Not to defend Big Traffic, but I understand why they lobby against automatically including pedestrians in every cycle at every intersection. They’d never be able to make any money if they were constantly blocking traffic pedestrians that might be there (but usually aren’t).
I think the obvious solution (as a pedestrian) is to always assume everything is stacked against you, and thus always look for a “push to walk” button, never assuming that the traffic system will be designed for you benefit.
I, for one, have survived my childhood and young adult years by assuming every driver on the road may try to kill me at any moment.
I apply that self-preservation logic both as a pedestrian and as a driver.
I now also tend to avoid people in general, whether indoors and out. I’m not dead yet, and I’m not trying to be any time soon. My wife would kill me if I left her in the lurch like that.
Well in Cambodia there are no walk signals so no worries. How you cross the road there is:
Just start walking.
Look down at the road and don’t make eye contact with any driver (he who makes eye contact first has the right of way)
And like magic the traffic parts and flows around you.
Of course there the centerline is for decoration only, your biggest safety feature on your car, motorcycle, bike, horse/donkey and buggy, etc. is your horn (the elephants on the road are so big everyone avoids them). Of course what goes on on the roads there is chaos in slow motion.
@Kidsandliz@xobzoo In some busy parts of Tokyo (they are all busy) there is the EveryoneWalk! System where it goes to pedestrians-go-wild mode. Of course being Japan they go wild in an orderly fashion.
/image Tokyo Shibuya crossing
@pmarin@xobzoo That would never fly in Cambodia. No crosswalks. Few traffic lights in most of even Phnom Penh (they do have some in high traffic and high tourist areas though). Everyone jay walks. Where ever you are and want to cross the street you just step out into the street without looking because if you looked first you’d never be able to cross the street. You’d be the one who has to give way. That being said, I’d have my head down and appear to be looking down but look out of the corner of my eye to make sure whatever I was stepping out in front of was going slow enough to be able to stop. Well except elephants. You give way to those.
In Albuquerque, if you attempt to cross the street, you will be struck and killed, usually by an intoxicated driver. Your best outcome when attempting to cross the street is to be killed instantly so you don’t suffer, because EMS or the police will not be able to respond for several hours; they are too busy putting out trash fires the homeless have started to keep warm, or busy at SWAT calls neutralizing a fentanyl crazed murderer who has just butchered his whole family including the dog.
Not to defend Big Traffic, but I understand why they lobby against automatically including pedestrians in every cycle at every intersection. They’d never be able to make any money if they were constantly blocking traffic pedestrians that might be there (but usually aren’t).
I think the obvious solution (as a pedestrian) is to always assume everything is stacked against you, and thus always look for a “push to walk” button, never assuming that the traffic system will be designed for you benefit.
I, for one, have survived my childhood and young adult years by assuming every driver on the road may try to kill me at any moment.
I apply that self-preservation logic both as a pedestrian and as a driver.
I now also tend to avoid people in general, whether indoors and out. I’m not dead yet, and I’m not trying to be any time soon. My wife would kill me if I left her in the lurch like that.
@xobzoo
Well in Cambodia there are no walk signals so no worries. How you cross the road there is:
Just start walking.
Look down at the road and don’t make eye contact with any driver (he who makes eye contact first has the right of way)
And like magic the traffic parts and flows around you.
Of course there the centerline is for decoration only, your biggest safety feature on your car, motorcycle, bike, horse/donkey and buggy, etc. is your horn (the elephants on the road are so big everyone avoids them). Of course what goes on on the roads there is chaos in slow motion.
@Kidsandliz @xobzoo In some busy parts of Tokyo (they are all busy) there is the Everyone Walk! System where it goes to pedestrians-go-wild mode. Of course being Japan they go wild in an orderly fashion.
/image Tokyo Shibuya crossing
@pmarin @xobzoo That would never fly in Cambodia. No crosswalks. Few traffic lights in most of even Phnom Penh (they do have some in high traffic and high tourist areas though). Everyone jay walks. Where ever you are and want to cross the street you just step out into the street without looking because if you looked first you’d never be able to cross the street. You’d be the one who has to give way. That being said, I’d have my head down and appear to be looking down but look out of the corner of my eye to make sure whatever I was stepping out in front of was going slow enough to be able to stop. Well except elephants. You give way to those.
In Albuquerque, if you attempt to cross the street, you will be struck and killed, usually by an intoxicated driver. Your best outcome when attempting to cross the street is to be killed instantly so you don’t suffer, because EMS or the police will not be able to respond for several hours; they are too busy putting out trash fires the homeless have started to keep warm, or busy at SWAT calls neutralizing a fentanyl crazed murderer who has just butchered his whole family including the dog.
@accelerator This message was brought to you by the greater Albuquerque chamber of commerce.
@accelerator “Including the dog” is brought to you by the incoming Secretary of Homeland Security.