Pedestrian bridges are supposed to be safe spaces for people to walk over. However, a Reddit video post from Poland showed one bold driver's disregard for this walking zone as they drove over it.
While driving serves its purpose, a society that promotes a car society can make the behavior displayed in the video more common than it should be. Cars and other vehicles enable faster transport — essential options for emergencies and the transport of goods. However, spaces that create safe havens for walking and biking help those who can't afford a vehicle or who just want to exercise.
Living car-free or at least reducing reliance can not only aid in daily physical fitness but also help save money. After the upfront expenses of car purchases or rentals, drivers still have weekly and monthly expenses for fuel, insurance, and maintenance. Taking public transportation or paying for a bike is much cheaper than ongoing monthly car fuel costs — one can save over $13,000 by using public transit, per the American Public Transportation Association.
Plus, the carbon gases produced by driving have contributed to environmental pollution and an increasingly warming planet. This rising climate heat has led to larger and more devastating weather events from drought to Level 4 and 5 hurricanes.
Even with top-ranked pedestrian and cycling-friendly infrastructure in cities from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Raleigh, North Carolina, to Portland, Oregon (as outlined by Anytime Estimate), drivers can impede them when they ignore signs and street markings. Just painting a bike lane hasn't been enough of a deterrent for some drivers, as displayed during busy Boxing Day traffic in Montreal and another incident captured on a New York street.
More cities may have to trade in the paint for something solid. A few comments noted that bollards (short sturdy posts to control traffic) at even one end of a walking bridge could prevent vehicles from abusing those spaces and hitting a pedestrian.
Unsurprisingly, the comments were annoyed at the driver for their inconsiderate behavior. Noting the steps at the end of the walkway, a curious soul asked: "Why does it stop there! I want to see if the idiot braved the stairs or had to reverse all the way back."
Someone pondered, "Do these entitled people have no shame?" Another responded, "That's what they meant by saying roads are for cars only. Get off the road, they say." Therefore, cars should have the same respect for bikes and walking spaces.
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