tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179571129127898266.post2382731396200505434..comments2023-09-23T00:31:54.457-07:00Comments on The Devil's Advocate: Crosswalk Safety: Part 2: Taking ChargeDerek A. Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18296237599403544835noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179571129127898266.post-73442090818938365532012-11-25T05:46:34.808-08:002012-11-25T05:46:34.808-08:00I'm happy to see the Prince Albert crosswalk r...I'm happy to see the Prince Albert crosswalk return. It's near my home, and I first became aware of this issue the hard way while out for a walk with my son, only to find the crosswalk was gone. They created a very dangerous situation there as the sidewalk ends abruptly and there is no other crosswalk nearby.<br /><br />I agree it's a major concern that the traffic authority is not even properly measuring against their own criteria (which are incomplete to begin with). I've updated my blog post for this story. I think it points (again) to the need for more community input: if they'd bothered to ask the community, they would have told them about the traffic patterns, and the traffic authority would have avoided the cost of removal and re-installation, not to mention the risk they imposed on the community.Derek A. Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18296237599403544835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179571129127898266.post-75768223464705378322012-11-25T05:42:30.069-08:002012-11-25T05:42:30.069-08:00First: good question. I've often wondered the...First: good question. I've often wondered the same thing. The Motor Vehicle Act isn't really clear on this point. It says the vehicle has to yield the right of way to a pedestrian in or waiting for a crosswalk, but doesn't say when the vehicle can proceed again. I don't see anything that prevents you from proceeding once the pedestrian has traversed your side of the road (provided there aren't other pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross!). Since the overriding concern is safety, then personally I would think it is fine as long as it is safe to proceed. But it might be a good question for someone who enforces the law.<br /><br />Second, I know what you are talking about as I have lived in New Zealand, (and I survived as a pedestrian). Kiwis have more of a culture of risk-taking than Canadians, so that may be a factor there. I'm not sure the rules in New Zealand are better, but they are clearer, so I think the answer may be for us to clarify the hierarchy some more here. Again, that comes back to better education and enforcement.<br /><br />I will point out that the MVA does allow pedestrians to cross the road at points other than crosswalks, as long as they yield to oncoming traffic. So it's only really jaywalking to cross in the middle of the road if there's a car coming. I recognize that some pedestrians do jaywalk. It's a definite problem. Again, that rule needs to be clarified and better enforced too, by ticketing some jaywalkers.Derek A. Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18296237599403544835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179571129127898266.post-39047144984355943492012-11-25T05:13:38.161-08:002012-11-25T05:13:38.161-08:00I have lost all faith in the city on this issue. K...I have lost all faith in the city on this issue. Ken Reashor says we should look at "what is safe" when removing crosswalks but it's clear that the city is not basing their decision on that. According to this article regarding the removal of the Prince Albert Road crosswalk, the city wasn't aware the crosswalk had so many users. HRM says they look at crosswalk usage but something is not right here if they're missing the majority of users. This brings up the question of what criteria the city is using to remove crosswalks. <br /><br />http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/191454-crosswalk-returning-mccluskey-tweetszeptepehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13025733150649170012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8179571129127898266.post-77519906793641684842012-11-23T17:52:27.760-08:002012-11-23T17:52:27.760-08:00Thanks for a great blog, 2 quick things.
First a ...Thanks for a great blog, 2 quick things. <br />First a question that has been nagging me for a while. When stopped at a crosswalk for a pedestrian are you suppose to wait until the pedestrian has reached the sidewalk or is it all right to drive once the pedestrian has traversed your side of the road? Does that make sense? <br />Secondly, a bit of a rant. <br />Haligonian pedestrians are some of the worst j walkers in the world! There actions lead me to believe that they mistaken thing they can cross anywhere. The often can be seem crossing without any regard for oncoming traffic outside crosswalks and intersections. Our holier then thou pedestrians should take a trip to New Zealand I suspect there would be a number of them not making the return voyage with a heart beat. Pedestrians there have little to no rights which sounds terrible however it results in a more recognized hierarchy and thus some respect for motorist outside of the designated crossing points. I feel I need to include the fact that while I’m currently giving pedestrians a hard time, I generally run or bike to work year round so I’m more often a pedestrian then a motorist in this city. I feel that actually helps me in saying that we collectively need to work on the relationship between motorist and pedestrian in this city. Thanks again<br /> gerl902https://www.blogger.com/profile/13068200547172449676noreply@blogger.com