I walk about 40 miles/week in a densely populated suburban environment. I didn’t realize it was that dangerous. Maybe I need to spend more time safely indoors on the NordicTrak machine?
intercst
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They are measuring by deaths per distance traveled, not by time spent in each mode of transportation. Given that a plane travels about 600 mph, and we walk about 3 mph, maybe that narrows the odds a bit in terms of death per unit of time traveled. Plus you have to get transportation to and from the airport, including walking in and out of the airport, every time you fly.
On a more serious note, it would be nice if we devoted more resources and infrastructure to planning and constructing safer walkways and bike paths. Maybe we would collectively be less lazy fat and stupid.
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I do wear one of those high visibility, yellow construction worker vests when I’m out walking in the evening. People in the neighborhood have been run over in a crosswalk with the “WALK” light illuminated.
Several years ago, I had one old lady nearly hit me in a crosswalk. She apologized and said she was having trouble seeing in the dark. I yelled, “If your vision is that bad you shouldn’t be driving at night.”
intercst
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In my heavily “touristed” city, the “quaint” downtown area has signs stating that " vehicles must stop when pedestrians are in or about to enter crosswalk". I coach all of my out of town friends to not put any faith at all in vehicles actually stopping for them when they are using the crosswalks, lol.
I’m starting to think that are some downsides to people having a smart phone tethered to their hand ( and brain ) at all times, lol. I hardly ever cycle on pavement anymore, much safer in the forest. And have the same defensive mindset when out and about walking: Trust that no vehicle driver is concentrating on actually driving, and expect to have to take evasive action of some type in a split second.
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The safest form of transport is: