European Mobility Week

This is the final day of European Mobility Week - a continent wide effort to educate people regarding their transportation options and the impact of their choices.  I know it sounds like those liberal Europeans are trying to take away our cars again.  Putting aside, for a moment, my own beliefs on the global warming hoax ("global" warming is impossible because the earth is flat), I want to share a little about pedestrian accommodation in Česke Budejovice.

There is a lot of walking done in this city.  It's a dense urban area.  It makes sense to walk.  The city was designed for walking because it came before cars.  Fortunately, the small shops spread all over town continue to be viable which keeps walking viable.

In town here, there are sidewalks most everywhere.  They are usually make of paving bricks, cobblestones, asphalt with some large cut stones and concrete here and there.  They are in pretty good repair (I think they have cobblestone work down to a science here so they get their pavers to stay in place).  In most places there are curb cuts.  In newer construction they even have truncated dome paving bricks...

From Transportation

I have seen people out in wheelchairs and there are a lot of old people out walking.  They seem to get around.  I need to follow someone though and see if they have troubles.

They paint crosswalks at intersections on busy streets and many have ped crossing signs.  I have seen a couple locations where there is a very short median as a ped refuge.  There are also bumpouts at a lot of intersections.

At signalized intersections they always have ped indications.  Most are push button (many with buttons that light up when pushed) and audible (slow click = don't walk, fast click = walk).  If I recall they have a red or amber hand for don't walk and a green walker for walking.  The ped indication at almost all locations only shows green for a short while, but everyone seems to understand that the green is only needed to start the crossing.

I came across an interesting ped crossing just today.  It is a couple blocks west of the elementary school near us and at a very busy street.  I was biking and saw this intense white flashing coming from the pavement at a ped crossing.  They have a ped detection system (either microwave or video) and the in-pavement LED lights that flash when the peds can cross.  Drivers then get flashing yellow lights.  The intersection was not otherwise signalized.  It was a foggy day and these were working great.  Seems like a very good idea.

Another neat ped accommodation are the trails along the river.  At almost all bridges, the trail continues under the bridge.  This is incredible for safety and mobility for the bikers.

From Transportation

Drivers yield for peds really well here.  Even on the busy streets, where there are crosswalks, I have had no trouble taking my kids across. 

So, lots of people are out walking on days like this.  Some to get places; others just to enjoy the remains of summer.  People stay fit.  They stay mobile.  The women have great gams.  And the environmentalists can chill out.

Peter