Benjamin RossFeb 4, 2023
Very big implications to finding (2 studies, in London & Paris) that woman cyclists get killed more than men because they wait for signal to start across intersection.
This is surely true for pedestrians too, since geometry is the same.
Implies that using marked crosswalk & obeying signal is often more dangerous than violating law. 1/2
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/01/is-cycling-safe-in-many-cases-the-answer-is-no/
https://www.lemonde.fr/les-decodeurs/article/2023/02/04/que-peut-on-dire-de-la-hausse-inquietante-des-morts-de-cyclistes_6160557_4355770.html
Is cycling safe? In many cases, the answer is no.

Researcher Anne Lusk explains the risks bicyclists face and how we can mitigate them.

Harvard Gazette
Show threadRachel F. ElsonFeb 4, 2023
@BenRossTransit Interesting. I've always argued that banning right on red (as they do in NYC, and as I've heard proposed here in SF) means drivers start to cross the crosswalk just as walkers step off - rather than using their judgment and waiting for it to be empty. Maybe similar concept?
Show threadBenjamin Ross
@rachel_elson Yes. I wrote about this years ago, in an article called "Careful jaywalking saves lives." https://ggwash.org/view/41338/careful-jaywalking-saves-lives
Also, here's my critique of safety campaigns.
https://ggwash.org/view/30378/on-crosswalks-research-and-safety-campaigns-conflict
And more generally here:
https://ggwash.org/view/41458/timing-signals-to-work-for-pedestrians-is-impossible
Careful jaywalking saves lives

To make streets walkable, we need to re-think the basic principles of how people on foot and people in cars share the roadway. This is the first of a multi-part opinion series. Pedestrians put themselves in danger if they wait for a walk signal instead of crossing the street whenever and wherever it looks safest.  There are no definitive studies, but that is what available…

Feb 4, 2023 at 4:41pmWeb
Show threadRachel F. ElsonFeb 4, 2023
@BenRossTransit OMG yes this: "At a red light, drivers who are about to turn wait alongside pedestrians. The changing signal sends both into the intersection at the same time — maximizing the opportunities for collisions."
I'm from CA but moved to NYC for 16 years and hated that right-on-red ban from the get-go. Always felt so much less safe....
Show threadSu The CoderFeb 5, 2023
@rachel_elson @BenRossTransit Philly has experimented with leading pedestrian interval in University City. Of course, we jaywalk like we're alone on the streets.
Show threadGlobaltomFeb 5, 2023
@rachel_elson @BenRossTransit sounds like a strong argument for leading greens for pedestrians / cyclists