Hoofing It
I don’t bike to work. I don’t take public transit. But don’t panic, I don’t drive either.
I walk.
From my pedestrian vantage, I see the ongoing tug between internal combustion adherents and the gear-and-sprocket crowd playing out on the streets around me. I quietly walk to my own beat, not realizing just how much peril I’m putting myself in by my chosen transportation method.
According to the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership:
While only about 5 percent of all trips are made on foot, about 12 percent of all traffic deaths are pedestrians, making walking one of the most dangerous modes of travel.
Fortunately, Portland is a walk-friendly city. With some exceptions, I usually feel completely at ease on my own two hooves. I’m confident in my choice of transportation. My own literal footprints reducing my carbon ones. It also helps that I live less than a mile from where I work.
Better a walker here than a walker in the south, at least:
The most dangerous metropolitan area for walking in 2000/2001 was Orlando, followed by Tampa, West Palm Beach, Memphis, Miami, Jacksonville, Houston, Phoenix, Dallas-Ft. Worth, and Nashville.
Any other PDX foot-commuters out there?
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I love walking to work. My 8 block commute from the Pearl to Chinatown is almost too short. I barely have time to clear my head and get into “work mode”. On the other hand, it makes working from home much easier knowing that I can be on site in less than 15 minutes.
Walking also provides me an easy way to switch routes on the fly. Sunny out? Great, head through and stay in the Park Blocks for an extra block or two. Stinky hippies in the park? Make haste for Broadway!
I’m not 100% foot-commuting, but I do walk quite a bit around town and to/from the bus.
I have yet to be hit by a car. So far the close calls all have involved TriMet buses. I’m waiting to get clipped, then sue and get paid. It’s almost as good as a 401k.
Notice how many 4 of the top 5 are in Florida? I’m from Miami, and when I moved here I was made fun of because I would always *run* when crossing the street. This is why.
Also worth noting that the deadliest street in America is US-19, in Tampa. 50 mph traffic in both directions, strip malls on both ends, and NO SIDEWALKS.
And two of the three deadliest intersections are also in South Florida.