New stats showing an increase in pedestrian deaths from automobile accidents have brought attention to urban design issues. But the Wall St. Journal's automotive critic places the blame squarely on the pedestrians themselves.
Sarah Goodyear at Grist was gobsmacked reading critic Dan Neil's recent review of the 2012 Volvo S60 T5 AWD, when he took a detour to rail against pedestrian behavior, saying that some of L.A.'s walkers seem to be "daring me to hit them".
From Neil's review: "The presumption is that pedestrians are defenseless against automobiles and must be protected. Even so, the feds' safety statistics suggest that pedestrians are more often to blame in these incidents. In 2009, nearly 40% of pedestrian fatalities were caused by pedestrians' improper crossing or walking/playing/working in the roadway, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration."
Goodyear comments: "...when people talk about pedestrian behavior, so often the tone is the one that the WSJ's Neil takes-one of sarcastic aggravation at those crazy people who actually want to walk somewhere-or, more contemptibly still, actually have to walk somewhere because they are too poor to travel in the style to which he is accustomed. The 'walking have-nots,' Neil calls them."
FULL STORY: If you’re so happy in your car, why are you so mad at the people walking?
How to Protect Pedestrians With Disabilities
Public agencies don’t track traffic deaths and injuries involving disabled people, leaving a gap in data to guide safety interventions.
The Vicious Cycle at the Heart of Pedestrian Safety
When people feel unsafe, they walk less; with fewer pedestrians, walking becomes less safe.
2022 Deadliest Year for Pedestrians in Four Decades
Pedestrian deaths reached a four-decade high last year, signaling the failure of Vision Zero policies in most U.S. cities.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie