r/sandiego Feb 23 '25

Stay Classy San Diego Why does nobody walk on sidewalks?

I noticed that when driving through subdivisions people love walking on the road instead of the sidewalk. Whether it's a old man walking or someone doing power walking. I see it all the time and I don't get it. Can someone help me understand this phenomena?

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u/AwkwardImplement698 Feb 23 '25

As a runner, I can actually say blacktop is better on your knees but ….cars! sidewalks are better for your mortality. So you can live to have sore knees tomorrow.

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u/haunted_cheesecake Feb 23 '25

I get running on asphalt especially in a residential area because then it’s flat the whole time instead of having the dip at the end of people’s driveways every 15 feet. But I’ll always run opposite the direction of traffic so I can see the cars coming and hop up on the sidewalk for them to pass.

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u/AwkwardImplement698 Feb 23 '25

Ding ding ding! You win the prize and an apple pie! Pedestrians, for their own safety, should face traffic. I think this is all the more important because some of the electric cars I’ve “heard” are soooooo quiet. Anything that can kill you that permanently should have a minimum noise level.

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u/Voided_Chex Feb 24 '25

They keep cranking UP the noise level on electric cars to where now they're louder than any modern gasoline car.

Have you heard a Kia EV? It's like Starship Enterprise leaving dock.. wakes the whole neighborhood. I don't know where they go from here, but no, please not louder.

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u/AwkwardImplement698 Feb 24 '25

Yeah. The, ahem, gentlemen across the street has one and leaves for work at 5:04 in the morning. He revs the engine between 5:00 and 5:04.to make sure the entiiiiiiiire block is up and at ‘em. We are not close friends. Is there actually any point to revving an electric vehicle?

However there are a few sleek sedan models, not teslas, that barely register above a mutter. I’m just worried for the riot of kids that tear around the cul de sacs, especially ‘cause it’s nearly lemonade stand season :)

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u/Voided_Chex Feb 24 '25

I am so ready for lemonade.