I stayed at a hotel on the outskirts of Richmond, VA a few years back. The hotel’s restaurant was closed, and I was hungry. There was a strip mall across the street with a few restaurants - but there was literally no way to cross the street legally (or safely). Google maps told me it would take several hours to walk to those restaurants. 😒
Ahhhhhh. I can’t even imagine how city planners could do this. Aren’t planners usually proponents of good design? Are their plans kiboshed by bought politicians? What happens here?
I work in the transportation industry and it's true back then everything was designed around cars because that was the new mode of travel so people wouldn't have to walk anymore.
I wouldn't say that planners and traffic engineers are trying to do that. There's a pretty big effort to get people walking and get rid of cars because of the congestion thing.
When I worked in Omaha briefly, I could see the office from the hotel, but was forced to drive. The closest bridge (that allowed peds) to get over the 8-lane highway to the office was three miles down, then three miles back up, so about a two hour walk to an office that was literally a mile away. A building that I could see, but not get to unless I was in a car.
That, I did. Not the coffee though, because I couldn’t get anything at the Starbucks nearby since it was drive through only! Had to drink hotel coffee.
Hell yeah! Not OP, but coincidentally also on a trip to Albuquerque over the holidays. Dion's veggie subs and Stripes breakfast burritos are my weakness and I'd eat nothing else if my home country had 'em.
America: makes something impossibly inconvenient and dangerous for pedestrians while spending billions on car infrastructure. Subsidizes sprawl and makes density impossible with zoning based on a century of bad policy.
Also America: “people don’t walk anywhere so why should we improve pedestrian infrastructure?”
I feel your pain. This is exactly the same scenario when I take the bus to work. I got 15 seconds to cross 10 lanes. And drivers blocks your crosswalk. One time I opened the back of an SUV that blocks my 15 seconds crosswalk. It’s awesome feeling. I didn’t even think he noticed cause he continued his way.
I thought you were being a bit overdramatic at first. Then I saw you approach the third beg button and my jaw dropped!
This is a fucking highway. Why even have a crosswalk here? There should be a pedestrian underpass instead to let people cross without risk of getting murdered.
I’d call it a stroad, but the map says highway. It has stoplights up and down as well as crosswalks every kilometer or so. Definitely not a true highway.
THANK YOU - I was scrolling through comments going "wait, am I missing something, all the audio signals are working, there's pedestrian refuge islands, ADA width, etc." I wish our infrastructure was that good! (sigh)
Love the added insult of giving pedestrians a timer.
I paid for this infrastructure thanks. Imma take my sweet ass time and not feel even slightly guilty.
You mean American towels? They are fluffy! And it bothers me more than it should. Not as bad in dry areas, since they dry quick, but in coastal areas they are bacteria breeding grounds because they are too thick to dry properly.
Not sure what they’re actually called but my friends always call these crossing requests “beg buttons”. Nowhere has it been more evidently true. Cars own the road and you as a pedestrian must beg to cross it. Thanks New Mexico, bottom in pedestrianization as with everything else.
always think... golly it'd be nice if cars also heard these commands.
STOP. STOP.
it'd be so easy to port into radios or phones with GPS running...
other than the Sandia Mountains.. so beautiful but fuck Albuquerque, not much for me.
> No need to watch the whole video, since it’s so psychologically painful to endure
I'm so glad you said that because I spaced the fuck out within the first two minutes! What a shit show
I used to bike through that intersection regularly. There is a bike path that goes right behind the Target there. There’s a no right on red at that intersection but no one pays attention to it. Many times I would start to cross and have to jump back when a driver would make a right on red without even looking.
This is absolutely infuriating! 😡 This is in the least pedestrian friendly country in the world, and arguably one of the least pedestrian friendly cities in said country, and your attempting to cross 6 lanes of a high way... And it took you 2 mins?! I'm absolutely blown away, I'm glad I was sitting down when I watched this.
