The Chainlink

Pedestrian rights activism

I've been contacted on behalf of a relatively new effort aimed at fighting for pedestrian rights. Will post more about that when I know more, but I thought I'd put out some feelers and get a sense of who here, if anyone, cares enough about pedestrian access and safety issues to devote volunteer time to them.  Historically I've noticed it's tough to build sustained grass-roots volunteer interest in pedestrian activism, as people tend to not 'identify' as pedestrians the way they do as cyclists or railfans.

Also-- study question- if there were a pedestrian safety awareness effort along the lines of Ghost Bikes, what form would it take?

[waiting to see if thread just sinks slowly to the bottom . . .]

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on February 15, 2012 at 11:56am

To embed a video, go to the Youtube page, click the Share button, then the Embed button.  Copy the code that's highlighted in the box.  Come back to Chainlink, type your intro text, click the HTML button, then paste that copied code at the bottom of the window.  And you should get this:

Permalink Reply by Michael J Blane on February 15, 2012 at 12:21pm

I thought the red flags were a good idea. I figured that they'd "go missing" - I didn't think that they'd go missing in less than a week.

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One way to start would be to get the CTA operators to obey the "pedestrian crossing at a corner" law and stop the bus so people could cross the street. The CTA buses are big and noticeable. - I understand that they can't be slamming on the brakes all the time, but I don't think I've seen more than 5 buses stop for pedestrians since the law was clarified more than a year ago.

Permalink Reply by David on February 15, 2012 at 3:37pm

Thanks!  I never noticed there was an HTML button before.  



Anne Alt said:

To embed a video, go to the Youtube page, click the Share button, then the Embed button.  Copy the code that's highlighted in the box.  Come back to Chainlink, type your intro text, click the HTML button, then paste that copied code at the bottom of the window.  

Permalink Reply by Bike Bloke on February 15, 2012 at 6:01pm

Here's how pedestrians get a measure of protection in England:

If a driver makes a mistake, he wrecks his car and not someone's body.In addition, drivers have to really pay attention with those wonderfully narrow lanes. Note too, that extremely wide sidewalk on the right  and no parking lane (admittedly it is mostly residential on that street).

I often wonder how nasty it must be to be a pedestrian trying to cross Fullerton anywhere west of Ashland...

Permalink Reply by Dan Korn on February 16, 2012 at 12:56am

Bike Bloke said:

Here's how pedestrians get a measure of protection in England:

 

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on February 16, 2012 at 2:00am
Permalink Reply by David P. on February 16, 2012 at 6:01pm

I recently saw an ambulance, of all things, barrel through an pedestrian at which a pedestrian was trying to cross. It did not have its lights or siren on. 

My subjective impression is that in my neighborhood (Avondale) jaywalking is farily rampant, with peds wandering across the street in any old place, often without looking much. But it is also my impression that many of the crosswalks are very difficult to see by car drivers and cyclists, as they are badly faded.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on February 16, 2012 at 10:45pm

Unfortunately, there's no shortage of badly faded crosswalks all over the city.  Pick a neighborhood, any neighborhood, and you're likely to find some.

Permalink Reply by Tim S on February 17, 2012 at 3:22pm

I was blown away by the comments recently on Everyblock where many were not aware of the fact that they are required by law to stop with one guy saying that it does not matter that he is required to stop he will keep driving as it is an inconvenience to him to stop at a cross walk. Even went so far as to suggest that pedestrians were asking for it if they tried crossing the road when he was around. Amazing what some folks will say while on the internet.

As a ped, cyclist, and driver it shocks me at the cavalier attitude of drivers in this city.

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on February 17, 2012 at 3:26pm

Living next to a highway, smoking, eating a quarter pounder every day for lunch . . .

all healthier for you than reading Everyblock.

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