[jesseb]

In my province in Canada there are hefty fines[1] for distracted driving, and yet I still constantly see people texting and driving. It's very frustrating, and as somebody who walks/transits whenever possible terrifying at times. I don't know how to get through to people.

[1] https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-an...

[kiliantics]

At least where I live, in NYC, all city officials and representatives have the perk of free parking anywhere -- to the extent that they don't even get fined for parking say in a bus stop or next to a fire hydrant or even on the sidewalk or bike lane. With these people in charge of choosing and enforcing the rules of the road, we will never see safety or consideration for non-drivers. I see cops pull over cyclists for harmless stuff all the time, but see drivers pull outrageously reckless stunts on busy roads with no consequence.

I think if people who are in charge of our safety don't know what it's like to navigate as a vulnerable pedestrian/cyclist/etc. on the road, and just see us as obstacles that are slowing them down, I don't think we will see change. (And this includes the average driver, who I believe should have to log some hundred miles or so of cycling before being given a licence to drive near cyclists.) The mayor of Paris cycles to work and has pedestrianised huge parts of the city and built massive numbers of cycle lanes. This is probably not why she was elected but it is probably something we should more seriously consider when appointing people who will have power over our public spaces.