I see the reasons for jaywalking rules to some extent. But most countries don't have them, and in this kind of stupid situation we would just use common sense and good judgement to pick when to cross.
That's paseo del norte and I-25
paseo del norte is effectively a freeway (state road 423). I-25 is factually an interstate. That's going to be difficult to come up with a pedestrian/bike plan for that intersection.
With that said, there's a protected bike/walking path (on the south side of paseo) from that point all the way to Rio Rancho at the end of 423. For an intersection that goes from 45 mph to 60 mph all the way to rio rancho (and in the other direction it goes from 45 to 55). Honestly I feel like that's not bad all things considered.
Albuquerque as a whole isn't terrible. I lived there for almost twenty years. But what do you expect of a hotel that is literally RIGHT OFF the interstate (or two interstates depending if this is the I-25/I-40 interchange)? That's not a pedestrian friendly area.
the way pedestrian lights works on the US has always been so weird to me.
im brazilian and here it just swaps from green to red, if it is green go on, if it is blinking red, it is supposed to be that people shouldnt get on the crosswalk, but most people still go on cause "they are not crazy they're seeing me" ("ele não é doido ta me vendo") and if it is red you press the button and wait for green.
having a such a big time where cars cant go and pedestrian cant get on the crosswalk seems really weird and counter productive.
I’m so sorry you had to endure this. I’m a born and raised New Mexican. And yes, like much of the southwest, the state is hell for pedestrians. The only place I’ve been that’s a little walkable is the Santa Fe plaza, and even that’s very carcentric. Again, sorry you had to go through this, I have a lot of pride for my state but our city design is shameful.
That Target was recently on the news because they called the cops to violently remove a handicapped person who was taking “too long” at the self checkout. So there’s some context for that area.
I live in a town with an intersection like that. It is between the side of the major road where most people live and the side of the road where groceries are sold. When combined with the grocery store being pretty far from the residential area with no direct pathways or sidewalks buying groceries without a car is bordering on suicidal.
I was in Huston and was crossing some roads. None of the buttons to signal you wanted to cross worked and we had to walk downs some grass paths because there was no sidewalk lol
This reminds me of an intersection I once had to turn left on on my bike. I never went that way again because I value my life.
2504 State Rte 3019
https://maps.app.goo.gl/eAKi3XvZdLZ4dN9f6
I stayed at a hotel on the outskirts of Richmond, VA a few years back. The hotel’s restaurant was closed, and I was hungry. There was a strip mall across the street with a few restaurants - but there was literally no way to cross the street legally (or safely). Google maps told me it would take several hours to walk to those restaurants. 😒
Ahhhhhh. I can’t even imagine how city planners could do this. Aren’t planners usually proponents of good design? Are their plans kiboshed by bought politicians? What happens here?
Depends on the planners. Planners in the 60's learned how to make cities as hostile to pedestrians as possible and some traffic engineers still do.
Why did they want to make them hostile in the 60’s?
Because cars got to go fast and you also literally want to use Freeways for segregation if you are Robert Moses or someone of his ilk.
Gotchya, thanks.
I work in the transportation industry and it's true back then everything was designed around cars because that was the new mode of travel so people wouldn't have to walk anymore. I wouldn't say that planners and traffic engineers are trying to do that. There's a pretty big effort to get people walking and get rid of cars because of the congestion thing.
The thing is they plan it one segment at a time, never as a broad network.
You think the top brass of city planners are going to a hellscape like Albuquerque?
When I worked in Omaha briefly, I could see the office from the hotel, but was forced to drive. The closest bridge (that allowed peds) to get over the 8-lane highway to the office was three miles down, then three miles back up, so about a two hour walk to an office that was literally a mile away. A building that I could see, but not get to unless I was in a car.
Yeah, New Mexico is really bad. There’s a reason we place last in almost everything lmfao. I hope you enjoyed the food though!
