Apparently in Paris lying ped signals is not the norm, or how Human Transit puts it:
“The truth will sound silly, but it’s striking how green these signals are. It’s simple: the default setting for pedestrian signals is green, and they turn red only when your safety requires it. (In Sydney, where I currently live, the opposite rule applies. There, pedestrian signals are always red, but if you push a button and wait patiently, often for a nearly complete cycle of the signal, wondering if you’ve submitted an application to some bureaucrat who will get to it after his lunch break, you’ll finally get green for a few seconds. But don’t blink or you’ll miss it and have to start again.) “
So I tried to look up the pedestrian fatality rate of Paris for comparison. What I did find is an article “Switzerland rates poorly in pedestrian safety” where a similar argument is put forth as our local Street Smart Campaign and some counter arguments not that far off then mine:
“People should be made more aware that pedestrian crossings are not automatically safe zones,” said TCS spokesman Stephan Müller.
Speed restrictions?
However, the Swiss Transport and Environment Association says the solution to saving lives lies elsewhere.
…
He said it was too one-sided to point the finger solely at motorists. “Pedestrians can’t simply stroll out onto the zebra crossing,” he said, adding that the Tempo 30 scheme – locally imposed speed limits of 30km/h in residential areas – didn’t make the roads safer because it was poorly observed.
Too general
Steinmann rejects the notion that Swiss drivers are more aggressive than those in other countries, but says in most cases the driver is to blame for pedestrian deaths.
“If motorists drive too fast, the [pedestrian’s] right of way is disregarded,” she said.
So how bad is Switzerland compared to Maryland?
For comparison Maryland’s fatality rate would break the top of the chart at 20.6.
At 20.5 per cent, the number of pedestrians killed as part of the total Swiss road deaths was significantly higher than the European average of 14.6 per cent, the study found. Only Britain did worse, with 21.3 per cent.
To compare, Maryland’s per cent of the number of pedestrians killed as part of the total road deaths is 19.6 per cent and the US average is 11.7 per cent.
So in Maryland it does look like the street belongs to cars.
Continue reading “Paris: the street is ours!”
After a very successful introductory year, Bike Parking at this weekend’s Artscape is back and bigger than before. We are adding 10 bike racks, which will accommodate 50-70 additional bikes. Park your bike at Maryland Ave. at Mt. Royal Ave. and receive a souvenir button as a thank you for their green efforts.
