This subject comes up about every two months and the resulting comments are always the same. We get a few sensible comments but they are drowned out with these made-up and exaggerated accounts of dodging pedestrians who run out, some putting on make-up, some are texting. I’m not suggesting that some pedestrians aren’t reckless but these stories are simply untrue. They are the same stereotypical stories of teenagers driving while applying make-up or aggressive, latte-sipping moms from the Heights in their big SUVs.
I urge some of you road warriors to actually spend some time trying to use crosswalks during busy times. It’s not a case of waiting for that one car to pass by before crossing. Traffic is heavy, and it comes in multiple directions. One lane might stop for the waiting pedestrian, but the other lane does not. Stopped driver gets frustrated and thinks the pedestrian is being stupid for not crossing, so he shakes his head and drivers on.
It’s not that simple. It’s easy to say just wait, but that often isn’t practical. The only real safe way to solve this would be to have traffic lights at every crossing. The downsides of this, however, would be massive costs and massive traffic congestion while the generally free-flowing traffic is caught up in multiple traffic lights.
Personally i have not had a problem, at least in the central business district.
A stopped driver should be seen as if there was a school Bus is discharging children and adolescents.
Albeit so many queu up for a un signaled left turn everyone had given up on
any or,all courtesy while driving.A senior citizen crossing unaccompanied
Is also a disaster waiting to happen.Police need to get out of their SUVS and sedans and interact.Thats something drivers pay attention to..risk of a ticket.
I use the crosswalks.
I look once, twice, three times and then look again. I keep looking as I cross the road. Most importantly I DO NOT trust the drivers to follow the rules of the road and yield to pedestrians…
I’ve probably walked hundreds of miles over the years just crossing streets and I’ve never been hit.
Defensive walking and self-responsibility keeps you alive and in one piece. Sometimes that involves waiting, even if it is not “practical” – better to be late and alive than on-time and dead.
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This is not to excuse the poor driving by some – it acknowledges it (or at least the potential for dangerous drivers).
the biggest mistake is to look to the law or the police or the government to “fix” bad drivers.
The responsibility is on the pedestrian to keep himself safe. No matter how “in the right” you are, you will ALWAYS lose an “argument” with a motor vehicle.
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I witnessed it this morning…a woman pushing a stroller was trying to get across the street by library. She was in the walkway. I stopped for her but six cars drove past through on the other side.
Awareness of the pedestrian law is lacking…..
Anyone with kids or a stroller would be wise to make eye contact with drivers and wait for cars to stop BEFORE entering the roadway. It’s common sense and I’ve seen just as many pedestrians use such caution and just as many engage in the risky behavior of just walking onto the road assuming cars see them and will stop.
1.18pm: If you really are able to do all that looking back and forth before crossing, you are either crossing the road at 3am, crossing some quiet back street, or making it up. The main roads are way too busy to do all that.
I’m with 1:18. I look both ways – more than once.
I have lived a long life without getting hit by a car. I would never walk out expecting cars to stop.
Bullshit 5:31.
I do it all the time. It is neither hard nor time consuming.
The more you do it the easier it gets…. it becomes second nature you don’t even realize you are doing it.
If you value your life you will hone these skills.
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You should also hone these skills when driving…
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