Pedestrian Safety
Streetsblog LA
The National Perspective: New Report Maps the Gap Between Pedestrian Risks and Federal Safety Aid
If
the equivalent of one jumbo jet full of Americans died every month, the
resulting public outcry would be deafening. Or would it?
November 9, 2009
Newest Way to Procrastinate on the Internet: Walk Score Adds Transit
Earlier today, Walk Score, the website that ranks areas based on how easy it is to lead a car-lite lifestyle, has taken a big step towards improving its metrics by adding transit data. As long as a city has google transit, which thankfully Los Angeles now does, you can get a much clearer picture of how easy it would be to ditch your car after moving to a new neighborhood.
November 5, 2009
Trick or Treat from LADOT
Two years ago I poked the LADOT and LAPD for not putting out safety tips for Halloween. Sure enough, last year an email arrived in my inbox announcing the Department's advice to parents, children and drivers on All Hallows Eve.
October 30, 2009
Will “Crash-Proof” Cars Make Drivers More Dangerous?
Via TreeHugger, Copenhagenize
reports that Volvo is in the final stages of testing technology to
improve safety for people outside its products -- a "pedestrian
detection" system available in S60 models next year:
October 28, 2009
Disability Activists Sue Caltrans for Negelcting Crosswalks and Sidewalks
A coalition of activists for seniors and the disabled went to federal court to try and force Caltrans to meet federal safety standards for sidewalk, intersection and other pedestrian amenities. The group charges that when doing road construction, our state DOT is ignoring the federally mandated fixes and upgrades that are required by the American with Disabilities Act (ADA).
September 17, 2009
Senate R’s Attempts to Strip Bike/Ped Requirment Dies on Senate Floor
Sen. Tom Coburn's (R-OK) attempt
to curb federal investment in bicycle and pedestrian paths, as well as
other "transportation enhancements," was defeated on the Senate floor
today -- but it managed to pick up two unlikely Democratic supporters
in the process.
September 16, 2009
Times’ Readers Freak Out at So. Pasadena School Bus Sting
Last week, the South Pasadena Police Department held a traffic sting. A group of squad cars laid in wait while cars whizzed past a school bus, with lights flashing and stop sign extended. Once cars passed the bus, the police swooped in and handed out tickets like candy on Halloween to the over 160 cars that didn't stop for the well-marked school bus.
June 19, 2009
Who Can We Turn To When LAPD Doesn’t Know Crosswalk Laws?
Yet, a lot of our city officials still don't understand crosswalks. When an intersection has an unacceptable number of crashes, the many LAPD divisions respond by ticketing pedestrians crossing against a flashing hand, even if they get through the intersection before the hand solidifies; while drivers continue to merrily run red lights right in front of them.
June 12, 2009
Cyclists and Pedestrians Looking for a Champion
As we approach the summer season, a time when streets are more filled with people NOT in a car, and the number of crashes involving cyclists and pedestrians continues to grow; now would be the perfect time for some city or county leader to take a stand and make this the start of a new commitment to making the streets safe for cyclists and pedestrians.
June 2, 2009
A Morning in K-Town: Peds Ticketed, Red Light Runners Ignored
Last Friday the LAPD was at it again. In what they claimed was an effort to make the intersection of Wilshire and Western safer for pedestrians, the LAPD was handing out tickets to pedestrians who crossed the street against a flashing red hand. In the ten minutes I observed their their ticketing I observed the following.
May 4, 2009