Dangerous By Design

Huntsville 2nd most dangerous city in Alabama for pedestrians

Yesterday I went for a walk and within 1 block of where I live in 5 points I was almost side swiped by a student driver. Then two blocks later I was almost backed into by a motorist who could not take the time to turn her head around. I slammed my hand on her trunk to startle her and hopefully wake her up.

This is a bit unrelated,but I would like to say to those who want to focus their time policing the homeless, working poor and veterans who ride their bikes. Why not start with your kids, parents and friends and when you teach these entitled motorist how to use a turn signals, not run over pedestrians, not drink and drive, not speed through my neighborhood and not drive while talking or texting, then you can go and comment on others who really pose no threat to you.

Since tuesday is Veterans Day maybe take a minute and ask yourself why a city that profits so much from the arsenal and war can not find the know how to provide usable sidewalks for those who come back disabled. Is the solution in this city to just act like they are invisible too? I have a hint putting a yellow ribbon on your car is not the answer.

Solving the Epidemic of Preventable Pedestrian Deaths (and Making Great Neighborhoods)
In the last 15 years, more than 76,000 Americans have been killed while crossing or walking along a street in their community. More than 43,000 Americans – including 3,906 children under 16 – have been killed this decade alone. This is the equivalent of a jumbo jet going down roughly every month, yet it receives nothing like the kind of attention that would surely follow such a disaster.

Children, the elderly, and ethnic minorities are disproportionately represented in this figure, but people of all ages and all walks of life have been struck down in the simple act of walking. These deaths typically are labeled “accidents,” and attributed to error on the part of motorist or pedestrian. In fact, however, an overwhelming proportion share a similar factor: They occurred along roadways that were dangerous by design, streets that were engineered for speeding cars and made little or no provision for people on foot, in wheelchairs or on a bicycle. read more here