tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post3996077422019294580..comments2024-02-01T04:37:41.878-05:00Comments on Cap'n Transit Rides Again: Leading pedestrian intervals and the left hook of deathCap'n Transithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057887736728828646noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-82080995746096737122014-01-04T17:17:14.737-05:002014-01-04T17:17:14.737-05:00The leading pedestrian interval itself is a good t...The leading pedestrian interval itself is a good thing, and we are seeing a lot of them in Pittsburgh, PA.<br /><br />Unfortunately, in a lot of cases, the new signals that enable this are accompanied by other changes which are horrible for pedestrians. The amount of time where crossing the street is permitted has been severely curtailed in many cases. At one intersection I use daily, the green light in one direction can stay on for up to 105 seconds, with solid "don't walk" illuminated in the same direction for 80 seconds! Also, pedestrian crossing buttons are often installed, but usually (maybe always) the only effect they have is to skip the "walk" cycle entirely if not pressed. So, arrive at the intersection 1 second too late and you have to wait maybe 2 minutes before you can legally cross. It's a joke - no wonder most people choose to jaywalk instead.<br /><br />If that is what counts as "pedestrian improvements" (as they're often described), I say "no thanks"!saltyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17509059132881882002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-84045352015372409372014-01-04T11:09:18.210-05:002014-01-04T11:09:18.210-05:00This post made me think of the subconscious way I ...This post made me think of the subconscious way I cross a street. I tend to treat the time interval between the opposite direction turning red and my direction turning green as a leading interval--that is, I begin to cross when cross traffic stops, not when I get the white man.<br /><br />While this is anathema to our cultural belief that we can regulate our way to safety, I suggest that we could teach that pedestrian crossing time begins not when we get the white guy but rather when cross traffic is held. This as a mass realization would create the effect of a leading time interval* in the interval (heh) we have to wait for to see actual LTI stoplight actuators installed.<br />__________<br />* In the U.S.Steve Stofkahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14825368520377993845noreply@blogger.com