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Doug Ford banned speed cameras. The City of Ottawa posted the raw speed data from before and after the ban. This chart shows the percentage of drivers going 15km/h or more over the posted limit. (feddit.uk)
submitted 5 months ago by to c/ontario@lemmy.ca
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[+] -7 points 5 months ago (8 children)

What's the constant push toward lowering speed limits instead or pushing for better public transit options and putting proper responsibility on pedestrians?

When I walk across an intersection, I take my headphones off and I'm looking around me to make sure nobody is going to run me down. The number of people I see sauntering across intersections at the speed of smell while staring at their phones and listening to music is too fucking high.

Yeah, pedestrians have the right of way - but who's going to win the fight? I'd rather not end up with a tombstone that reads "But I had the right of way!"

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago (5 children)

    putting proper responsibility on pedestrians

    Yeah, pedestrians have the right of way

    Choose one.

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  • [–] -2 points 5 months ago (4 children)

    Right of way does not mean you win the fight if a person driving a vehicle isn't paying attention. Like I said, I don't want to have a tombstone that reads "...but I had the right of way".

    When I walk, I have the right of way the second the walk sign goes up, but I still stop and look to make sure I'm not going to get creamed.

    I also don't blindly step out into traffic just because I have the RiGhT oF wAy.

    A bit of critical thinking and awareness goes a long way toward survivability 🤷‍♂️

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  • [–] 3 points 5 months ago (3 children)

    I'm saying it's the car drivers that need "proper responsibility" put on them. If they don't have the right of way, they need to yield. Just because a car will kill a pedestrian in a collision doesn't mean the pedestrian needs to be more responsible and should have more rules and regulations governing them. In fact, killing pedestrians so easily is exactly why there need to be more rules and regulations for driving a car.

    Those two lines I quoted from you are a contradiction. If pedestrians have the right of way, then they're doing everything they're legally responsible for in an interaction. Just because the law doesn't protect you from careless drivers doesn't mean that the pedestrian is suddenly responsible for the consequences.

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  • [–] 0 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    Both need to have responsibility, yes, however we need to stop coddling pedestrians because they're too unwilling to be safe when they cross. There are far bigger dangers on the road than people speeding.

    A better solution would just be to strip the right of way from pedestrians, but everybody would get their panties in a bunch over that too because of this stupid selfish mentality that people have. When I walk, I let cars go ahead - they'll clear the area faster than I can, and it clears the risk from my path when they go. Eliminating the risk and really putting no inconvenience on anybody.

    Further addressing the issue would mean putting in additional crosswalks to prevent jat- walking and unsafe crossings, as would improved public transit.

    If we're so hellbent on speeding drivers, maybe we should also start ticketing people who walk faster than most on the sidewalk too?

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    we need to stop coddling pedestrians drivers because they’re too unwilling to be safe when they cross drive.

    Why are you trying to put all the responsibility on pedestrians, people out walking, instead of drivers, who need to pass a driving test and need a driver's license in order to operate their multiple tons of machinery in public places? What's the point of it all if not making drivers more responsible for their actions?

    A better solution would just be to strip the right of way from pedestrians

    Further addressing the issue would mean putting in additional crosswalks to prevent jay-walking and unsafe crossings, as would improved public transit.

    How would that help? If pedestrians don't have the right of way, why does it matter if they're in the crosswalk or not? It's not like they'd be any more protected from the speeding cars that are no longer obligated to stop for them just because there's some paint on the ground.

    If we’re so hellbent on speeding drivers, maybe we should also start ticketing people who walk faster than most on the sidewalk too?

    If that person could kill or maim someone by walking into them, then maybe. As it is, cars have the highest potential for damage and loss of life, so they should have the most rules restricting them.

    everybody would get their panties in a bunch over that too because of this stupid selfish mentality that people have

    How is this not exactly what you're doing right now about cars not being able to speed without punishment?

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  • [–] -1 points 5 months ago

    The drivers are just as shit, not using blinkers, racing yellow lights camping in the overtake lanes. They're a problem too, but again, the ones speeding are the least of my worries regardless of whether I'm walking or driving somewhere.

    Crosswalks would signal traffic flow and grant any traffic moving in that direction the right of way, just like any other intersection. If you want to give pestrians the right of way in an intersection, that's fine. Makes sense in that case as it gives them a fair chance to get across. That said the number of people crossing when the hand is up is insane, I've yet to see people get ticketed for that... That's far worse than somebody doing 15 km over on a straight stretch of road with little traffic as they could easily get stranded, or leave vehicles stuck in an intersection waiting to turn after their light changes because they had to wait for a person to cross against their signal.

    That person could kill or maim the slower walkers, who knows... But at the same time, cars typically aren't speeding down sidewalks and stick to the pathways designed for them. With the exception of intersections, the speed of vehiclar traffic should have zero significance to people walking on a sidewalk.

    Because I am sick of watching speed limits decrease over time because people move into areas near highways and whine and moan about the speed of vehicles that far predate their existence in those areas. We literally have four-lane straight roadways with 50kmh limits, and some that were 80 that are now down to 60-70 for whatever reason. If people driving wanted to go slower, they should consider riding a bike or walking instead...

    The issue is generally not speed. The issue is distractions and people not following the basics like using indicators or traveling in correct lanes, or running lights and stop signs. These generally have little to do with speed when you consider where the majority of people are speeding.

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