Comments on: Among Walkable Regions, San Francisco One of Most Dangerous http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/11/10/among-walkable-regions-san-francisco-one-of-most-dangerous/ Covering San Francisco's livable streets movement Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Suzan C http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/11/10/among-walkable-regions-san-francisco-one-of-most-dangerous/comment-page-1/#comment-493691 Suzan C Tue, 16 Nov 2010 01:43:45 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=82171#comment-493691 Warning to pedestrians crossing Market on the East side of New Montgomery: red light to eastbound Market traffic is not properly timed with walk sign to pedestrians crossing Market. Walk when told to and you will be run over 95% of the time. Locals of the intersection are constantly pulling back the unsuspecting pedestrians who step out too soon. In my office above the intersection, I hear tires screeching all day long. Warning to pedestrians crossing Market on the East side of New Montgomery: red light to eastbound Market traffic is not properly timed with walk sign to pedestrians crossing Market. Walk when told to and you will be run over 95% of the time. Locals of the intersection are constantly pulling back the unsuspecting pedestrians who step out too soon. In my office above the intersection, I hear tires screeching all day long.

]]> By: Belgand http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/11/10/among-walkable-regions-san-francisco-one-of-most-dangerous/comment-page-1/#comment-54891 Belgand Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:20:32 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=82171#comment-54891 Was that statistic of just people who walk to work exclusively or those who walk and ride public transit? Sure, the number of people able to walk the entire way to work is going to be limited due to the inherent problem of having a job that is in walking distance of your home, but most people who take transit to work are also pedestrians for a good portion of their commute. I suspect that number is significantly higher than 9%. Was that statistic of just people who walk to work exclusively or those who walk and ride public transit? Sure, the number of people able to walk the entire way to work is going to be limited due to the inherent problem of having a job that is in walking distance of your home, but most people who take transit to work are also pedestrians for a good portion of their commute. I suspect that number is significantly higher than 9%.

]]> By: the greasybear http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/11/10/among-walkable-regions-san-francisco-one-of-most-dangerous/comment-page-1/#comment-54651 the greasybear Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:29:04 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=82171#comment-54651 The recent American Community Survey put SF's walk-to-work brigade at something like 9%, didn't it? Not to take away from the bigger message that we need to better protect pedestrians, but if we're going to use recent crash stats, we should also use recent pedestrian commuter stats as well. The recent American Community Survey put SF’s walk-to-work brigade at something like 9%, didn’t it? Not to take away from the bigger message that we need to better protect pedestrians, but if we’re going to use recent crash stats, we should also use recent pedestrian commuter stats as well.

]]> By: Carwil http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/11/10/among-walkable-regions-san-francisco-one-of-most-dangerous/comment-page-1/#comment-54551 Carwil Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:39:54 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=82171#comment-54551 Not to rain on the parade here, but the Examiner and Streetsblog's use of statistics is misleading at best. The relevant statistic on how dangerous it is to walk is clearly this one: "The rate of pedestrian fatalities per walking trip is still much lower in the city proper than in most metro regions." Otherwise, we could make comparisons like this: Houston remarkably safe city for skiing. Please argue all you want for additional pedestrian safety money, but do so because so many people are walking, not by misleading them into thinking they are in more danger when they do so here than elsewhere. Not to rain on the parade here, but the Examiner and Streetsblog’s use of statistics is misleading at best. The relevant statistic on how dangerous it is to walk is clearly this one: “The rate of pedestrian fatalities per walking trip is still much lower in the city proper than in most metro regions.” Otherwise, we could make comparisons like this: Houston remarkably safe city for skiing. Please argue all you want for additional pedestrian safety money, but do so because so many people are walking, not by misleading them into thinking they are in more danger when they do so here than elsewhere.

]]> By: zsolt http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/11/10/among-walkable-regions-san-francisco-one-of-most-dangerous/comment-page-1/#comment-54391 zsolt Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:14 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=82171#comment-54391 San Francisco is full of Important People having Important Things to do. Slow down for those rats? Never! Just look at the bridge. Even after the horrific crash of the truck, they still speed through the 'S' curve. The moment you'd enforce the law more, they would cry foul about the city stuffing its coffers. San Francisco is full of Important People having Important Things to do. Slow down for those rats? Never! Just look at the bridge. Even after the horrific crash of the truck, they still speed through the ‘S’ curve.

The moment you’d enforce the law more, they would cry foul about the city stuffing its coffers.

]]> By: CBrinkman http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/11/10/among-walkable-regions-san-francisco-one-of-most-dangerous/comment-page-1/#comment-54361 CBrinkman Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:05:31 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=82171#comment-54361 tNOB has a point. Make enforcement so strict that every Bay Area driver knows to behave in SF. We can make all the changes in the world and the people like the idiot in the big black SUV on Market St on Saturday who menaced me and another cyclist (and was then forced to turn right by the PCOs - ha!) will still drive into the City and bully peds and bikes. Stop the bullying - enforce the laws AND make changes to the streets. tNOB has a point. Make enforcement so strict that every Bay Area driver knows to behave in SF. We can make all the changes in the world and the people like the idiot in the big black SUV on Market St on Saturday who menaced me and another cyclist (and was then forced to turn right by the PCOs – ha!) will still drive into the City and bully peds and bikes. Stop the bullying – enforce the laws AND make changes to the streets.

]]> By: Jamie Whitaker http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/11/10/among-walkable-regions-san-francisco-one-of-most-dangerous/comment-page-1/#comment-54331 Jamie Whitaker Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:25:04 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=82171#comment-54331 Thank you to Manish Champsee and Walk San Francisco for advocating for pedestrians in San Francisco. We've been talking Better Streets ... I hope that the City will implement Better Streets so that we can enjoy safely walking the walk in downtown San Francisco, so-to-speak. We need to turn Folsom into a 2-way sooner than later .... there's no need for a traffic highway right down the spine of SOMA. Thank you to Manish Champsee and Walk San Francisco for advocating for pedestrians in San Francisco. We’ve been talking Better Streets … I hope that the City will implement Better Streets so that we can enjoy safely walking the walk in downtown San Francisco, so-to-speak. We need to turn Folsom into a 2-way sooner than later …. there’s no need for a traffic highway right down the spine of SOMA.

]]> By: tNOB http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/11/10/among-walkable-regions-san-francisco-one-of-most-dangerous/comment-page-1/#comment-54271 tNOB Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:32:05 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=82171#comment-54271 I am increasingly frustrated with the comments from the MTA and other organizations that I see related to this study. Why is it all about not having funding for pedestrian safety? How about using the police force that we have to enforce speed limits and traffic signals that are currently in place? That is currently part of the their job description, why aren't we pressuring them to crack down on reckless, distracted driving. We need to change the culture of driving in the city, and the self-important attitudes while driving that we have fostered through years of inaction and lax enforcement. Brick-paved crosswalks and bulb-outs won't matter to these drivers, they respond to discipline alone. I am increasingly frustrated with the comments from the MTA and other organizations that I see related to this study. Why is it all about not having funding for pedestrian safety? How about using the police force that we have to enforce speed limits and traffic signals that are currently in place? That is currently part of the their job description, why aren’t we pressuring them to crack down on reckless, distracted driving. We need to change the culture of driving in the city, and the self-important attitudes while driving that we have fostered through years of inaction and lax enforcement. Brick-paved crosswalks and bulb-outs won’t matter to these drivers, they respond to discipline alone.

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