross the road safely until your HEV suit is equipped with the long jump upgrade
Bad end for 2032 - you have to do a credit check to cross. Traffic flow is based on wealth.
If you are poor, you can’t cross the street if it will inconvenience someone. Likewise it’s always greenlights for the megarich.
It’s like the opposite of how in the Netherlands crosswalks are raised up to pedestrian height instead of lowered to car height
Since sidewalks are usually higher than the automobile road, elevating crosswalks to the height of the sidewalk would create a road bump that forces auto traffic to slow down regardless.
Crosswalks in The Netherlands are basically on top of a large speedbump so it’s even with the sidewalk. For pedestrians it’s a flat surface the whole way, while drivers have to go up over a bump. Some even make the whole center section of the intersection raised, so the whole area between all 4 crosswalks. Often they’re also textured like brick or cobblestone.
On top of the physical height forcing drivers to slow down there’s a psychological benefit, where it innately tells drivers they’re entering a space where they aren’t welcome. As a driver when you go up a hump onto a now rougher road, you go “wtf is happening” and pay much more attention to the road, instead of just going on autopilot.
That's an entrance to a smaller street. The sidewalk is raised.
To elaborate, the Netherlands also has a "Car last" transit policy in both priority of services and law. A pedestrian can deliberately cartwheel straight into the side of a moving car screaming "Fuck You Car Scum!" and the driver would still probably be at fault.
It's Pedestrians>Cyclists>Public Transit>Cars, and where possible these are all separated.
I used to use this crosswalk in my town all the time, it was on the main road through town and the speed limit was 30 mph. There was no traffic or cross walk light there but there was a sign that you have to stop for pedestrians and no one, not even cops would stop if you were waiting to cross on the sidewalk. I learned that if you exaggerated and put your foot way up as if you were going to take a huge step right into traffic cars would screech to a stop for you.
Standing at the crosswalk like a ceremonial border guard https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/224/mcs/media/images/48446000/jpg/_48446170_009838893-1.jpg
Look out gas station pump handles, here comes a new germ delivery system!
In Communist China, the penalties for injuring someone with a vehicle are so high that drivers will run people over again to kill them rather than getting charged with medical bills and other damages for vehicular injury.
Apparently it's Colorado.
I wonder if they just turn off the crosswalk if the street is too busy like they do here.
We have lights on a timer in my town so everyone who lives here knows the crosswalk button isn't actually hooked up
Ah. I don't mind the timer. Works. The lights here just don't turn on at all. Only specific less busy streets.
It is nice that at least everything is a one way except main street. But that one has a 10mph speed limit, wide sidewalks, a zig zag road with tons of concrete islands with flowers, and 500 crosswalks with giant signs saying "pedestrians have the right of way, cars must yield"
Stupid question but knowing what people are like, wouldn't these flags constantly be stolen or thrown around?
Yes, they’ve had these in Salt Lake City for years and basically all the holders are empty of flags. Never mind the fact that it shouldn’t be the pedestrians’ job to warn carbrains not to hit them
Oh neat, the shit they tell elementary kids to use is just an honor system away from some jackass taking all of them. Literally a step away from being told you can't cross the street without a car with this shit.
