Bowser promised “zero traffic deaths” 10 years ago, but fatalities have doubled

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There were 35 traffic fatalities in 2022. Here's what happened per the DC government:

12 deaths -- pedestrian error
9 deaths -- speeding driver
4 deaths -- drunk/stoned driver
4 deaths -- driver error
2 deaths -- bicycle error
2 deaths -- medical emergency
1 death -- scooter/motorcycle/atv error
1 death -- hit and run/unknown

This is a crock of bullshit. The DC crash data doesn't provide attribution of fault. This person posting this is interpreting every crash involving a dead pedestrian or cyclist as them being at fault. They are wrong.

This is what's so $!@#*(& up about this "debate". The idiots protesting road diet changes don't understand a goddamn thing about data yet say stuff like this like its fact. Absolutely freaking ridiculous.

This is all nonsense.

The figures come from the police department. Each year they put out a report that includes data on the causes of traffic deaths in the city. You can look them yourself.

For 2022, see page 24 of this report: https://mpdc.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/mpdc/publication/attachments/AR_2022_lowres.pdf

DP. You get that vision zero includes factors that apply to all traffic deaths right?

Vision Zero is so stupid. Traffic deaths are rare. We have bigger problems to worry about. If you were to list the top 100 ways people in Washington D.C. die, dying in traffic would not make the list. I'm sorry, but your concerns are not important.

Traffic deaths are rare, but entirely avoidable. Only a misanthropic sh*t bag would regard avoidable deaths as “not important”. Ergo, you are a misanthropic sh*tbag.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People are not being killed at an alarming rate. The numbers have been very steady over time. If anything most of the counter measures have made things worse by increasing congestion on high congestion roads. It's always been a stalking horse and I for one am glad to now have more names attached to these morons whose ideas are so bad.

If your goal is fewer pedestrian deaths that increasing congestion does not "make things worse" because congestion is not a cause of pedestrian deaths. Congestion slows down drivers and speed is the #1 cause of pedestrians being hit by cars (even a car going the speed limit can kill a pedestrian if they go through a traffic signal or stop sign or turn without signaling or yielding right of way).

Congesting may make other things worse but it does not lead to pedestrian deaths which is the subject of this thread.

Also I will probably regret this but what rate of pedestrian deaths would you consider "alarming." I am guessing you think there is a number of deaths that is okay which is interesting because what you are saying is that there is a human death toll that is "worth" having shorter commutes or being able to drive faster. That's interesting to me. What if every time we built a highway or highway bridge 30-40 people died during construction. Would that be alarming. Or would that just be the cost of making sure people can get from Point A to Point B -- some people are gonna have to die.

If dozens of people were being killed on WMATA trains and buses every year, the system would be shut down. But dozens of people die on DC streets and we are supposed to shrug and moving along while changing absolutely nothing. I fundamentally do not understand this attitude. It’s as if those who are killed in vehicular crashes are some kind of less worthy species whose demise we shouldn’t be much concerned about.

Get a grip. Are you worried about being murdered? Because you're far, far more likely to be murdered.

Actually the fact that society seems to collectively shrug at the traffic deaths and freak out loudly about murders is pretty weird. FWIW they seem to be related since the historical low in traffic deaths was the same year as historical low in murders. Plenty of ppl concerned with both.

There were 202 murders in DC 2022 and only 35 traffic deaths. People were 7.8x more likely to get murdered than die in traffic in DC, so it makes sense that murders get more attention.

The risk of being murdered in DC is much higher for young black men than pretty much everyone else. Around 90% of all murder victims in DC are male and black and about 10% are under age 35.

Whereas the risk of being hit by a car is more equally distributed across demographics. So for many people in the city (especially the people who are most likely to care about stuff like Vision Zero) their risk of being killed by a car actually is quite a bit higher than their risk of being murdered. Thus it is unsurprising that many white people in the city and lots of middle aged people of all races (on their own behalf and on behalf of minor children) are more concerned about car deaths than murders as it's something that impacts them more directly.

Source fo homicide victim data: https://cjcc.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/cjcc/release_content/attachments/DC%20Gun%20Violence%20Problem%20Analysis%20Summary%20Report.pdf

Like most of us on this board, I feel almost no fear of falling victim to random violence. However, I have a lot of fear of being seriously injured or worse by a vehicle on DC streets. I support policies that tackle either or both problems.

