Sunday, November 29, 2009

Slow Down & Cross at Crosswalks


Saturday night dangerous for Vancouver pedestrians

Yah? Well, don't forget Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Seven pedestrians were struck by vehicles yesterday.

I'm surprised it wasn't 70.

As all good ghost stories begin, "It was a dark and rainy night..."

Hey, kids, it's been a dark and rainy night every night for the past two months.

Everybody, including me, is in our winter blacks. We are basically invisible.

Which makes it really disconcerting that idiots are crossing in the middle of streets all over the place.

And of course people are relentlessly speeding. Racing. And that's just in the Safeway parking lot.

Flying through crosswalks and past school zones.

Seven?

Consider us lucky.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Then there are the idiots making turns who only look for other cars and not the pedestrians crossing when the walk sign come on. I've lost track of the number of times I've almost been hit by people making turns.

RonH

Anonymous said...

I drive to UBC three or four days/week and must navigate the new traffic circle (why did we need a traffic circle?) at 16th and Wesbrook. This circle is a bit of a nightmare for pedestrians -- motorists must be wary of drivers entering the circle before it is safe to do so, and in order to avoid being hit we drivers are often more focused on the cars than on the people. Once the NRC building is retrofit to use as a school there will be even more young pedestrians. If my child were walking in that area I would be quite concerned about his/her safety. With the new Save-On Foods south of 16th the pedestrian traffic has definitely increased and I will not be surprised when I hear that someone has been struck. And do drivers even know how to use a traffic circle (the large or small variety)?

Mo.

Jeff Taylor said...

After too many times where I was almost run over in crosswalks, I NEVER step off the curb until I make eye contact with the driver. If I can't make eye contact, I either don't begin to cross or I proceed with EXTREME caution.