Kyiv should be the quintessential pedestrian's paradise, with a miraculous and awe-inspiring subway system which can move one and a half million passengers a day, with more city parks than any other major European City, and with such beautiful and inviting streets. But, as in other things, the forces of commercial interest are squeezing out the little guy. I have been amazed at the brazen gall of the drivers in this City. Crossing a street, even on a "walk" light and in a zebra stripe, can be a frightening experience. Drivers barely swerve around you if you are in the crosswalk. Few traffic controls are enforced, and the sidewalks appear to have become secondary highways for the fat Mercedes, BMW's and Lexus's so prevalent on the road. Tuesday night, for example, when we were stuck in absolute gridlock traffic returning home from the National Aviation University, we had to watch for cars behind us as we walked along the pedestrian path through the trees to the Metro Station.
As I walked through the City this morning, I noted also that most of the sidewalk space is occupied by cars parked overnight by their owners in front of their apartment buildings. And to reserve spots in the public right of way, people have begun to install steel framed locks which can be locked in an upright position to prevent other drivers from "stealing" your place on the sidewalk.
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