Being a pedestrian
Walking is undervalued
Being a pedestrian is challenging.
There are more cars on the roads, most of them driven with greater haste and unpredictability. Then the irksome e-scooters, travelling with lawless abandon. Cyclists also want their piece, likely clad in illuminating lycra that rarely does them justice. And now e-bikes—the stealthier versions look like mini-motorbikes, using pavements as BMWs use the autobahn. It's a fucking shit-show being a pedestrian.
I read recently that 80,000,000 people have died in time as a result of cars.
Today, we pour resources into cars and their efficiency, but far less into pedestrians and the opportunities they create. Every year, we get better at moving vehicles and worse at creating places worth walking through.
Being a pedestrian is OK, though. You can stop for a coffee, notice a shopfront, bump into a friend, or take a route simply because it looks interesting.
A car gets you there faster. A footpath gives you a chance to arrive.
I nearly got mowed down last night walking between pubs. The lesson? Don’t go to pubs. :)
Nick
