There have been a significant number of cases where cars end up sidewalks near where I live. It's not just drunk drivers; it's often distracted drivers who are texting or using an app.
Bollards are a great and fairly cheap solution, but many bureaucrats are pro-car and oppose them for the danger they might pose to drivers.
<< [O]ne of the downsides to bollards is that while protecting human beings, they can do damage to automobiles. John Kaehny, the former executive director of Transportation Alternatives was a big fan of bollards and often pushed the city to install them at dangerous locations. DOT traffic engineers consistently opposed his efforts telling him that bollards were no good because they did damage to cars or that bollards struck at high speed could "become dislodged and become dangerous projectiles that might kill or injure pedestrians." These are the kinds of stories that makes one think New York City traffic engineers empathize more with automobiles than people. >>
It may be unlikely but it does happen. I know someone who drove off the road (60mph single carriageway) at high speed and into a bollard. The bollard went through the air, smashed through a house window and caused the inhabitant to have a heart attack.
I don't know, I've witnessed it twice that I can recall and I don't even spend a lot of time walking around among traffic. I think the game might actually lower the risk profile since at least one pedestrian and possible observers would be inclined to stand behind the metal pole, rather than on the curb of the street. I would hope that the game were a little more engaging though, considering it would get old after the first time playing.
It's common enough that many crossings in the UK are protected with metal barriers. It's not at all uncommon to see those barriers bent and twisted where a car has hit them.
Sure thousands of cars can pass through a crossing every day with out on mounting the pavement. But road safety is all about improving the odds.
There have been a significant number of cases where cars end up sidewalks near where I live. It's not just drunk drivers; it's often distracted drivers who are texting or using an app.
Bollards are a great and fairly cheap solution, but many bureaucrats are pro-car and oppose them for the danger they might pose to drivers.
<< [O]ne of the downsides to bollards is that while protecting human beings, they can do damage to automobiles. John Kaehny, the former executive director of Transportation Alternatives was a big fan of bollards and often pushed the city to install them at dangerous locations. DOT traffic engineers consistently opposed his efforts telling him that bollards were no good because they did damage to cars or that bollards struck at high speed could "become dislodged and become dangerous projectiles that might kill or injure pedestrians." These are the kinds of stories that makes one think New York City traffic engineers empathize more with automobiles than people. >>