Pedestrian & bicycle from cars fatality up double (to move, distances)

[ScoPro]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

Sounds more like driving well under the speed limit. If someone's always driving 20 in a 35mph zone, they're just gonna make people mad. I'll put it right on the limit most times; but driving 15 under is asking for a stupid reaction by the folks who simply want to obey the law.

Yep.

Sounds like he's impeding legal traffic - that's a ticketable offence called "obstruction", IIRC. Doesn't the law say "slower traffic keep to the right"?

The more reasonable tact would be to have the neighborhood petition the CoA to lower the speed limit officially.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by ScoPro

Yep.

Sounds like he's impeding legal traffic - that's a ticketable offence called "obstruction", IIRC. Doesn't the law say "slower traffic keep to the right"?

The more reasonable tact would be to have the neighborhood petition the CoA to lower the speed limit officially.

And you think that's going to be paid any attention to by the kind of person who speeds through neighborhoods? Really?

I don't agree with the rolling roadblock scenario, but I can certainly understand the frustration that would lead to it, caused, not by the people driving slow, but by the people who think that neighborhoods are their own personal race tracks.

[ScoPro]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

And you think that's going to be paid any attention to by the kind of person who speeds through neighborhoods? Really?

I don't agree with the rolling roadblock scenario, but I can certainly understand the frustration that would lead to it, caused, not by the people driving slow, but by the people who think that neighborhoods are their own personal race tracks.

I'm one of the few who actually drives through our neighborhood at the speed limit - the rest, including the soccer moms are always tail-gatin' me. That's bad mojo in a neighborhood, IMO.

I'm all for slowing traffic down where children are at play, but also am a proponent of the law. Do it legally, plus ask for speed traps in the appropriate places where the speed demons threaten the safety of others. The word will get around pretty quick.

Acevedo & the City Council will certainly approve of an increase in the APD revenue.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by ScoPro

I'm one of the few who actually drives through our neighborhood at the speed limit - the rest, including the soccer moms are always tail-gatin' me. That's bad mojo in a neighborhood, IMO.

I'm all for slowing traffic down where children are at play, but also am a proponent of the law. Do it legally, plus ask for speed traps in the appropriate places where the speed demons threaten the safety of others. The word will get around pretty quick.

Acevedo & the City Council will certainly approve of an increase in the APD revenue.

ScoPro, the "have the police have speed traps and word will get around and that will take care of it" scenario is a pretty one, but the fact is that there are enough scenarios where speeding through neighborhoods is a problem that it is not a practical one because you'd have to have speed traps evrey day in all the neighborhoods all the time and manpower precludes that, plus it's been shown that it simply doesn't work. If it were that simple, there would not be a need for all of the expensive and annoying speed bumps and other traffic control devices in neighborhoods where your idea has been tried and has been demonstrably ineffective. IIRC, trying your solution has to be tried BEFORE approval for such devices will be made.

I don't know what the solution is, but so-called speed traps simply don't work long-term.

[Trainwreck20]

We had one family (it was both the man and woman in the house) that drove WAY too fast for our street. It wasn't a matter of the speed limit (we don't have a posted limit, does that make it 30?), just a matter of reckless - they made a high-speed turned onto our 'L' shaped street, pretty much floored it to the elbow (about 300' down the street), then stomped on the brakes as the swerved into their driveway off to one side of the elbow. It was a bit bizarre, something that a teenager might do or someone once in a blue moon when they had a bad day or were running late - but these people did it almost daily.

Then one day the lady took that first turn onto our street and swung VERY close to the curb, where my wife happened to be on the sidewalk with the kids. She just about went ballistic. She shooed the kids into the house with me and went to have a talk with the lady. I know it sounds cliche, but you do NOT want to have a talk with my wife. On the best of days, she has little patience. I really don't know the details of the discussion, but it seemed to do the trick, they tend to drive much slower (although not exactly slow), and in the end, the police were not called - either on my wife or on the lady.

[verybadgnome]

Not just and Austin problem, but the US is way behind in pedestrian safety:

The traffic fatality rate in the United States (10.7 per 100,000 people) is nearly four times higher than in the United Kingdom (2.8 per 100,000) and close to double that of Canada (5.8). To put that in perspective, if America had the same traffic fatality rate as the U.K., around 25,000 fewer people would be killed every year.


America’s street safety record puts it near the bottom of the ITF’s ranking of 35 countries, far behind most other developed nations.


America’s Progress on Street Safety Is Pathetic | Streetsblog USA

[texxas]

Originally Posted by drshdw

I think unfortunately in high traffic areas, it's a lot easier for pedestrians to watch out for cars than vice versa, especially with poor visibility and car pillars being in the way. The driver has a lot more to watch for compared to the pedestrian crossing the street.

As for bicyclists, I wish they would make up their mind on either being a car or a pedestrian. Half the time, I see them blow through red lights and it annoys the crap out of me.

And yes, back out slowly crazy people!

THIS.

Most bicyclists ride like maniacs and don't follow traffic laws. People should definitely look out for them but it is their job to be extremely visible and aware of their surroundings.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by texxas

Most bicyclists ride like maniacs and don't follow traffic laws.

Most (90%) of drivers drive like maniacs and don't follow traffic laws (I challenge you to find me a driver that doesn't speed on I35).

[veloman777]

Originally Posted by texxas

Most bicyclists ride like maniacs and don't follow traffic laws.

This is utter BULLSHEET. Stop spreading the misconception that "bicyclists" are dangerous. They are not. A few bad apples, yes. Just like with any other vehicle user.

[Trainwreck20]

Most bicyclists ride like maniacs and don't follow traffic laws.

Not true, some don't, but most do follow the rules. Cyclist are probably more compliant with traffic laws than cars by a wide margin...

(I challenge you to find me a driver that doesn't speed on I35).

I don't drive on I-35; ergo, I don't speed on I-35 .