It's safe to say that I think the majority of Aucklanders' have experienced this feeling. This my friend, is a serious planning issue that EVERYONE can relate to. As a planner, we aim to develop the roads so that the pedestrian and cyclist are catered for before any private cars. Unfortunately this aim has not been implemented effectively enough.
Although this picture is From New York, it still symbolizes the speed of traffic to pedestrians.
To sum it up... there are far too many cars on the road, and the drivers in these cars do not have the right attitude. We can't just keep building roads to accommodate the growth. We must invest in pubic transportation systems, we must integrate land use and transport networks more effectively so as to increase the safety "shield" between car and pedestrian, but more importantly.. we must improve the attitudes of these drivers.
"The significance of pedestrian injury in the road safety picture increases for urban areas. From 1993-1997, on urban roads (i.e. those with speed limits of 70 km/ph or less), pedestrians accounted for 28% of road fatalities, 12% of reported injury crashes and 18.6% of the social cost of injury crashes" (NZ Transport Agency, 2000).
Another important issue is the number of accidents that involve a private car and a cyclist. In 2007 there were 12 reported cyclists killed, 181 seriously injured and a further 699 with minor injuries (can you imagine the number of unreported injuries??) (Transport, 2007). I can only assume that this number has increased over the past 4 years.
So there you have the facts.. It is disturbing to think that this number is to increase unless we change our driving attitude and the whole transport system perspective. I personally have lost a friend who was crossing at a set of lights when a car ran a red. He is now a statistic along with hundreds of others. This must stop.
We must improve our traveling behaviors. They say that "safety in numbers" in terms of pedestrian and cycling is effective for improving safety measures but how do we get to that point where more people are confident enough to travel that way. We can look at Amsterdam as an example. Amsterdam is labeled the bike capital of the world - and for good reason.They have 40% of their traffic movement by bike. Follow this link to read about how they have created this image for themselves.
http://www.virgin-vacations.com/11-most-bike-friendly-cities.aspx
Imagine how these effects help traffic? Less on street parking, more room for the pedestrian, and these effects will continue to be positive. Check out this video about the traffic in Amsterdam
If you would like to read more information on the pedestrian and cyclists statistics you can follow these links:
Cyclist: http://www.transport.govt.nz/research/documents/cyclist-crash-factsheet.pdf
Pedestrian: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/nz-pedestrian-profile/6.html
i totally get what you're saying here hannah. there have been several instances recently for me where i have felt scared when approaching a pedestrian crossing. I worried about whether I would be seen by the driver, as well as whether or not the driver would even want to stop for me. admittedly ive also been a tad naughty... ive jay walked on numerous occasions when approaching a taffic light patrolled crosing as i really can't be bothered waiting a seemingly endless wait for the "green walking man" to buzz :s. i genuinely feel as though this is an issue the auckland city council need to adress and feel as though someone with your integrity, knowledge, background experience, and pure passion for the public, you could make a difference. anywho i have to fly. keep us "posted" with your incites and be the change we're all waiting for.
ReplyDeletezachary.james.haldane.