> Anecdotally, where I live in Seattle, the people who are still driving are driving like maniacs...speeding, ignoring stop signs, lights, etc
This is likely similar everywhere. Traffic controls idiots speeding. For another anecdote, check out these statistics from Toronto [1], approx 460% year-over-year increase in stunting charges ("stunting" being the charge when someone is going more than 50km/hr over the speed limit.) One person recently was going 270km/hr in a 100km/hr zone (cops caught them because a tire blew).
[1] "Between March 16 and April 22, police have issued 6,978 speeding tickets and 224 stunt driving charges. In the same period last year, police issued 5,504 speeding tickets and 40 stunt driving charges." https://www.toronto.com/news-story/9960534-toronto-police-ch...
Toronto has a huge road violence problem, on top of an enforcement problem. Traffic laws are almost never enforced, the police is complacent, and road violence goes unpunished. It is absurd and hard to believe, you have I see it to believe it. Drivers know that and have no problem intimidating pedestrians and cyclists because they know absolutely nothing at all will happen. Either the police won’t even bother to take the complaint seriously, they’ll turn a blind eye (can’t count the number of times I’ve seen someone break the law in their car right next to a patrol car and the cops just carried on), or they’ll get caught but not see a judge because the system is overloaded and so the charges automatically dropped. I’m not even mentioning drivers using bike lanes as a stopping lane. Toronto is pure madness and is has terrible quality of life as a result.
They do however have once a year, for about 8h, car free streets (only 4/5 but still). It’s such a delight on these days. Everyone is out and about, cops are at every intersections to turn cars away, and you can even hear the birds sing!!! But yeah that for a grand total of maybe 10 km of main streets, 16h a year.
It's not just because of less traffic. Police are over-stretched right now, as is the entire justice system due to Covid-19. A lot of people are taking advantage of this and many types of crime are way up. (I'm also Toronto area)
This is likely similar everywhere. Traffic controls idiots speeding. For another anecdote, check out these statistics from Toronto [1], approx 460% year-over-year increase in stunting charges ("stunting" being the charge when someone is going more than 50km/hr over the speed limit.) One person recently was going 270km/hr in a 100km/hr zone (cops caught them because a tire blew).
[1] "Between March 16 and April 22, police have issued 6,978 speeding tickets and 224 stunt driving charges. In the same period last year, police issued 5,504 speeding tickets and 40 stunt driving charges." https://www.toronto.com/news-story/9960534-toronto-police-ch...