Comments on: Latest Threat On NYC Streets: Pedestrian Refuges

By: SLH

SLH — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 16:13:16 +0000

No mention that perhaps eliminating so many parked cars could help. hmm.

By: doug

doug — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:26:15 +0000

I love (hate) how she intones, “The firetruck loses valuable seconds” at the traffic island as it inches slowly to what is literally a wall of stopped traffic, balring its horn. Stupidity.

By: nick

nick — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 04:26:29 +0000

How do local news reporters spend their days? Typically, driving from story to story. It shouldn’t be surprising that they have a windshield perspective.

By: Jack

Jack — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 14:43:53 +0000

As someone in the 55+ age category, the continuing failure of the public and its elected officials to recognize how their motorized visions of their neighborhoods continues to lower the quality of life has been a dominate trend for decades, The tragedy is that these older civic leaders fail to see anything better than large FREE parking lots and the importance of on-street parking. The fallout is that fewer and fewer residents are willing to walk and/or cycle to nearby destinations and the young generation expects to be driven two blocks to school.

The mindset of reporter Kramer is way too common in the Midwest (xChicago). No wonder the region continues to suffer as young talented professionals choose other places to live.

By: Roberta

Roberta — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 00:16:07 +0000

Robert: I’d have to agree. Many of the people I meet in their 60’s and up in North America seem to have completely forgotten that it is possible to get around without a car. The impact this is having and will continue to have on traffic as these drivers age is one that scares me, as a cyclist.

By: Robert

Robert — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 22:44:50 +0000

Tom,

My profession is as an active transportation consultant working for an organization called PedNet. Mainly, I travel around the United States helping communities start walking school busses and other encouragement programs.

I’m convinced that there is a generation gap when it comes to believing that supporting non-motorized transportation is a worthwhile cause. I see it in the media, politicians, educators and everyone else. Change does not come easy to some people.

Have you seen this in your research?

BTW, Marcia Kramer is 62 years old. The anti-ped improvement folks she was interviewing also looked to be in their 60’s. The engineer who she was interviewing looked to be half their age.

By: fred_dot_u

fred_dot_u — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 21:43:18 +0000

Another example of motor vehicle centered reporting. No mention at all of how this makes crossing for pedestrians that much safer. So many statements in that news piece that were distorted and biased to serve the report focus, but that’s how today’s media works. Make it dramatic, sell those advertising minutes.