Making downtown more pedestrian friendly

[KCPowercat]

I don't understand how this can be labeled racist......not to mention it isn't even during the convention. Odd.

[KCMax]

I don't understand how this can be labeled racist......not to mention it isn't even during the convention. Odd.

If it is used pretextually to harass African-Americans. I'm not saying that is what happening, but that is probably what they are afraid of. Jaywalking is a crime in which the only evidence of your crime is the observation of the officer, and its such a harmless crime that it can be selectively enforced - sometimes at the expense of certain groups.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Jaywalking is a crime in which the only evidence of your crime is the observation of the officer, and its such a harmless crime that it can be selectively enforced - sometimes at the expense of certain groups.

As is the case with 99+% of traffic enforcement - what makes this special?

[KCMax]

As is the case with 99+% of traffic enforcement - what makes this special?

There is a push to step up enforcement of jaywalking around the same time as the NAACP convention.

[LenexatoKCMO]

There is a push to step up enforcement of jaywalking around the same time as the NAACP convention.

Before it even takes place!  And also right before the Catholic youth convention.  Does the KCPD have some sort of combined angst towards both African Americans AND white catholic teenagers?

[KCMax]

Before it even takes place!  And also right before the Catholic youth convention.  Does the KCPD have some sort of combined angst towards both African Americans AND white catholic teenagers?

The Catholics just happen to be at the same time - doesn't mean they were the impetus for this at all. And its quite possible to think that the jaywalking push policy is innocent on its face, but will be racist in implementation. Certainly wouldn't be the first time that has happened (i.e. Cordish dress code)

[enough]

will the enforcement push extend into the convention period?  i don't know. 

i don't know if kcpd even considered the timing, but it's actually not bad.  my impression is that we kansas citians are notoriously bad about jaywalking.  enhanced enforcement just ahead of a big convention might be expected to reduce the level of "bad example" that we set for visitors.

but i still think jaywalking downtown should be the norm.  nobody should expect to be able to drive through downtown at even 15 mph much less 30 or 35.  set the downtown speed limit at 10 mph and we jaywalking peds become traffic calming agents, part of the speed limit enforcement mechanism.  change the expectation and there'd also be fewer peds struck by right-turning-on-red motorists.

[LenexatoKCMO]

The Catholics just happen to be at the same time - doesn't mean they were the impetus for this at all.

Pretty sure that in both cases the PD had a stated mission of tightening up ped safety ahead of the large conventions. 

And its quite possible to think that the jaywalking push policy is innocent on its face, but will be racist in implementation.

You could make the same statement about every single law enforcement effort ever conceived - should we just disband the PD?  Only approve law enforcement efforts that the African American community approves of?  Only enforce the law against causcasion males? 

[bobbyhawks]

You could make the same statement about every single law enforcement effort ever conceived - should we just disband the PD?  Only approve law enforcement efforts that the African American community approves of?  Only enforce the law against causcasion males? 

We should pass a law that will let regular citizens sue the police department every time they don't enforce anti-jaywalking laws.  That way, everyone is angry except for people in SUVs.

[scooterj]

The Catholics just happen to be at the same time - doesn't mean they were the impetus for this at all. And its quite possible to think that the jaywalking push policy is innocent on its face, but will be racist in implementation. Certainly wouldn't be the first time that has happened (i.e. Cordish dress code)

No, the Catholics were here last Fall, the last time there was jaywalking enforcement.  No one cried racism then.

NAACP is here after the enforcement period was supposed to end.  This is probably only being called racist because enforcement spread beyond the P&L this time and someone got upset about their ticket.

[mudjack]

No, the Catholics were here last Fall, the last time there was jaywalking enforcement.   No one cried racism then.

NAACP is here after the enforcement period was supposed to end.   This is probably only being called racist because enforcement spread beyond the P&L this time and someone got upset about their ticket.

So let's have enforcement on a regular basis and spread it around geographically to make it more difficult to claim that any one group is being targeted.

[scooterj]

but i still think jaywalking downtown should be the norm.  nobody should expect to be able to drive through downtown at even 15 mph much less 30 or 35.  set the downtown speed limit at 10 mph and we jaywalking peds become traffic calming agents, part of the speed limit enforcement mechanism.  change the expectation and there'd also be fewer peds struck by right-turning-on-red motorists.

There's a big difference between crossing at intersections when it's obviously safe to do so vs. deliberately stepping in front of cars and meandering slowly and diagonally across the street mid-block, which is what it's apparently racist to try to stop.

[chrizow]

[mudjack]

There's a big difference between crossing at intersections when it's obviously safe to do so vs. deliberately stepping in front of cars and meandering slowly and diagonally across the street mid-block, which is what it's apparently racist to try to stop.

It's the people who can't be bothered to walk 10 or 15 feet to the intersection who really bother me.

[mean]

There's a big difference between crossing at intersections when it's obviously safe to do so vs. deliberately stepping in front of cars and meandering slowly and diagonally across the street mid-block, which is what it's apparently racist to try to stop.

I see this all the time. Who are the people doing this? Anecdotally, I'd say mostly but not entirely young black dudes. Thus, it is racist to try and stop it? Is cracking down unusually hard on an illegal activity which is engaged in primarily by one group targeting the group, or targeting the behavior? Most of the people I see riding bikes in the city, flaunting traffic law, riding on sidewalks, running red lights, etc, are white people. Would it be racist if the police department said it was going to crack down on that instead?

[KCPowercat]

It's the people who can't be bothered to walk 10 or 15 feet to the intersection who really bother me.

Yeah driving is much less lazy.

[mudjack]

Yeah driving is much less lazy.

I think it's more that the "I'm so freakin' special that I don't have to follow the rules and the rest of the world can stop to accomodate me" attitude that gets to me.

[DaveKCMO]

I think it's more that the "I'm so freakin' special that I don't have to follow the rules and the rest of the world can stop to accomodate me" attitude that gets to me.

which is exactly how many drivers act when someone happens to unexpectedly invade their privileged lane. again, you're encased in tons of steel... a mighty precious place to observe other civic failures.

jaywalking only became a "crime" AFTER cars came into existence. think about it.

[Highlander]

which is exactly how many drivers act when someone happens to unexpectedly invade their privileged lane. again, you're encased in tons of steel... a mighty precious place to observe other civic failures.

jaywalking only became a "crime" AFTER cars came into existence. think about it.

I thought it about it but not for long.  Has it occurred to you that even though you are encased in steel, trying to avoid a pedestrian who suddenly appears in an illogical spot on the road, could cause an accident between two cars injuring all of the above?  Cross at the intersections or other marked pedestrian crossings, it's not that hard to do.  Cars are unfortunately here to stay, at least for the forseeable feature, so I think rules that require everyone work together for safety's sake will need to be there for a while longer too.

By the way, National Geographic's July issue rated cities in the US in terms of risk to pedestrians from cars on the basis of fatalities per capita. The worst cities were all in the south (no surprise there) with the top 4 in Florida (Orlando being the worst).  Memphis was number 5 and Houston was in the next tier along with Las Vegas, Atlanta and a few other southern cities.  KC was in the lower middle tier along with Dallas, OKC, LA and many others.  NE and NW cities had the best ratings (lowest risk).  Seems like, with the exception of the NW, the older the core of the city, the lower the pedestrian risk.

[aknowledgeableperson]

jaywalking only became a "crime" AFTER cars came into existence. think about it.

Guess we could just go back to horses and wagons, and thrown in dirt roads and wooden sidewalks while we are at it.