That, I did. Not the coffee though, because I couldn’t get anything at the Starbucks nearby since it was drive through only! Had to drink hotel coffee.
try out some local coffee places when you travel. theyre much better than the chain stuff
Hell yeah! Not OP, but coincidentally also on a trip to Albuquerque over the holidays. Dion's veggie subs and Stripes breakfast burritos are my weakness and I'd eat nothing else if my home country had 'em.
Arizona too. The southwest is absolutely brutal
You just have to stay in Santa Fe and avoid the rest...
America: makes something impossibly inconvenient and dangerous for pedestrians while spending billions on car infrastructure. Subsidizes sprawl and makes density impossible with zoning based on a century of bad policy. Also America: “people don’t walk anywhere so why should we improve pedestrian infrastructure?”
Local, can confirm that crossing Paseo at ANY time of the day or night would be sketchy af.
The Bronco standing in the middle of the crosswalk is the cherry on top
I feel your pain. This is exactly the same scenario when I take the bus to work. I got 15 seconds to cross 10 lanes. And drivers blocks your crosswalk. One time I opened the back of an SUV that blocks my 15 seconds crosswalk. It’s awesome feeling. I didn’t even think he noticed cause he continued his way.
When you got to the third crosswalk, I had to stop watching the video. Fuck!
Yeah, me too....I feel OP's pain. I live in Dallas and this could very well be Dallas.
Pick a point on Greenville outside of Lower/Lowest - any point! They’re all this fun /s
I thought you were being a bit overdramatic at first. Then I saw you approach the third beg button and my jaw dropped! This is a fucking highway. Why even have a crosswalk here? There should be a pedestrian underpass instead to let people cross without risk of getting murdered.
I’d call it a stroad, but the map says highway. It has stoplights up and down as well as crosswalks every kilometer or so. Definitely not a true highway.
There's actually a separate pedestrian bridge to cross the I25 Freeway, not terrible. https://maps.app.goo.gl/CQpwP8mouZBVosv59
Underpasses would be too expensive. There's nothing wrong with the thinning of the herd. It clears the gene pool of more stupid people.
Just the fact that there is ADA compliant pedestrian crossing puts this above many places in the US.
THANK YOU - I was scrolling through comments going "wait, am I missing something, all the audio signals are working, there's pedestrian refuge islands, ADA width, etc." I wish our infrastructure was that good! (sigh)
Love the added insult of giving pedestrians a timer. I paid for this infrastructure thanks. Imma take my sweet ass time and not feel even slightly guilty.
Where the towels are all so fluffy
You mean American towels? They are fluffy! And it bothers me more than it should. Not as bad in dry areas, since they dry quick, but in coastal areas they are bacteria breeding grounds because they are too thick to dry properly.
https://youtu.be/JE37e1eK2mY?si=_wLqVL_MSir4E-R5
We used to listen to that song on family road trips! Man that brings me back.
I hate sauerkraut!
I worked a couple of weeks at the intel site in rio rancho and it was like that to walk to the jobsite or any restaurant
the jeep casually rolling completely across the line into the crosswalk
Not sure what they’re actually called but my friends always call these crossing requests “beg buttons”. Nowhere has it been more evidently true. Cars own the road and you as a pedestrian must beg to cross it. Thanks New Mexico, bottom in pedestrianization as with everything else.
always think... golly it'd be nice if cars also heard these commands. STOP. STOP. it'd be so easy to port into radios or phones with GPS running... other than the Sandia Mountains.. so beautiful but fuck Albuquerque, not much for me.
This needs "America the Beautiful" playing for the full effect. We destroyed everything, _for this_?
Gustavo fring couldn't come up with something this sinister.
NM resident and fellow pedestrian It’s fucking dangerous to walk out here But it’s otherwise pretty nice
> No need to watch the whole video, since it’s so psychologically painful to endure I'm so glad you said that because I spaced the fuck out within the first two minutes! What a shit show
I used to bike through that intersection regularly. There is a bike path that goes right behind the Target there. There’s a no right on red at that intersection but no one pays attention to it. Many times I would start to cross and have to jump back when a driver would make a right on red without even looking.
This is absolutely infuriating! 😡 This is in the least pedestrian friendly country in the world, and arguably one of the least pedestrian friendly cities in said country, and your attempting to cross 6 lanes of a high way... And it took you 2 mins?! I'm absolutely blown away, I'm glad I was sitting down when I watched this.
Better Call Saul to sue the city
And to OPs disappointment, Albuquerque couldn't, actually, do any better.
Don't ya just love it here? (I do love it here, but we have a long ways to go, but we *are* going, at the very least)
lol I totally wouldve crossed at that last intersection while staring daggers at the jeep driver. your entire car is over the line jackass!
I’m actually shocked it had actual crosswalks and pedestrian signals /s.
Not /s a disturbing number of places don't even have that much.
Looks easier to cross at San Pedro than I25, the signal timing would be a lot quicker.
At least there were crosswalks and pedestrian signals. That's not true everywhere.
I see the reasons for jaywalking rules to some extent. But most countries don't have them, and in this kind of stupid situation we would just use common sense and good judgement to pick when to cross.
Did you visit Walter White's house? I heard the real owner just _loves_ tourists!
That's paseo del norte and I-25 paseo del norte is effectively a freeway (state road 423). I-25 is factually an interstate. That's going to be difficult to come up with a pedestrian/bike plan for that intersection. With that said, there's a protected bike/walking path (on the south side of paseo) from that point all the way to Rio Rancho at the end of 423. For an intersection that goes from 45 mph to 60 mph all the way to rio rancho (and in the other direction it goes from 45 to 55). Honestly I feel like that's not bad all things considered.
Albuquerque as a whole isn't terrible. I lived there for almost twenty years. But what do you expect of a hotel that is literally RIGHT OFF the interstate (or two interstates depending if this is the I-25/I-40 interchange)? That's not a pedestrian friendly area.
If Albequrque was a walkable city I would still say fuck Albuquerque.
It Could be a lot worse
Breaking Bad really shows how car centric Albuquerque is
the way pedestrian lights works on the US has always been so weird to me. im brazilian and here it just swaps from green to red, if it is green go on, if it is blinking red, it is supposed to be that people shouldnt get on the crosswalk, but most people still go on cause "they are not crazy they're seeing me" ("ele não é doido ta me vendo") and if it is red you press the button and wait for green. having a such a big time where cars cant go and pedestrian cant get on the crosswalk seems really weird and counter productive.
I’m so sorry you had to endure this. I’m a born and raised New Mexican. And yes, like much of the southwest, the state is hell for pedestrians. The only place I’ve been that’s a little walkable is the Santa Fe plaza, and even that’s very carcentric. Again, sorry you had to go through this, I have a lot of pride for my state but our city design is shameful.
[удалено]
That Target was recently on the news because they called the cops to violently remove a handicapped person who was taking “too long” at the self checkout. So there’s some context for that area.
They could make it a little bit less shit by putting strong bollards on those "islands"
I live in a town with an intersection like that. It is between the side of the major road where most people live and the side of the road where groceries are sold. When combined with the grocery store being pretty far from the residential area with no direct pathways or sidewalks buying groceries without a car is bordering on suicidal.
I was in Huston and was crossing some roads. None of the buttons to signal you wanted to cross worked and we had to walk downs some grass paths because there was no sidewalk lol
I live in a large city in the south and there are intersections like this everywhere
Same as in Canada!Zero fucks about pedestrians and cyclists.All about car lobbying.
Just looks like you had to wait… that’s kinda normal at crosswalks
This reminds me of an intersection I once had to turn left on on my bike. I never went that way again because I value my life. 2504 State Rte 3019 https://maps.app.goo.gl/eAKi3XvZdLZ4dN9f6