Maybe big city living isn't for you.

The dumbest post in a sea of dumb posts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There were 35 traffic fatalities in 2022. Here's what happened per the DC government:

12 deaths -- pedestrian error
9 deaths -- speeding driver
4 deaths -- drunk/stoned driver
4 deaths -- driver error
2 deaths -- bicycle error
2 deaths -- medical emergency
1 death -- scooter/motorcycle/atv error
1 death -- hit and run/unknown

This is a crock of bullshit. The DC crash data doesn't provide attribution of fault. This person posting this is interpreting every crash involving a dead pedestrian or cyclist as them being at fault. They are wrong.

This is what's so $!@#*(& up about this "debate". The idiots protesting road diet changes don't understand a goddamn thing about data yet say stuff like this like its fact. Absolutely freaking ridiculous.

This is all nonsense.

The figures come from the police department. Each year they put out a report that includes data on the causes of traffic deaths in the city. You can look them yourself.

For 2022, see page 24 of this report: https://mpdc.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/mpdc/publication/attachments/AR_2022_lowres.pdf

Any source - from the MPD or otherwise - that attributes every single crash to a single cause is just not serious.

I’m happy for you that you found a single publication that you think gives you the prerogative to blame cyclists and pedestrians for their own deaths, but you should also be aware that it reveals to the rest of us a gross ignorance and lack of critical thinking.

I look forward to you presenting your revelations - courtesy of the 2022 MPD Annual Report - in a public meeting and outing yourself for the fool that you are.

The report lists the "predominant cause" of each fatality. Also, is there someone else, besides the police department, who investigated what happened in each of these accidents?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People are not being killed at an alarming rate. The numbers have been very steady over time. If anything most of the counter measures have made things worse by increasing congestion on high congestion roads. It's always been a stalking horse and I for one am glad to now have more names attached to these morons whose ideas are so bad.

If your goal is fewer pedestrian deaths that increasing congestion does not "make things worse" because congestion is not a cause of pedestrian deaths. Congestion slows down drivers and speed is the #1 cause of pedestrians being hit by cars (even a car going the speed limit can kill a pedestrian if they go through a traffic signal or stop sign or turn without signaling or yielding right of way).

Congesting may make other things worse but it does not lead to pedestrian deaths which is the subject of this thread.

Also I will probably regret this but what rate of pedestrian deaths would you consider "alarming." I am guessing you think there is a number of deaths that is okay which is interesting because what you are saying is that there is a human death toll that is "worth" having shorter commutes or being able to drive faster. That's interesting to me. What if every time we built a highway or highway bridge 30-40 people died during construction. Would that be alarming. Or would that just be the cost of making sure people can get from Point A to Point B -- some people are gonna have to die.

If dozens of people were being killed on WMATA trains and buses every year, the system would be shut down. But dozens of people die on DC streets and we are supposed to shrug and moving along while changing absolutely nothing. I fundamentally do not understand this attitude. It’s as if those who are killed in vehicular crashes are some kind of less worthy species whose demise we shouldn’t be much concerned about.

Get a grip. Are you worried about being murdered? Because you're far, far more likely to be murdered.

Actually the fact that society seems to collectively shrug at the traffic deaths and freak out loudly about murders is pretty weird. FWIW they seem to be related since the historical low in traffic deaths was the same year as historical low in murders. Plenty of ppl concerned with both.

There were 202 murders in DC 2022 and only 35 traffic deaths. People were 7.8x more likely to get murdered than die in traffic in DC, so it makes sense that murders get more attention.

2022 was lower - the concern is the sharp increase to 50+ in 2023.

Well, that and the major and minor injuries. "Minor injuries" that involve a vehicle hitting a human being really suck hard for that human being. Like, laid up with bruising and persistent pain for weeks or months. Major ones are life changing - broken bones, lost limbs, constant pain.

None of that is good. There are *hundreds* of major injury crashes and *thousands* of minor injury crashes.

If it's that dangerous, why do we allow cyclists to put children on bikes?

+1

[Anonymous]

I love the people on here who are pro driving but also hate traffic. Just move to LA already. Enjoy 18 lanes of jammed traffic in each direction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ironically there is not much daylight on the Venn Diagram of the Vision Zero crowd and the DC crime sentencing “reform” crowd. It’s like you can carjack a car and face no punishment but if you run a red light in a car they want you to do hard time.

