Crosswalk signs change 'too fast for slow elderly'
27 replies, posted
[URL]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18428042[/URL]
[QUOTE][B]Pedestrian crossings do not allow older people enough time to cross the road, a report warns.[/B]
The study found that for those over the age of 65, 76% of men and 85% of women have a walking speed slower than that needed to use a pedestrian
crossing.
[B]This speed is set by the Department for Transport at 1.2 metres (4 ft) per second - an international standard.
[/B]
The work, published in the journal Aga and Ageing, calls for current pedestrian times to be reviewed.
Local transport minister Norman Baker said: "In my experience, the vast majority of people, young or old, get across the road as quickly as they can.
"The department recommends that where a crossing may be used by a large number of older people or those with mobility issues, for example outside
residential care homes, this should be taken into account in the timings set by local authorities."
[B]
Speed tests[/B]
Dr Laura Asher, report leader and public health expert at University College London, said: "Walking is an important activity for older people as it
provides regular exercise and direct health benefits.
"Being unable to cross a road may deter them from walking, reducing their access to social contacts and interaction, local health services and shops
that are all important in day to day life.
"Having insufficient time at a road crossing may not increase the risk of pedestrian fatalities but it will certainly deter this group from even trying to
cross the road.
She added: "The groups of people identified in this study as the most vulnerable were those living in deprived areas - those least likely to have access
to other, more expensive, forms of transport."
The study used walking speed tests from around 3,000 older adults performed by the Health Survey (HSE) for England in 2005.
The participant's normal walking speed was assessed by timing how long it took them to walk 2.5 meters (8 ft) at their normal pace.
The average walking speed for older men was 0.9 metres (3 ft) per second and 0.8 metres second for older women.
Dr Asher said: "By testing people in the general population rather than those already using a pedestrian crossing, we have included people who may
have difficulty using a pedestrian crossing and are therefore unwilling to use them."
[B]
Flashing green man[/B]
The lights at pedestrian crossing have a number of stages.
On an average road the green man will stay lit for around 4 seconds, it then has a flashing or black out stage, this is for around 6 seconds plus an
extra second for each 1.2 metres (4 ft) where the road is wider 6 metres (20ft).
After this there are an extra few seconds of an all red light as a safety margin.
To help pedestrians cross the road, Transport for London had been introducing 'pedestrian countdown' technology to the capital.
This aims to help those crossing the road to be able to better judge whether they have enough time to do so safety - a digital display counts down
between the end of the green man signal and the red man appearing, rather than just a flashing green man or blackout period.
[/QUOTE]
If they start walking while it's green, they're allowed to get to the other side without anyone driving.
uh since when did they ever give anyone enough time to walk across?
the ones in my area give us about 3 seconds to cross the street
[QUOTE=Valdor;36320195]uh since when did they ever give anyone enough time to walk across?
the ones in my area give us about 3 seconds to cross the street[/QUOTE]
They don't even work most of the time in the state of Georgia. As in, you press the button and the sign flashes FUCK YOU in bold capital lettering. :v:
4 feet per second is glacial slow walking speed.
What the hell is it that makes old people go so slow whether they're walking, driving, or writing a check at the register at Wal-Mart?
Oh I don't know, maybe the fact that they're [b]old[/b]?
[editline]13th June 2012[/editline]
Seriously what kind of stupid fucking question is that
[QUOTE=Medevilae;36320498](Rumor) A lot of the buttons placed don't do anything, they're just their to encourage people to take the crosswalk rather than jaywalk.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]In an investigation by ABC news in 2010, only one functioning crosswalk button could be found in Austin, Texas; Gainsville, Fla.; and Syracuse, NY.
The city deactivated most of the pedestrian buttons long ago with the emergence of computer-controlled traffic signals, even as an unwitting public continued to push on, according to city Department of Transportation officials. Any benefit from them is only imagined.[/QUOTE]
[url]http://youarenotsosmart.com/2010/02/10/placebo-buttons/[/url]
I've never seen a crosswalk that doesn't only give me enough time to get halfway across the road.
maybe we just shouldn't let old people walk?
