In Search of a City: Statistically Misleading
I have a pet peeve about the use of statistics, and an article in the Saturday (January 16) Columbus Dispatch made me peevish. The Dispatch ran an article entitled, “Worst corridors to bike, walk.” An insert listed the most “dangerous streets” in order of danger, led by North High Street from Dodridge Street near OSU to Goodale Street in the Short North. MORPC provided the data.
I will not dispute that High Street has the high volume of crashes because it undoubtedly carries the highest volume of bicycle and pedestrian traffic in central Ohio. But to say that High Street is the most dangerous corridor in Central Ohio is absurd. Is biking or walking along High Street more dangerous than Polaris Parkway? According to this article, it is, by virtue of the fact that nobody walks or bicycles on Polaris Parkway.
In my experience, High Street is a relatively safe arterial street because bikers and pedestrians are so prevalent that motorists tend to watch for them. The MORPC report is a service to the extent that it leads to improving the design of High Street. But to call High Street the region’s most dangerous corridor makes no sense at all.
Tags: bicycles, Campus Area, columbus, Downtown, Short North, Transportation
January 19th, 2010 at 10:04 am
Bravo, Cleve. After reading the article I had the same complaint. It’s like noting that Volkswagen sales are up but then saying they are unsafe vehicles because there are more crashes involving Volkswagens! More VWs on the road = more VWs involved in crashes. While the conclusion is that these areas are the most dangerous, it is my guess that the opposite is true: High Street is actually safer than other sections, and the higher total crashes is due to the fact people cycle where they feel safest. Even as safe as it is, improvements would certainly be welcome to reduce the total number of crashes.
January 19th, 2010 at 10:18 am
This is a great call to emphasize education of percentages. If the data were presented on a level playing field, (i.e. number of accidents per 1000 riders) we could see a much more accurate picture. The problem is not the raw data, but the manner in which it is communicated. We should view this info as less of a sensationalistic headline and more as a call to accommodate the increasing demand for a safer cycling experience in an urban environment.
January 20th, 2010 at 11:42 am
Has anyone seen a simple solution to rider safety at intersections? This is being tried in Copenhagen, Denmark and looks like a remarkable idea:
http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/william-bostwick/architecture-design/safer-bike-lanes-come-down-earth
February 1st, 2010 at 2:41 pm
I bike up and down N High all the time. What makes the stretch I ride bike-friendly, mainly from the north end of the Short North to Downtown, are the frequently placed traffic signals which are absent from all other major streets like Broad and Cleveland, which cause more stop and go traffic which means regardless of if I’m in the right lane or have to take the left lane due to parking on High for a few blocks in the Short North, motor vehicles are traveling at a speed very similar to mine. While I have ridden down other major streets the traffic is much faster and when you combine this with the fact that many cyclists don’t have a rear-view mirror they don’t feel nearly as safe on these roads as they do on N High and therefore avoid these streets in favor of side streets where possible.
As for that link it’s just another facility to increase the feeling of safety, not actual safety. I see cyclists stop at the curb and I never do for one very important reason; I want to remain visible to motorists and there’s no better way to do that than to be in front of them vs. their blind spot. The last thing you need is a speeding vehicle to take a right hand turn as you’re pushing yourself off from the curb into the path of a driver who didn’t see you til now. Safe cycling is already available in Columbus, you just have to get over the irrational fear of being in front of vehicles, which is much safer than being in their blind spot and have them try to squeeze by in a narrow lane. I much prefer being honked at than being hit and in fact haven’t been honked at since the installation of the “Share the Road” signs on N High, especially along OSU.