I’m fine with one-way roads.
As a pedestrian/cyclist it’s nice to know you don’t have cars coming from every direction.
but do you
It’s better than the stroad intersections I have to cross to get to the grocery store. Multiple turning lanes, right turn on red, and a crosswalk timer of just 45 seconds.
A slow, one lane road would be fine. But specifically in the context of US downtowns, we had a bunch of two-way roads converted to two or three lane one ways so that speeds could be dramatically increased. In my city, virtually all of the pedestrians who die in downtown, die crossing these roads. They are particularly dangerous because when someone is crossing, the closest car will often stop and then someone behind will swerve around at high speeds to continue their rate of travel, and can’t see a pedestrian as they step into the next lane due to the height of the stopped vehicle.
It’s insane to me how many people would rather swerve around someone rather than take a second to ease into a stop together. Though, I will admit that half the time I stop behind someone, 5 to 10 seconds later they either turn on their hazards or they let someone out of their car, including on one way streets like that.
Basically everything is garbage with having to drive everywhere, all the time.
It’s actually a legal requirement to stop when another car stops at a crosswalk, at least in California. But of course this is widely flouted.
I think it’s just one of those things that seems obvious when you think about it, but most people just don’t. Human beings didn’t evolve to operate heavy machinery at speed, and our brains aren’t well suited for it. So that’s why we need to change the infrastructure to enforce safety. I don’t think we can get there through education or enforcement.
I don’t think we can get there through education or enforcement.
It’s far worse in the US than it is in some other countries I’ve lived in. So education and enforcement can probably make a significant difference.
Sounds like it’s the inappropriate speed limit and failure to control crosswalks that are more deadly than the direction of travel.
Sure but they’re not disconnected from one another. People naturally drive slower when there’s oncoming traffic.
I agree, thats the one point of this video I questioned, but I think he’s talking about the way they specifically work when used in these already car-centric US cities.
I’m general this video is spot on. It’s sad that honestly most of the US is like this. I want to live somewhere that’s made for people.
I will not state this was the main reason for my return to EU after US, but it’s definitely a very important perk of being back. The main reason was social security - I could not live in a country that is not a society
Can I get a writeup for those of us who can’t watch videos right now?
Title: Every Urban Design That RUINS Your Life Explained in 9 Minutes
- Stroads combine the worst of streets and roads, causing slow traffic and danger for pedestrians.
- Parking craters destroy vibrant city blocks, replacing buildings with unnecessary parking lots.
- Car suburbs force dependency on vehicles, making life difficult for those without cars.
- Dead plazas lack shops and cafes, making them empty and uninviting public spaces.
- Highway cuts divide communities, often disproportionately affecting low-income neighborhoods.
- Drive-thrus redesign streets around cars, eliminating pedestrian-friendly spaces.
- Cul-de-sacs create car-dependent neighborhoods with poor emergency access and higher childhood obesity rates.
- One-way streets optimize traffic flow but eliminate street life and make pedestrian crossing dangerous.
- Urban design choices often prioritize cars over community well-being and pedestrian safety.
- Poor urban planning leads to long-term negative impacts on communities and their residents.
And then there’s the abomination known as Hawthorne Blvd that I need to cross on the regular (so uniquely stupid that you can spot it in IdiotsInCars on the regular.). I’m not sure there’s a classification for the divider also being a parking lot and turn lane combo.