No, the sentencing reform crowd usually thinks traffic enforcement is racist.

Does co-existing with fictitious characters make life more fun for you?

Not PP, but this disparate impact is the exact reason the Council gave for advising MPD to not enforce fake dealer tags.

That was not the Mayor’s Office of Racial Equity, not the Council.

And here’s an article written by a cyclist decrying the lack of enforcement: https://ggwash.org/view/amp/88886

And here’s a press release by Brianne Nadeau - your favorite bugbear - announcing legislation to tackle the problem: https://brianneknadeau.com/temp-tags-bill/

Stick to the facts, please.

You're right, but, unlike the Council, the Mayor's office can actually influence MPD. So the PP pointing out that the belief that traffic enforcement is racist was correct.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There were 35 traffic fatalities in 2022. Here's what happened per the DC government:

12 deaths -- pedestrian error
9 deaths -- speeding driver
4 deaths -- drunk/stoned driver
4 deaths -- driver error
2 deaths -- bicycle error
2 deaths -- medical emergency
1 death -- scooter/motorcycle/atv error
1 death -- hit and run/unknown

This is a crock of bullshit. The DC crash data doesn't provide attribution of fault. This person posting this is interpreting every crash involving a dead pedestrian or cyclist as them being at fault. They are wrong.

This is what's so $!@#*(& up about this "debate". The idiots protesting road diet changes don't understand a goddamn thing about data yet say stuff like this like its fact. Absolutely freaking ridiculous.

This is all nonsense.

The figures come from the police department. Each year they put out a report that includes data on the causes of traffic deaths in the city. You can look them yourself.

For 2022, see page 24 of this report: https://mpdc.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/mpdc/publication/attachments/AR_2022_lowres.pdf

Any source - from the MPD or otherwise - that attributes every single crash to a single cause is just not serious.

I’m happy for you that you found a single publication that you think gives you the prerogative to blame cyclists and pedestrians for their own deaths, but you should also be aware that it reveals to the rest of us a gross ignorance and lack of critical thinking.

I look forward to you presenting your revelations - courtesy of the 2022 MPD Annual Report - in a public meeting and outing yourself for the fool that you are.

The report lists the "predominant cause" of each fatality. Also, is there someone else, besides the police department, who investigated what happened in each of these accidents?

Ask yourself who at MPD prepares annual reports. Then ask yourself if the authors of annual reports are those who complete major crash investigations. Further ask yourself what the investigators of those major crashes likely think about their work being crudely summarized in an idiotic tabulation. And then go felch yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There were 35 traffic fatalities in 2022. Here's what happened per the DC government:

12 deaths -- pedestrian error
9 deaths -- speeding driver
4 deaths -- drunk/stoned driver
4 deaths -- driver error
2 deaths -- bicycle error
2 deaths -- medical emergency
1 death -- scooter/motorcycle/atv error
1 death -- hit and run/unknown

I was about to have stepped off the curb in Georgetown when what had to be a speeding car turned the corner so fast into a small side street - everyone swiveled and gasped. I came close to death, and I can completely see how hit and run could happen. The city needs to do a one month intensive Singapore style clamp down on s** driving and vehicular crimes, to reset the bad driving and criminal culture to a lower bar. After that , more police attention to the streets overall + speed bumps everywhere if vision zero is to be taken seriously. Our block applied for our side street with lots of kids. Where are they?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There were 35 traffic fatalities in 2022. Here's what happened per the DC government:

12 deaths -- pedestrian error
9 deaths -- speeding driver
4 deaths -- drunk/stoned driver
4 deaths -- driver error
2 deaths -- bicycle error
2 deaths -- medical emergency
1 death -- scooter/motorcycle/atv error
1 death -- hit and run/unknown

This is a crock of bullshit. The DC crash data doesn't provide attribution of fault. This person posting this is interpreting every crash involving a dead pedestrian or cyclist as them being at fault. They are wrong.

This is what's so $!@#*(& up about this "debate". The idiots protesting road diet changes don't understand a goddamn thing about data yet say stuff like this like its fact. Absolutely freaking ridiculous.

This is all nonsense.

