The City of Tucson recently filmed several public service announcements about safely interacting with the streetcar.
There is an overview video, which combines shorter videos for bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists. You can find them at the streetcar page or check out the overview video below.
What do you think? Anything jump out at you?
“At some intersections, the tracks move over to hug the curb, which can lead to an otherwise avoidable squeeze. A little wobble here can lead to big trouble.”
… jumped out at me.
The problem is that many cyclists don’t have relatively advanced skills
such as glancing back without changing the direction of their steering,
then quickly maneuvering over the tracks at a 90 degree angle. Throw
in streetcars and the usual impatient drivers into the mix, and it
spells disaster. I’m surprised there’s just one lawsuit pending. I
heard of one cyclist who fell twice on the tracks and broke an elbow
each time. And you don’t have to be on your cell phone or distracted
to crash, as the city claims. You just have to be nervous, a somewhat unskilled rider, a category which encompasses many people, and
unfamiliar with the downtown route.