Vision Zero is actually an appropriate name.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Several recent deadly crashes in Nashville are fueling urgent calls for change as advocates rally behind “Safer Streets Now,” pushing city leaders to fulfill their Vision Zero commitment — the goal of eliminating traffic deaths.
A small but passionate crowd gathered downtown Monday night, honoring Larry W. Smith, who was killed April 27. Protesters say Smith’s death is part of a disturbing trend across Middle Tennessee.
Metro Police report fatal crashes in 2026 are up 33% compared to this time last year, with more than a dozen pedestrian deaths — triple the number from spring 2025.
“Under Mayor Cooper, the city made a commitment to be a Vision Zero City,” advocate Spencer Sharpe said. “We’re just here demanding that these deaths are preventable. It’s time to take serious action.”
Nashville rally demands action on deadly pedestrian crashes
From the get-go: if your plan is zero deaths, you are living in a world of fantasy and bulshitting those around you and that means I will not even continue to listen to what you say.
Second, I do a lot of driving in Nashville so I have to deal with pedestrians a lot. I will even grant that some of the efforts made to make pedestrian crossings visible to drivers are well thought out like the ones equipped with flashing lights to warn drivers of crossing pedestrians. And I will even agree that there are drivers that absolutely suck when it comes to properly allow pedestrians to cross safely because they are distracted in their own little world or sucking a big gulp while vaping Kratom.
But from personal experience, the great majority of faul lies with pedestrians who simply don’t look where they are going or if it is safe to cross the street because an illuminated box told them is OK to cross without having to look.
Vision Zero is the lack of eyeball people give to traffic when they propel themselves into a street. Yes, the law says they have priority and yes the law says vehicles must stop and let them pass, but for the love of God Mr. and Ms. Pedestrian: get your faces off the effing phone and make sure you don’t win the raffle for the live and personal demonstration of the principle that two bodies cannot occupy the same space at the same time and that metal beats flesh every time they meet at any speed.
Open your damned eyes and LOOK!
Just because the law says you're right, doesn't keep out of the morgue.
Even back in the 1970s when I was riding my bike around the streets, I treated the traffic laws as "cop didn't see it, I didn't do it"... and "physics doesn't give a shit about my right-of-way". Only time I ever had a close call was riding across an intersection, with the light, 20 seconds after it turned green for me, and some assclown totally blew through and just brushed my back tire.
I spent almost 20 years as an in-house courier for a medical provider downtown, all local campus deliveries on foot, and I figured out very quickly that the only driver that I'd trust isn't driving if I'm on foot. "Oh, you're giving me my right-of-way? Yeah, I'm yielding it, GTFO of the way, idiot."
Bonus: on no less than three occasions I've heard members of the local hobo/wino/addict/loony/multiple choice population discussing the potential payout when (not if) they got hit by a car. And when/where they were going to make it happen.