The figures come from the police department. Each year they put out a report that includes data on the causes of traffic deaths in the city. You can look them yourself.

For 2022, see page 24 of this report: https://mpdc.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/mpdc/publication/attachments/AR_2022_lowres.pdf

Any source - from the MPD or otherwise - that attributes every single crash to a single cause is just not serious.

I’m happy for you that you found a single publication that you think gives you the prerogative to blame cyclists and pedestrians for their own deaths, but you should also be aware that it reveals to the rest of us a gross ignorance and lack of critical thinking.

I look forward to you presenting your revelations - courtesy of the 2022 MPD Annual Report - in a public meeting and outing yourself for the fool that you are.

The report lists the "predominant cause" of each fatality. Also, is there someone else, besides the police department, who investigated what happened in each of these accidents?

Ask yourself who at MPD prepares annual reports. Then ask yourself if the authors of annual reports are those who complete major crash investigations. Further ask yourself what the investigators of those major crashes likely think about their work being crudely summarized in an idiotic tabulation. And then go felch yourself.

Yes, it's just a big conspiracy.

You're the only person in Washington D.C. who is pissed off that so few people here are killed by speeding dirvers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People are not being killed at an alarming rate. The numbers have been very steady over time. If anything most of the counter measures have made things worse by increasing congestion on high congestion roads. It's always been a stalking horse and I for one am glad to now have more names attached to these morons whose ideas are so bad.

If your goal is fewer pedestrian deaths that increasing congestion does not "make things worse" because congestion is not a cause of pedestrian deaths. Congestion slows down drivers and speed is the #1 cause of pedestrians being hit by cars (even a car going the speed limit can kill a pedestrian if they go through a traffic signal or stop sign or turn without signaling or yielding right of way).

Congesting may make other things worse but it does not lead to pedestrian deaths which is the subject of this thread.

Also I will probably regret this but what rate of pedestrian deaths would you consider "alarming." I am guessing you think there is a number of deaths that is okay which is interesting because what you are saying is that there is a human death toll that is "worth" having shorter commutes or being able to drive faster. That's interesting to me. What if every time we built a highway or highway bridge 30-40 people died during construction. Would that be alarming. Or would that just be the cost of making sure people can get from Point A to Point B -- some people are gonna have to die.

If dozens of people were being killed on WMATA trains and buses every year, the system would be shut down. But dozens of people die on DC streets and we are supposed to shrug and moving along while changing absolutely nothing. I fundamentally do not understand this attitude. It’s as if those who are killed in vehicular crashes are some kind of less worthy species whose demise we shouldn’t be much concerned about.

Get a grip. Are you worried about being murdered? Because you're far, far more likely to be murdered.

Actually the fact that society seems to collectively shrug at the traffic deaths and freak out loudly about murders is pretty weird. FWIW they seem to be related since the historical low in traffic deaths was the same year as historical low in murders. Plenty of ppl concerned with both.

There were 202 murders in DC 2022 and only 35 traffic deaths. People were 7.8x more likely to get murdered than die in traffic in DC, so it makes sense that murders get more attention.

2022 was lower - the concern is the sharp increase to 50+ in 2023.

Which ironically is the before and after for a lot of the changes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There were 35 traffic fatalities in 2022. Here's what happened per the DC government:

12 deaths -- pedestrian error
9 deaths -- speeding driver
4 deaths -- drunk/stoned driver
4 deaths -- driver error
2 deaths -- bicycle error
2 deaths -- medical emergency
1 death -- scooter/motorcycle/atv error
1 death -- hit and run/unknown

This is a crock of bullshit. The DC crash data doesn't provide attribution of fault. This person posting this is interpreting every crash involving a dead pedestrian or cyclist as them being at fault. They are wrong.

This is what's so $!@#*(& up about this "debate". The idiots protesting road diet changes don't understand a goddamn thing about data yet say stuff like this like its fact. Absolutely freaking ridiculous.

This is all nonsense.

The figures come from the police department. Each year they put out a report that includes data on the causes of traffic deaths in the city. You can look them yourself.

For 2022, see page 24 of this report: https://mpdc.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/mpdc/publication/attachments/AR_2022_lowres.pdf

Any source - from the MPD or otherwise - that attributes every single crash to a single cause is just not serious.

