[figgy]

Yesterday I realized a secret path to increasing virtual LMPG.

I had a good run into town and parked quite a few blocks away from where I had to go because I knew I would be driving needlessly for parking if I tried to get closer (Palo Alto at lunch time).

I parked in a nice shady spot and started walking. I crossed a few stop signed streets then crossed a bigger street at a crosswalk where there is no light for it and fumed as a bunch of SUV drivers practically drove over my toes rather than dare to obey the pedestrian crossing laws and slow down from their 15 mph over the limit in-town racing speed.

I did my errand.

I came back again to that crosswalk and as I approached it a medium sized FedEx truck saw that I was intending to cross, and he stopped so that I didn't even have to break stride to cross. A car stopped behind the FedEx guy.

Then, :idea:, the light bulb went off. :idea: - Ding! I probably caused the FedEx truck to use more gas starting up than I saved by driving carefully on the entire trip to get there!

I suddenly realized the secret path to LMPG nirvanna, actually two paths:

Path to Nirvanna #1 :arrow: Never cross at a crosswalk, but instead jaywalk running like an Ostrich racing for the Gold so cars won't ever even see you and have to slow down.

Path to Nirvanna #2. :arrow: If you really have to cross at a crosswalk, only use one at a light where the cars have stopped already.

Just a thought, next time you have a low trip mpg bringing you down.

p.s. We could all carry poles and vault over traffic when we are pedestrians. Maybe the IMAS will have that built in feature. :roll:

 

[Holicow]

Figgy has left the building....

 

[dan]

Hi figgy-

I commend you as a person who is highly aware of and takes personal responsibilities for one’s own actions. As a pedestrian I have often thought about how much more energy it takes for that/those car(s) to stop/start than for a pedestrian to wait just a few more moments. (Not to mention the extra pollution/break dust/tire wear.) Then I wonder if those drivers worried about things like that how many of them would be driving right now anyway?

Berkeley may be pedestrian rights capitol of the country. It is not uncommon here for a driver to get a ticket for not stopping for a pedestrian stepping into any crosswalk. Drivers even get tickets for passing through a crosswalk with a pedestrian in it even if the pedestrian is several lanes away and headed away form the vehicle! (Strict interpretation of the code) Pedestrians here often have a “challenging” attitude; boldly stepping into traffic, sauntering slowly, and giving drivers the “evil eye.” Some times I wonder how often Berkeley pedestrians get creamed when they have to reenter the reality of the driving habits of the rest of the country.

 

[figgy]

I think down in SLO they may have blinking lights which activate when pedestrians are sensed (by some electronic sensor) near the cross walk. This, in theory, gives the drivers advance notice.

However, there are always so many pedestrians in those areas that they should just close it altogether to anything but foot traffic!

More downtown areas with pedestrian and bike only orientations would be very refreshing.

 

[dan]

Hi figgy-

SLO?...sorry stumped me there. Anyway I have seen those lights up in Petaluma. You can’t avoid noticing them. Santa Cruz has done a nice job. I suppose you are right. Separating peds and cars is the way to go.

 

[figgy]

SLO is what the locals call San Luis Obispo.

They pronounce it 'slow' - like they lifestyle!

 

[Holicow]

I have had this post stuck in my brain for a while, thanks a LOT figgy. I may have been a little rash, I don't think you are loopy. The concept is slowly sinking into my hard head, and it's beginning to make sense.

For one, I was thinking about my next-door neighbor. We have barely said anything to each other in the 2 years since we moved in. You know how you can sense when someone is on a different wavelength? Well, I felt that big time. It's too bad, since his wife and mine do stuff and his kids and mine play together a lot. Their kids are the same age, gender, and even have the same names (yeah, bizzare, but true).
He seems OK in general, and works a lot, so I don't mean he is some sort of freak.

Anywho, he starts an exercise program, which is great. Well, he starts jogging some. There is a park about 1/2 mile from our houses with a running trail. So, on a clear warm day, what does he do: He DRIVES his car to the park, jogs, and DRIVES home! :shock:

His lifetime VMPG is hopeless...

I believe this concept (VMPG) can be applied to things other than just driving. Things in the general idea of conservation...

What can you do that reduces someone else's consumption, whether they know it or not???

 

[ext1jdh]

Some times I wonder how often Berkeley pedestrians get creamed when they have to reenter the reality of the driving habits of the rest of the country.

Here we just speed up and turn on the wipers

/Bill Hicks...bad call brother...

 

[dan]

Wow Holicow-

I thought it was obvious that under that crunchy protective crust of one-liners you had a brain, but who’da thunk that there was such a big squishy heart too? You continue to amaze me.

What can we do to help our neighbors? That’s a tough one. The subtle acts of everyday life: driving our Insights, talking, walking, posting seem to work best for me. Beating folks over the head with awareness doesn’t seem to help it sink in.

I think the beauty of Figgy’s post was multilevel:

1) The introduction of the concept of virtual LMPG in which each of us has our own little videogame keeping track of our total VLMPG as we go through life.
2) The introduction of the concept that VLMPG not be based solely on how efficiently we move through life, but also how we affect other’s movement through life; i.e. if I make you stop for me, shouldn’t the loss of VLMPG be charged to me and not you?
3) The introduction of the concept of “weighted” VLMPG in which the hit for stopping a truck is greater than the hit for stopping an Insight.
4) His presentation of these concepts with a healthy dose of humor, ‘cause after all, who knows? Most of us would go crazy if we follow this train of thought out too far. Besides it might not mater at all. In the end it may be that something like “lifetime smiles per day” is much more significant, or maybe nothing matters at all… :roll:

This brings me back to you Holicow. I’m glad you are here. This place would be a lot drier without your comments. And I haven’t found anyone else that is so much fun to pick on. :wink: