Danger afoot! Florida ranks as the most dangerous state for pedestrians

Hi

"automobile-orientated development patterns"

I don't know the solution for this - unless it's the sort of efficient and civilized mass tansit systems that you see in say, Japan and most of Europe.

I don't think cars are evil, but I think that that industry is steadily imploding at the expense of common sense.

Unfortunately, it's part of our culture (human nature? etc etc.) to see a car as a status symbol, whereas, when you think of it, the fact of owning a car, is actually not.

I think more often than not, you acquire this "status" in exchange for being held by the short hairs !

That's a nice car, but is it paid for ? Your so called status is somehow partly based on this unanswered question.

However, God knows, if you actually take the BUS or the TRAIN (if it even runs to where you're going) - or, I know this is a stretch....WALK SOMEWHERE then we KNOW what class of person you are !

To qualify this, I realize that alternatives to the auto are not always, even often, a viable option -
which begs one question...

Why is this the case?

To quote All the President's Men...."Follow the money."

I'm Dave Carlin, and that's today's editorial.

Our primary residnence is in Nova Scotia, Canada and In the 40+years my family has had a home in the Tampa area, none of us or the many friends frm Canada who've visited over the years have ever had any problem anywhere in Florida. Of course the Canadian friends would always want to go to Orlando (Disney), Daytona Beach (Bike Week & March Break) and of course into Tampa to do (Busch Gardens). I'd say We were fortunate.
I'm more afraid of walking the streets of Halifax-Dartmouth, Halifax Co. Nova Scotia, Canada than in Tampa, Orlando & Daytona Beach, Florida. It's my opinion, the police in Florida are better trained and more trustworthy -and the Fla. legal-justice system more honest & efficient in NS. ( Bridgewater, Lunenburg County of NS,( in my opinion,) police, legal & justice system is as tainted-corrupt as anything you'd find in Mexico.

Cars aren't evil. They're neutral dead mechanical objects, completely subject to the actions of those who operate them. Unfortunately a large percentage of those who operate them are stupid. Maybe an IQ test should be part of getting a liscense. An evaluation of one's position on the sociopath scale might also be useful.

48 Mick says "" Maybe an IQ test should be part of getting a liscense"

What about a spelling test? Should that be included too?

I also own a house in Orlando, Fl area and have never had any issues whatsoever. I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada which is plagued by police corruption and the murder capital of Canada. So walking in Orlando or Tampa which I have done on many occassions in the past 5 years I have yet to see a incident with a pedestrian and a car. Just my two cents...

Whoa Betsey, we spent a couple of Winters plus some vacation weeks in Florida and will agree that this state is dangerous to walk.

We had a relative almost killed by an older person running a crosswalk.

Another older driver almost ran us over before ploughing into the mail office store. Broke thru the brick wall?

Another older driver was driving up on the Blvd with no lites on, at 10PM?

Another cut us off with his motor home upon enerting the ditch in front of us....it goes on....

Dangerous in Nova Scotia, I think not!

people now a days drive like they own the road. What ever happened to "pedestrains" have the right of way.

The comments, could have some affect on people coming to Florida a holiday. I would suggest, when you print this type of information, that the report should also show the status of people that are killed - by state. I guess would be - a high % killed are people that live in Florida and not people that come for the winter months.
Give all the details or don't print the useless BS.

Whatever happened to being aware of oncoming cars & looking both ways before crossing the street. I think many pedestrian accidents on the road are due to assuming that the driver has seen them. This is always an ignorant assumption. Wake up people! Be on the defense when walking the streets.

I.Q. tests are not gonna determine a better driver! People decide to drive erratically, to talk on their cell phone, text message, fiddle with the radio station, eat, drink, put on makeup, have sex, check out the hot person, get distracted, have no regard for others and think that when they purchased their vehicle that they bought the road, so until people stop doing these things while driving then nothing is gonna change it. No I.Q. test can determine whether or not this or that person has a lack of common sense, as many do, or if they are gonna be a good safe driver who does none of the things on the list I have compliled. To those of you who do watch out for pedestrians and do stop to let us cross the street at crosswalks thank you so much it is greatly appreciated. Here in B.C. the pedestrian always has the right of way, which too many drivers forget, even here in Fort St. John, B.C. And just because I walk or take the bus does not make me a lower class then someone who drives! I have personal reasons for not wanting to drive and that is my choice, I am very classy and very much a lady but for someone to label me otherwise for my personal choice to take transit or to walk is the lowest class person possible.

When you think about it Florida has a population of about 18,000,000 in the winter and in the year 2000 the population was about to retire 60,000,000, Snow birds have had their cars driven or transported to Florida for years because of the fear of driving all that way. Wake up! do not some of the numbers add up? The thought that some in the 80's still drive after 20 failed tries to renew their drivers licenses go to their congressman and get two more shots at it. ( stay out of your cars Snowbirds and see the list go down.)

stuff i learned today......snowbirds don't drive to florida.....one can fail a driving test 20 times without any repercussions or red flag beside their name.....there are congressmen in canada....and if you talk to the congressman, he can give you two more tries at a license...and in the year 2000, florida's population more than tripled....and the answer to everything in an environment that is not pedestrian-friendly is to walk.