I’m happy for you that you found a single publication that you think gives you the prerogative to blame cyclists and pedestrians for their own deaths, but you should also be aware that it reveals to the rest of us a gross ignorance and lack of critical thinking.

I look forward to you presenting your revelations - courtesy of the 2022 MPD Annual Report - in a public meeting and outing yourself for the fool that you are.

The report lists the "predominant cause" of each fatality. Also, is there someone else, besides the police department, who investigated what happened in each of these accidents?

Ask yourself who at MPD prepares annual reports. Then ask yourself if the authors of annual reports are those who complete major crash investigations. Further ask yourself what the investigators of those major crashes likely think about their work being crudely summarized in an idiotic tabulation. And then go felch yourself.

Yes, it's just a big conspiracy.

You're the only person in Washington D.C. who is pissed off that so few people here are killed by speeding dirvers.

What was described is the opposite of a conspiracy.

You’re the only person - well, probably not the only person, but among a select few - who refuses to understand the simple reality that excessive speed is a necessary condition in fatal accidents in a city where speed limits are set low enough to preclude fatal accidents when drivers adhere to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There were 35 traffic fatalities in 2022. Here's what happened per the DC government:

12 deaths -- pedestrian error
9 deaths -- speeding driver
4 deaths -- drunk/stoned driver
4 deaths -- driver error
2 deaths -- bicycle error
2 deaths -- medical emergency
1 death -- scooter/motorcycle/atv error
1 death -- hit and run/unknown

This is a crock of bullshit. The DC crash data doesn't provide attribution of fault. This person posting this is interpreting every crash involving a dead pedestrian or cyclist as them being at fault. They are wrong.

This is what's so $!@#*(& up about this "debate". The idiots protesting road diet changes don't understand a goddamn thing about data yet say stuff like this like its fact. Absolutely freaking ridiculous.

This is all nonsense.

The figures come from the police department. Each year they put out a report that includes data on the causes of traffic deaths in the city. You can look them yourself.

For 2022, see page 24 of this report: https://mpdc.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/mpdc/publication/attachments/AR_2022_lowres.pdf

Any source - from the MPD or otherwise - that attributes every single crash to a single cause is just not serious.

I’m happy for you that you found a single publication that you think gives you the prerogative to blame cyclists and pedestrians for their own deaths, but you should also be aware that it reveals to the rest of us a gross ignorance and lack of critical thinking.

I look forward to you presenting your revelations - courtesy of the 2022 MPD Annual Report - in a public meeting and outing yourself for the fool that you are.

The report lists the "predominant cause" of each fatality. Also, is there someone else, besides the police department, who investigated what happened in each of these accidents?

Ask yourself who at MPD prepares annual reports. Then ask yourself if the authors of annual reports are those who complete major crash investigations. Further ask yourself what the investigators of those major crashes likely think about their work being crudely summarized in an idiotic tabulation. And then go felch yourself.

Yes, it's just a big conspiracy.

You're the only person in Washington D.C. who is pissed off that so few people here are killed by speeding dirvers.

What was described is the opposite of a conspiracy.

You’re the only person - well, probably not the only person, but among a select few - who refuses to understand the simple reality that excessive speed is a necessary condition in fatal accidents in a city where speed limits are set low enough to preclude fatal accidents when drivers adhere to them.

There is no will for traffic enforcement beyond the revenue cameras. Residents/voters have been very clear they do not want cops pulling drivers over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There were 35 traffic fatalities in 2022. Here's what happened per the DC government:

12 deaths -- pedestrian error
9 deaths -- speeding driver
4 deaths -- drunk/stoned driver
4 deaths -- driver error
2 deaths -- bicycle error
2 deaths -- medical emergency
1 death -- scooter/motorcycle/atv error
1 death -- hit and run/unknown

This is a crock of bullshit. The DC crash data doesn't provide attribution of fault. This person posting this is interpreting every crash involving a dead pedestrian or cyclist as them being at fault. They are wrong.

This is what's so $!@#*(& up about this "debate". The idiots protesting road diet changes don't understand a goddamn thing about data yet say stuff like this like its fact. Absolutely freaking ridiculous.

This is all nonsense.

The figures come from the police department. Each year they put out a report that includes data on the causes of traffic deaths in the city. You can look them yourself.

