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Where pedestrians count

New York sure treats pedestrians better than Seattle does.

I’m in Manhattan for a few days, walking loops from the Battery to Harlem. Being used to Seattle, I’ve rarely felt so coddled by a city.

Many Seattle annoyances are gone. Sandwich boards are neatly out of the way. Jaywalking doesn’t require looking for cops first (still honoring right of way of course), and sidestreets are narrow so crossing is quick. Tree wells aren’t designed to hurt you or make you walk single-file. Dog owners keep their leashes short so they don’t trip people. I’ve yet to see a push button. Cars stop before crosswalks, not in them, in part because there’s (presumably) no free right turn, and in part because they’re not rude.

In other words, both New York and its public have learned that walkability is more than platitudes, and living close together comes with a code of conduct. Seattle should learn from that.

Without waxing too poetic, I love this city…not in the critical but permanent way I love Seattle, but more a deep admiration. Manhattan’s density of buildings, residents, tourists, jobs, and transit is phenomenal, both in ambiance and in the great things it supports. And the architecture! It’s scientific fact that the two best highrises in the world are the Chrysler and Woolworth Buildings, and the midrise vernacular…

My hotel computer is running out….off to the view from Empire State!

This entry was posted by Matt Hays on Tuesday, May 11th, 2010 at 11:12 am and is filed under Architecture, Engineering, Government, Parks and open space, Planning, Politics, Seattle lifestyle, transportation, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

  • Joshua Daniel Franklin

    Your argument seems based on the proposition that drivers in Manhattan are… nice??? Somehow I think there’s some other explanation. Density of ambulance-chasing lawyers, perhaps?

  • matth

    I think “niceness,” or perhaps empathy based on understanding of what it’s like to walk, is a part of it. For all its hurry and pushiness, New Yorkers seem to have a “we’re in it together” mentality, which is healthy in a city.

    On another note, I see I missed an “and.”

  • look out

    Perhaps pedestrians in Seattle should learn from Manhatten pedestrians to NOT just blindy walk in front of my 25-35mph car and expect me to stop with miracle brakes. Or to wear dark clothes at night, in the rain, and expect me to see them in a timely manner.
    Without getting eye contact from drivers, I NEVER walk in front of them.

  • you look out

    Same could be said for you, look out. Maybe if you were paying attention it wouldn’t seem like pedestrians are blindly walking out in front of you.