parkerAug 23, 2023
Safe Street Rebel
A week ago, a driver turning right at 4th/King killed for a four year old. Today at the vigil organized by WalkSF and other non-profits, SFMTA said it would take 3 weeks to do a “quick build” to make the intersection safer. That's too long to wait. So we did our own quick build tonight and closed one of the turn lanes
Aug 23, 2023 at 5:41amWeb
Show threadSafe Street RebelAug 23, 2023
If this city really cared about pedestrian safety, this would have been done the day after the killing. We don’t need studies to do what we know saves lives. We don't need platitudes from city officials (no matter how heartfelt). We need concrete action and we need it now
Show threadSafe Street RebelAug 23, 2023
The intersection is instantly safer. Every second we delay is just another chance for a driver to kill yet another one of our neighbors
Show threadThalassAug 23, 2023
@SafeStreetRebel Damn good job, peeps.
Show threadDaveography 🇨🇦Aug 24, 2023

@SafeStreetRebel

👏👏👏

Show thread14missionAug 23, 2023

@SafeStreetRebel Well done!

And it's amazing what you can get away with if you wear a yellow safety vest.

Show threadAlfred TwuAug 23, 2023
@14mission @SafeStreetRebel the hi-viz vest of invisibility! Thank you for getting this done
Show threadErich FiedererAug 23, 2023
@SafeStreetRebel But the environmental impact! /s
Show threadCoo-OpsAug 23, 2023
@SafeStreetRebel if I may, what about the extra turning lane is considered to be so dangerous?
Show threadJesseAug 23, 2023
@cooopsspace @SafeStreetRebel
Inside turning lane car blocks visibility for the outer turning lane driver. This would have been obvious to the traffic engineer that designed the intersection.
Show threadFloAug 23, 2023

@jessta @cooopsspace @SafeStreetRebel

Also, if cars fully turn before a crossing, they intersect with pedestrians at a right angle.

But if the turning lane is right next to a zebra crossing, cars turn on top of it. This means crossing pedestrians are not always visible through the windshield and drivers have to actively use mirrors or turn their head. They might be fully hidden behind one of the cars pillars or other passengers.

Show threadMichael S.Aug 23, 2023
@Flo_Rian @jessta @cooopsspace @SafeStreetRebel seems more like incorrect pedestrian crossing placement rather than lanes count issue to me. In Germany I see lots of intersections with 2 lanes goes right and pedestrian crossings, but have not seen a crossing that goes that close to a turn area.
Show threadFloAug 23, 2023
@thatsame @jessta @cooopsspace @SafeStreetRebel
Yes, one can move crossing further away from intersections to prevent that as well. Blocking the lane also achieves that, though. The additional benefit is smaller pedestrians (like children) are not hidden behind cars in the right turning lane for car drivers in the left turning lane.
Show threadSafe Street RebelAug 23, 2023
@thatsame @Flo_Rian @jessta @cooopsspace pedestrians shouldn't have to go even more out of their way to cross the street. That crossing connects a light rail station to a commuter rail station, you'd have to completely rebuild the light rail station to move the crossing. And drivers never need two right turn lanes, especially not downtown in a major transit transfer point.
Show threadSafe Street RebelAug 23, 2023
@thatsame @Flo_Rian @jessta @cooopsspace Also pedestrians get hit at mid block crossings too. With two lanes of traffic it is always possible for the first lane of cars to hide pedestrians crossing. Six total lanes of traffic also makes the crosswalk too long to cross, endangering anyone who can't walk fast. Multi lane roads encourage speeding. There should never be more than one lane of car traffic in any direction in a city.
Show threadCoo-OpsAug 23, 2023
@Flo_Rian @jessta @SafeStreetRebel Australian here so I don't totally know the right on red rules, is there even one here? Wouldn't forcing everyone to stop reduce the risk of a serious accident?
Show threadClickyMcTickerAug 23, 2023
@cooopsspace @Flo_Rian @jessta @SafeStreetRebel
In most of the States, right on red (and left, more info below) is legal in all fifty states and territories, though some local governments restrict it either in part or entirely based on density. With *two* exceptions, there must be a sign posted that you cannot turn right on red. Those two are NYC and DC, which have right on red banned by default. About ten states prohibit it when you (1/2)
Show threadClickyMcTickerAug 23, 2023

@cooopsspace @Flo_Rian @jessta @SafeStreetRebel
have a red arrow. Left on red is allowed in some scenarios, primarily intersecting one-way streets, with eight states and DC being the exception. Wikipedia’s “Turn on red” article covers a lot of the specifics, but in general, turns at red lights are standard practice in the States.

Traffic engineers have been putting too much emphasis on cars for too long, at the pedestrian’s expense (2/2)

Show threadRuth Malone BollardGranny™️Aug 23, 2023
@SafeStreetRebel Beautiful.
Show threadEllieAug 24, 2023
@SafeStreetRebel this is the kind of direct action I want us to learn how to take locally
Show threadSafe Street RebelAug 24, 2023
@ellie You can do it! Get together a couple people you trust, start a Signal group chat. You can also start small and simple if you aren't sure where to get started, it took us a year or so to get to the point of doing higher profile stuff like this.