On Tuesday night, a car hit a 10-year-old boy while he tried to cross the street. The last news report I read regarding the incident said he was not expected to survive. Horrifying. Tragic. Anything I'm about to say does not take away from that.
I overheard someone talking about this accident, furious with the driver for not being cautious, for not paying attention. The news had said the driver was not speeding nor was he drunk. From what I have read, it sounded like 3 or 4 kids tried to run across the street, but not all of them made it. One car was able to stop. Another did not.
I am a pedestrian about 80% of my transportation time. I take the bus and I occasionally catch rides but most of the time, it's my favourite pair of sneakers and me. I am more than aware of the dangers of crossing the street. You have to look all the time! It doesn't matter if you have the right of way; you are a heck of a lot smaller than that truck bearing down on you. I see it all the time, a person smacks the yellow button to the pedestrian-activated crosswalk lights and starts walking. They assume all the cars are going to see the yellow lights and have time to stop. For starters, this is Edmonton. Ever heard of icy roads? It's hard to stop on a dime at the best of times, let alone at 60km on slick streets. And what if the moment you hit that button is the same moment that driver decides to change his radio station?
Apparently 2/3 of pedestrian accidents happen at crosswalks. Ok, this stat relates to the number of people who cross at crosswalks versus jaywalking, but it also says to me that people take their safety for granted more in a crosswalk than at a random section of street. The province is trying to do something about it, raising the fine for not stopping for a pedestrian at a crosswalk from $57 to $500. We've had public awareness campaigns, including the latest called "Look out for each other: Share the responsibility." I think it's the right message, but the question is will anyone hear it? Pedestrians have to take responsibility for their own safety and assume the car isn't going to stop until they see that it is physically stopping. Check each lane as you cross. Some guy in the second or third lane may think it's a great idea to pull around and go ahead - into you. Start watching where you are going and what's coming at you.
And don't even get me started on the idiots that ride their bikes across a crosswalk!
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Red, Green, who cares! I J-walk across the street all the time. Sometimes I don't even bother to hit the yellow button, let alone wait. I ride my bike across crosswalks too, through red lights, etc.
I never do any of these when there are cars around though.
As someone who walks, bikes, and inline skates pretty much everywhere I go for the last ten years... I have some idiot car driver on their cell phone attempt to run me over at least three times a damn day. Cars completely ignore the crossing lights near my place, and speed right through. When I am on my bike, every ten minutes someone tries to pass me and then pull a quick right turn, cutting me off.
My point is... if I relied on the lights and crosswalks to provide me **ANY** form of safety, or resemblance thereof, I would have died a long time ago. This has basically trained me to ignore them! Though I know my attitude doesn't help things, it's obviously a free-for-all out there, so I treat it as such. I cross when it's safe, and I don't when it's not. From the time I walk out the door, until I get to my destination, I spend that time on hyper-alert "THEY ARE ALL OUT TO GET ME!!!!" mode. I am constantly aware of everyone and everthing around me, it's direction, and speed. It's worked so far.
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Chris Hubick
mailto:chris@hubick.com
http://www.hubick.com/
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