What do pedestrian crossings mean in CABA?

[Blueish]

In Buenos Aires the car is King. You simply have to acknowledge that. I don't even have a driving licence and it took me some time to understand. Any resistance to it is futile. You will encounter some ironic situations where the car will not stop for you, even if it's your right to cross , you need to manage to get out of the way, also some circumstances where the car is a mile away yet it will honk at you if you're crossing the street when it's red for you. A lot of rage I've found... But once you accept that, you should be fine.


Another thing that I find super dangerous, is that bike lanes have 2 directions when the street only has one, so on 2 occassions I almost had an accident because I was looking at the direction where the cars where coming from and the bike was coming the other way... I am trying to look now both ways when I see a bike lane.

 

[SinPulgas]

i had a bus get so close to me once crossing alem i reached out and slapped the front in anger. the driver looked at me like i was insane. i mouthed F You to him, i think he understood haha.

I've been brushed a few times by buses here in San Telmo, where most of the streets are really narrow. I'm a lot more careful than I used to be.

They've moved all the buses out of San Telmo now, to the metrobuses in 9 de Julio and Paseo Colón. It's a really nice change.

 

[nikad]

I can only tell you, that current bus drivers are true British gentlemen compared to what they were like in the 80s when they had to cut tickets, give change, no ac, deal with the doors, etc. Those were the days where they would bump your car to get you going... ahhh nostalgia

 

[mkub3905]

Primary I live in NYC
All I can add from that perspective is: there’s a rhythm to it. And if you think you can change the tune, you can’t. Either sing with the chorus; or accept life in a horrible karaoke….

 

[FrankPintor]

Another thing that I find super dangerous, is that bike lanes have 2 directions when the street only has one, so on 2 occassions I almost had an accident because I was looking at the direction where the cars where coming from and the bike was coming the other way... I am trying to look now both ways when I see a bike lane.

It’s worse than that, when two one-way streets intersect, and one has a bike lane, the other street has a stop sign. The street with the bike lane get a yield sign. Guaranteed to work well

There’s also an intersection like that in Belgrano (somewhere on Echeverría I think) where both streets have stop signs.

 

[jantango]

I've been thinking about this subject and intending to start a thread. I'm glad to see that a visitor has concerns about being a pedestrian in this city.

I grew up in the 1950s in Chicago when there were patrol boys at the intersections on the way to grammar school to stop traffic when children were crossing the street. The habit of crossing at the corner has continued throughout my life.

These days it's rare to see people observing traffic lights when crossing the street. Everyone seems to be in such a hurry...to see if they can cross before getting hit by a bus. I have seen people crossing main streets against the light and not even notice the on-coming traffic.

I consider both corners of the street on which I live to be dangerous. At one end cars are making a right turn without good visibility of who may be crossing the street. At the other end, it's a race for traffic to get to the next stoplight. They are timed for traffic to stop every two blocks unless they exceed the speed limit. I was amused the day that the city was cutting tree branches that blocked the stop sign at the corner because traffic never observes it. It's a dangerous corner. The city refuses to install a speed bump. If I put up my hand to cross, I wait for the cars to stop before crossing. Very few drivers know that pedestrians have the right of way to cross a corner with a stop sign or where there are no stop lights.

I continue to be amazed by all the people who think they are getting somewhere faster by crossing in the middle of a street to get to the other side, even on busy avenues with more traffic. I ask myself, why don't they consider the risk of being hit by a moving vehicle? Children are being taught that it's fine to cross in the middle of a street because their parents do so all the time. I feel sorry for little ones that have to run, not walk, to keep up with their parents. It's rare to see a parent holding hands with a child who is slowing down to the pace of their child and even having a conversation.

People live unconsciously. I prefer being in the present moment and aware of the beauty everywhere.

 

[Silvie]

Background - a couple here for a few days, staying for three months from around NYC staying in Las Cañitas.

What’s the deal with crosswalks/zebra crossings? I can’t figure out what they are there for. Clearly most drivers who see pedestrians continue driving, some speed up as pedestrians cower waiting for a car to turn to make a break for it.

I need to understand how to safely navigate these. I also am curious on whether this has changed over time.

So- I’m missing some cultural and historical context. Are they vestigial of different times? Is it like many cities where migration leads to lowest common denominator driving courtesy/obedience

They mean nothing in CABA for the drivers. This is something that I addressed at the City government meetings several times and they answered that "drivers needed to be educated". A pedestrian who is crossing a street only represents a nuisance to a vehicle driver and should not even exist. Drivers don't see people crossing the street; they only stop at the intersection because they see a red light and they have to but they have a complete disregard for pedestrians and this really annoys me.

 

[retiredbanker]

Background - a couple here for a few days, staying for three months from around NYC staying in Las Cañitas.

What’s the deal with crosswalks/zebra crossings? I can’t figure out what they are there for. Clearly most drivers who see pedestrians continue driving, some speed up as pedestrians cower waiting for a car to turn to make a break for it.

I need to understand how to safely navigate these. I also am curious on whether this has changed over time.

So- I’m missing some cultural and historical context. Are they vestigial of different times? Is it like many cities where migration leads to lowest common denominator driving courtesy/obedience

Every man for himself in traffic here. Sometimes a nice motorist will stop and waive you to walk but then either a moto or another car will try and squeeze through the crosswalk. It helps to walk fast, look EVERY way around then proceed.

 

[nikad]

They mean nothing in CABA for the drivers. This is something that I addressed at the City government meetings several times and they answered that "drivers needed to be educated". A pedestrian who is crossing a street only represents a nuisance to a vehicle driver and should not even exist. Drivers don't see people crossing the street; they only stop at the intersection because they see a red light and they have to but they have a complete disregard for pedestrians and this really annoys me.

This is true, however a lot of pedestrians disregard their own lives as well. I sometimes joke with my DH and call them the "suicides". It really is chaotic and dangerous. When I was in school we were taught how to cross the streets, we actually went out with teachers to practice ( supervised of course ), and I know that drivers need to pass tests to get their licenses, so I don't really know where this comes from tbh, but it gets worse year after year.

 

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Driving in general is very poor I don‘t know why everyone seems to think they’re Fangio.
Also the constant use of mobile phones when driving doesn’t help matters.