Crossing the Street Shouldn't Be Deadly (but it is)

See the youtube channel Not Just Bikes[1], specifically videos like - "Why the Dutch wait less at traffic lights" - link argues that American traffic engineering is optimised for car movement, at the expense of pedestrians and bikes, whereas Dutch traffic engineering is to minimise conflict between vehicles and maximise movement of people overall. Leading to more complex but more efficient intersections. - "The Dutch solution for safer sidewalks - continuous sidewalks" - link has crossings at junctions where cars and people intersect designed so the cars visibly have to travel over the sidewalk through the people's area, instead of designed so the people have to visibly travel over the road, through the car's area. - "Crossing the street shouldn't be dangerous, but it is" [in North America] - ▶ this video talking about length of crossings on wide road, traffic signals, priorities, etc. [1] link

Not Just Bikes on YouTube covers road/pedestrian/bike safety extensively. link Specific videos: Crossing the street should be safer: ▶ this video How to quickly build a cycling city: link Wasting money on car infrastructure: link The wrong way to set speed limits: link Safe cycling: link "Stroads" are dangerous: link

Only tangentially related but .... In California, a double white line is supposed to mean "don't cross period" link > (b) If double parallel solid white lines are in place, a person driving a vehicle shall not cross any part of those double solid white lines, except as permitted in this section or Section 21655.8. > (d) The markings as specified in subdivision (a), (b), or (c) do not prohibit a driver from crossing the marking if (1) turning to the left at an intersection or into or out of a driveway or private road, or (2) making a U-turn under the rules governing that turn, and the markings shall be disregarded when authorized signs have been erected designating offcenter traffic lanes as permitted pursuant to Section 21657. link > (a) Except as required under subdivision (b), when exclusive or preferential use lanes for high-occupancy vehicles are established pursuant to Section 21655.5 and double parallel solid lines are in place to the right thereof, no person driving a vehicle may cross over these double lines to enter into or exit from the exclusive or preferential use lanes, and entrance or exit may be made only in areas designated for these purposes or where a single broken line is in place to the right of the exclusive or preferential use lanes. > (b) Upon the approach of an authorized emergency vehicle displaying a red light or siren, as specified in Section 21806, a person driving a vehicle in an exclusive or preferential use lane shall exit that lane immediately upon determining that the exit can be accomplished with reasonable safety. > (c) Raised pavement markers may be used to simulate painted lines described in this section. Given that, it's interesting that a few sections of Valencia street, between 18th and 19th link Between 15 and 17th link Have double solid white lines separating the bike lane from the car lane. But, past the bike line are car parking spots. Given the law above, it would be illegal to use those parking spots since it's illegal to cross the lines to get to them. I brought this up because cycling down Valencia the cycling lanes are often blocked by cars stopped for deliveries, pickups, dropoffs, other and so cyclists have to dangerously move into the car lanes. I did see some police the other day telling these cars they had to move but I suspect that's rare. I don't know what the perfect solution is. Further down, like around 14th is I think a better solution where it's street->parking->bike instead of street->bike->parking. This puts a barrier of parked cars between the bikes and the traffic. At the same time, some accommodation for deliveries to businesses, people moving into/out of apartments, etc needs to be made. Also, more on topic, the latest "Not Just Bikes" video is all about how deadly roads are but don't have to be ▶ this video