Report: U.S. pedestrian death rate increased during COVID
Recently (3 months ago), I was visiting family in Portland, OR and experienced an odd event. For context, I currently live in Oslo, Norway.<p>As I was using a crosswalk, a Prius driver felt compelled to yell slurs at me. I can only guess that the inconvenience of having to yield to a pedestrian was some kind of trigger.<p>Another observation was that very few pedestrians wear reflective gear. It almost seemed as if wearing dark clothes at night was intentional. I suspect that also has a negative effect on drivers as it can be extremely difficult to see pedestrians.<p>I think pedestrian and driver safety go “hand in hand”. In Norway, pedestrians are expected to wear reflective gear and drivers are required to yield. Based on my empirical evidence, it is significantly safer walking in Oslo, Norway than in Portland, OR.<p>I can only hope at this point that enough people come together to try and improve the safety in the states.