[editline]14th June 2012[/editline]
that would certainly enhance my walking experience
My grandma did give a shit whether it said walk or dont walk, she just went right ahead regardless.
[QUOTE=CoalTen;36320961][url]http://youarenotsosmart.com/2010/02/10/placebo-buttons/[/url][/QUOTE]
Oh god, we have been living a lie for so long.
[QUOTE=MR-X;36321412]Oh god, we have been living a lie for so long.[/QUOTE]
the prophecies were true
the government is trying to cover it all up but now we have PROOF
simple, inject the slow elderly with a massive dose of steroids and amphetamines to solve this crisis
Just wait for the next article;
[B]Crosswalk signs change 'too slowly for normal people driving cars'[/B]
Sorry elderly people, there are limits.
[QUOTE=Used Car Salesman;36320541]4 feet per second is glacial slow walking speed.
What the hell is it that makes old people go so slow whether they're walking, driving, or writing a check at the register at Wal-Mart?[/QUOTE]
Their bodies are old and even mundane tasks for someone with even a small amount of youth and vigor can become very strenuous on the body.
[editline]14th June 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=Kabstrac;36321954]steroids don't do anything unless you're lifting[/QUOTE]
Yea they do.
They make you fat and angry.
[QUOTE=Sobek-;36321917]Just wait for the next article;
[B]Crosswalk signs change 'too slowly for normal people driving cars'[/B]
Sorry elderly people, there are limits.[/QUOTE]
This. I have to cross an intersection (by car) twice a day as it's the only route to my house, and it's literally squeezed between a retirement village and a large shopping area (supermarket, hardware, bank, etc. etc.). The crosswalk cycle takes at least 2 minutes, and there's only 4 lanes to cross. Almost every time some old cunt in her walker is already across halfway through anyway, so everyone has to sit there and wait.
Of course the intersection is broken regularly; the inductive sensors for the left turn signal going into the retirement village always shits out and gets jammed, so we get to sit there waiting for nothing even longer.
Crosswalks around here give you 30 seconds to cross, enough time to cross the road twice I'd say.
Well it's not as if the drivers are suddenly going to lurch forward and ram the poor suckers as soon as the light goes green.
Well, outside of Boston, anyways.
A lot of the buttons around here do things (meaning the light won't change for you unless you hit the button) but they aren't instant shifts (even if traffic's already going that way)
We already have the countdowns here at some lights.
Maybe we can use railways or bicycles instead.
[QUOTE=Medevilae;36320498]It places your query for a light change into a queue, you have to wait for it still.
(Rumor) A lot of the buttons placed don't do anything, they're just their to encourage people to take the crosswalk rather than jaywalk.[/QUOTE]
I can confirm this rumor just for the fact that one stop light by my place NEVER changes no matter how often to push the button. The pattern stays the same. As for discouraging jaywalking. I've seen people of all ages just say fuck it and walk right into traffic rather than wait 5 minutes.
I don't know about elsewhere but in my area almost all the pelican crossings been replaced with puffin crossings, which have sensors so they stay red while someone crosses and turn green the moment they're done
[editline]14th June 2012[/editline]
Pelican crossings suck dick
It's not like drivers take off the moment it hits green, it isn't a race. Whenever I see a situation like this the drivers just wait.
[QUOTE=Electrocuter;36327359]It's not like drivers take off the moment it hits green, it isn't a race. Whenever I see a situation like this the drivers just wait.[/QUOTE]
I want to live where you live then...fuck. Everytime I'm crossing some dipshit is rolling his/her car towards me despite them having a red light and/or can't turn due to traffic. If I recorded every time I was almost hit I would have 50 videos a month and the cops would have a fucking hay day.
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