Pedestrian Shaming in Charlotte

[tozmervo]

Is @dotexperiment on urban planet? Their description says they're local

[kermit]

Re: The Pedestrian Shaming of South blvd

So the water main construction has advanced up South blvd to my usual dog walking route. South has been construction dieted down to one lane in each direction with a massive island in the middle for the work. A crosswalk was maintained at McDonald ave (Mr. K's) and it is SOOOOO MUCH NICER to cross South blvd with that large refuge island now. Where South felt like a freaking raging, radioactive-lava, river before, it is now a manageable (and much quieter) steady stream of low-speed cars. The difference is simply indescribable. Basically dieting South down to 2 lanes (plus turning 277 into a river) could turn Charlotte into Amsterdam.

 

Edited May 10, 2022 by kermit

[videtur quam contuor]

South has been two lanes, one in each direction, for some or much of its South End and Dilworth section for, what, five years, eight years, maybe more. Construction alongside, street opening, street repair. The experiment has been proven. It can work just as well as the four lane plus turns but without the danger and unnatural speed of the four lane stroad. 

[KJHburg]

this is not good for our neighbor to the south.    SC the 3rd deadliest state for pedestrians in the country. 

https://www.wcnc.com/article/traffic/south-carolina-pedestrians-3rd-deadliest-state/275-6106e671-9eb2-49cd-b7bc-416c4ed611ac

[JRCLT]

One of my friend sent this to me today and I decided to share…lol. Something that I say around my friend a lot when we’re walking and crossing a crosswalk is pedestrians always have the right of way when it comes to crossing. Vehicles should yield to people. It usually sounds a bit entitled and expected. The sad truth is though this is how it should be… it isn’t always the case. Metal and glass at high velocity beats flesh and bone 10/10 times.



My friend always tells me I should always wait for the car to pass because sometimes I cross the street even if I see a car coming because most of the time I know they’re going to stop or slow down but I never try to cross when they are relatively and in my judgment too close perhaps between 5ish-0 cars between me and the vehicle. I’m always on guard too watching for the cars to make sure if I need to make haste I have enough reaction time.

[Mid South NC]

[kermit]

^ watch out for the Deloitte death ray!

[KJHburg]

found on Twitter with this comment:  It got Charlotted

 

[davidclt]

26 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

found on Twitter with this comment:  It got Charlotted

 

Everyone (or most everyone) is ignoring the No Left Turn prohibition anyway. That intersection is a cluster-*. No enforcement at all and a truly ugly implementation but almost all traffic dividers get beaten up horribly here and most aren't built to last (or built to withstand collisions by cars).

Edited August 10, 2022 by davidclt
Fixed typo

[CLT2014]

Google Maps has not been updated to not take users on a route with a left turn onto Tremont.

I say that knowing 95% of the people turning left are locals, aren't using a GPS, and know EXACTLY what they are doing making an illegal left turn.... Charlotte roadways are essentially a free for all though as we have minimal enforcement and a stretched police department dealing with thousands of calls per day by terrified suburban people who saw a "suspicious man walking on their street and need a cop to investigate NOW!" while also balancing investigating the daily stabbing, shooting, et... that happens in Charlotte. 

Edited August 10, 2022 by CLT2014

[kermit]

17 minutes ago, CLT2014 said:

Google Maps has not been updated to not take users on a route with a left turn onto Tremont.

I say that knowing 95% of the people turning left are locals, aren't using a GPS, and know EXACTLY what they are doing making an illegal left turn.... Charlotte roadways are essentially a free for all though as we have minimal enforcement and a stretched police department dealing with thousands of calls per day by terrified suburban people who saw a "suspicious man walking on their street and need a cop to investigate NOW!" while also balancing investigating the daily stabbing, shooting, et... that happens in Charlotte. 

Throwing bricks for everyone! (this would solve a bunch of low-order traffic issues like left turns at Camden / Tremont)

[KJHburg]

then lets bring back traffic and red light cameras and install one here with a $100 fine and it would stop real quick once publicized.  Why does the city of Wilmington have them but somehow we can't?   Same goes for parking on streetcar tracks.   

https://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/departments/planning-development-and-transportation/safelight-copy

[kayman]

On 8/10/2022 at 3:41 PM, KJHburg said:

then lets bring back traffic and red light cameras and install one here with a $100 fine and it would stop real quick once publicized.  Why does the city of Wilmington have them but somehow we can't?   Same goes for parking on streetcar tracks.   

https://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/departments/planning-development-and-transportation/safelight-copy

Because the COC was sued to hell due to the enforcement improprieties in exposed in traffic court.  Several large anchor municipalities in the South like Charlotte, Nashville, & Atlanta have had this very problem with red light cameras more often than smaller or mid-sized ones like Raleigh, Fayetteville, Wilmington, Richmond, Norfolk, etc.  or the suburban areas of larger anchor municipalities in other states like Virginia, etc. 

 

Edited August 16, 2022 by kayman

[RANYC]

On 8/10/2022 at 3:41 PM, KJHburg said:

then lets bring back traffic and red light cameras and install one here with a $100 fine and it would stop real quick once publicized.  Why does the city of Wilmington have them but somehow we can't?   Same goes for parking on streetcar tracks.   

https://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/departments/planning-development-and-transportation/safelight-copy

I can't speak for what happens elsewhere, but I'm on the westside and the wanton disregard for stop signs and red lights is absolutely egregious.  There's a hidden toll that these arrogant drivers take on the community - that's all the thousands or tens of thousands of folks left with the general impression that walking about is intimidating and hazardous, for themselves and their children, and so they never do it.  I would like cameras to record everything - their speeding, the red light running, taking the right of way, running through pedestrian crossings.  And I'd like concrete bollards to protect taxpayer assets like signage and street trees, and to give cyclists and pedestrians more confidence in their safety getting about the community outside of a car.  And should the recklessly-driving jerks continue to do their thing, well the bollards fight back where the other "delineations" can't, and that would be fine by me.

[videtur quam contuor]

To me the best thing about traffic camera enforcement, from fixed cameras or from cameras in patrol cars or other locations, is that it reduces the number of interactions between police officers and public. These interactions, as all know, is where many serious and even deadly events arise. Any time technology can relieve this it should be supported by the police and also the public if they truly wish for fewer such risks to take place. In addition, the driving while black issue will be reduced, if  the system is properly installed. 

As a younger person I took such camera enforcement as a personal affront but with time and experience, especially more recent experiences, I realize that it is better for all to allow the police to work with those who need personal intervention. Let technology do what it can, where it can.

[kermit]

Cost estimates of pedestrian deaths in Charlotte:

 

[davidclt]

Looks like the westmost pedestrian crossing on Tremont at Camden is getting a pedestrian signal. For any number of reasons, I'm flummoxed by this decision. The intersection is an uncontrolled mess and yet every action taken only makes the problem worse. I'm surprised they didn't position the beg button on the bright green rail-trail crossing but instead on the much tighter post-right turn from Camden to Tremont section. This ensures more pedestrians in conflict with cars attempting the right turn from Camden onto Tremont (and the unenforced) left turn onto Tremont.

As a final FU to all those using the crossing, they placed the pedestal for the signal in the access ramp.

7 minutes ago, kermit said:

Cost estimates of pedestrian deaths in Charlotte:

Yeah, but think of all the money we saved by not investing in human-friendly infrastructure.

Edited August 25, 2022 by davidclt
Added access ramp comment

[kermit]

31 minutes ago, davidclt said:

Looks like the westmost pedestrian crossing on Tremont at Camden is getting a pedestrian signal. For any number of reasons, I'm flummoxed by this decision. The intersection is an uncontrolled mess and yet every action taken only makes the problem worse. I'm surprised they didn't position the beg button on the bright green rail-trail crossing but instead on the much tighter post-right turn from Camden to Tremont section. This ensures more pedestrians in conflict with cars attempting the right turn from Camden onto Tremont (and the unenforced) left turn onto Tremont.

As a final FU to all those using the crossing, they placed the pedestal for the signal in the access ramp.

The Atherton Mill portion of Tremont has been a genuine delight for pedestrians the past week since it has been closed to cars for stormwater work. Now if we could just get rid of the grease trap stank from Sullivans....

Edited August 25, 2022 by kermit

[tozmervo]

3 hours ago, kermit said:

The Atherton Mill portion of Tremont has been a genuine delight for pedestrians the past week since it has been closed to cars for stormwater work. Now if we could just get rid of the grease trap stank from Sullivans....

Genie floats in
"Your wish is my command!" 
The entire Sullivan's block disappears and is replaced by a podium apartment building. 

[tito_m9]

https://www.fox46.com/crime-and-public-safety/two-people-stabbed-following-alleged-road-rage-incident-in-plaza-midwood/

"Two people were stabbed following an alleged road rage incident in the Plaza Midwood area Thursday afternoon, according to multiple witnesses. They say a car almost ran over two people walking in the area as it ‘whipped down the road.’ When people yelled at the driver to slow down, that driver came back out and stabbed someone. After the initial stabbing, another person stabbed the suspect."

Talk about pedestrian shaming...

 

[Desert Power]

On 8/10/2022 at 3:21 PM, CLT2014 said:

Google Maps has not been updated to not take users on a route with a left turn onto Tremont.

I say that knowing 95% of the people turning left are locals, aren't using a GPS, and know EXACTLY what they are doing making an illegal left turn.... Charlotte roadways are essentially a free for all though as we have minimal enforcement and a stretched police department dealing with thousands of calls per day by terrified suburban people who saw a "suspicious man walking on their street and need a cop to investigate NOW!" while also balancing investigating the daily stabbing, shooting, et... that happens in Charlotte. 

To make this even worse, if you try to report persistent illegal parking to the city you are just rudely told to call 911.

[tozmervo]

[Nathan2]

15 hours ago, tito_m9 said:

https://www.fox46.com/crime-and-public-safety/two-people-stabbed-following-alleged-road-rage-incident-in-plaza-midwood/

"Two people were stabbed following an alleged road rage incident in the Plaza Midwood area Thursday afternoon, according to multiple witnesses. They say a car almost ran over two people walking in the area as it ‘whipped down the road.’ When people yelled at the driver to slow down, that driver came back out and stabbed someone. After the initial stabbing, another person stabbed the suspect."

Talk about pedestrian shaming...

 

There is only so much you can do about road rage, but the city can make streets safer and slower through design. No matter how many people die or get hurt the city will continue to sit on its ass and do nothing. The number of requests I have made to lower speed limits, add traffic calming devices, crosswalks, or even just get CMPD to patrol more along commonwealth have all been turned down stating that the volume of traffic is too high to do anything. In just the past month cars have destroyed the corner of central and Thomas ( the little artsy wall) street as well as taken out light poles on commonwealth and plaza, of course the debris is still there to this day. At any of these locations its a miracle pedestrians weren't run over. Every morning in front of my apartment cars are constantly driving 10 to 20 over and flying through stop signs. 

[davidclt]

This appeared in South End at the Camden East West Crossing. Cheeky but probably true.

[kermit]

^ if the person who did this is reading here, message me so I can help you put up more of these.