For 2022, see page 24 of this report: https://mpdc.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/mpdc/publication/attachments/AR_2022_lowres.pdf

Any source - from the MPD or otherwise - that attributes every single crash to a single cause is just not serious.

I’m happy for you that you found a single publication that you think gives you the prerogative to blame cyclists and pedestrians for their own deaths, but you should also be aware that it reveals to the rest of us a gross ignorance and lack of critical thinking.

I look forward to you presenting your revelations - courtesy of the 2022 MPD Annual Report - in a public meeting and outing yourself for the fool that you are.

The report lists the "predominant cause" of each fatality. Also, is there someone else, besides the police department, who investigated what happened in each of these accidents?

the common factor in all those deaths is a CAR. you’re under the impression that vision zero and traffic safety apply only to the narrow category of speeding. That’s absolutely not true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People are not being killed at an alarming rate. The numbers have been very steady over time. If anything most of the counter measures have made things worse by increasing congestion on high congestion roads. It's always been a stalking horse and I for one am glad to now have more names attached to these morons whose ideas are so bad.

If your goal is fewer pedestrian deaths that increasing congestion does not "make things worse" because congestion is not a cause of pedestrian deaths. Congestion slows down drivers and speed is the #1 cause of pedestrians being hit by cars (even a car going the speed limit can kill a pedestrian if they go through a traffic signal or stop sign or turn without signaling or yielding right of way).

Congesting may make other things worse but it does not lead to pedestrian deaths which is the subject of this thread.

Also I will probably regret this but what rate of pedestrian deaths would you consider "alarming." I am guessing you think there is a number of deaths that is okay which is interesting because what you are saying is that there is a human death toll that is "worth" having shorter commutes or being able to drive faster. That's interesting to me. What if every time we built a highway or highway bridge 30-40 people died during construction. Would that be alarming. Or would that just be the cost of making sure people can get from Point A to Point B -- some people are gonna have to die.

If dozens of people were being killed on WMATA trains and buses every year, the system would be shut down. But dozens of people die on DC streets and we are supposed to shrug and moving along while changing absolutely nothing. I fundamentally do not understand this attitude. It’s as if those who are killed in vehicular crashes are some kind of less worthy species whose demise we shouldn’t be much concerned about.

Get a grip. Are you worried about being murdered? Because you're far, far more likely to be murdered.

Actually the fact that society seems to collectively shrug at the traffic deaths and freak out loudly about murders is pretty weird. FWIW they seem to be related since the historical low in traffic deaths was the same year as historical low in murders. Plenty of ppl concerned with both.

There were 202 murders in DC 2022 and only 35 traffic deaths. People were 7.8x more likely to get murdered than die in traffic in DC, so it makes sense that murders get more attention.

2022 was lower - the concern is the sharp increase to 50+ in 2023.

Which ironically is the before and after for a lot of the changes.

what changes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love the people on here who are pro driving but also hate traffic. Just move to LA already. Enjoy 18 lanes of jammed traffic in each direction.

Yes this makes me laugh too. What these people don't understand is that the more car-centric a city is the more people choose to drive and thus the more traffic. It's called "induced demand." It's why every time you widen a highway and add more lanes you wind up with more traffic not less.

People who think the key to making their commute easier is to eliminate bike lanes and bus lanes and other alternative forms of transportation are idiots because they don't understand every cyclist is a car not on the road. Every bus is 30-40 cars not on the road. Every metro line is thousands of cars not on the road.

If your goal is less traffic you should support every initiative to encourage people to walk or bike or take public transportation including stuff like Vision Zero that makes those alternatives safer.

If you're successful you might just wind up with a nice relaxing car commute with minimal traffic because everyone else decided to skip the car.

Though admittedly you will have to pay through the nose for parking and you may not be able to drive right up to your office due to closing certain streets to car traffic. But it would be worth it! Imagine Connecticut Avenue with virtually no traffic (except in the bike lanes) at 8am! This is actually what it's like in a lot of cities that have successful shifted most of the population to car-free travel. I was in Sweden over the summer and we rented a car and we were regularly the only car on any given street and could park basically anywhere we wanted (again parking was incredibly pricy in the cities). Probably the easiest and most pleasant driving experience I've ever had. You do have to be very alert to bikes and pedestrians but there are so many of them this isn't that hard -- they have their own wide lanes and traffic signals and as long as you follow the rules you won't have trouble.