Pedestrians. Where do I begin? Yes, you have the right of way. That doesn’t mean you should just walk out into the street without looking (ahem… Carlton students), and assume the drivers will see you. I’ve seen so many come so close to getting hit.
And yes, I’m sure we’ve all crossed the street without having the walk signal. Whatever. But if you’re doing it in front of vehicles that have a red light, you should move your ass when their light turns green, not just continue to saunter like the world owes you everything.
- Technically you didn’t have a walk light and shouldn’t be there when the light turns green.
- It’s called courtesy. It used to be called common courtesy, but that has obviously changed.
And while I’m on the subject of taking your time crossing the street… Again, yes you have the right of way, but if cars are backed up for blocks waiting for you to cross, would it kill you to pick up the pace? I’ve seen traffic pylons move faster.
I am well aware that the city is trying to come up with a way to alleviate the situation, but I can’t figure out why they’re trying to re-invent the wheel. Other cities have pedestrians too, so just look at what they are doing. In Regina they have pedestrian crossings that are just a flashing red that is activated by pressing the button. The best part about this is that if you recall your drivers ed course, all you have to do at a flashing red is stop until it’s safe to proceed. That way traffic doesn’t build up waiting for a red light at an empty crosswalk. This would also be perfect for the crosswalk on 2nd Ave W near the Gateway Mall.
By the way… pedestrians only have the right of way when crossing at a corner, or at a marked crosswalk, otherwise you are jaywalking. Like I said above, we’ve probably all jaywalked as well, but nothing pisses me off more than people who jaywalk and just expect people to stop. If you’re jaywalking, you better pick up the pace. If you get hit, you’re the one that’s going to be hurting, not the driver of the vehicle. They probably won’t even get a slap on the wrist either because, well… you were jaywalking.
Your parents should’ve taught you this a long time ago, but… Don’t forget to look both ways too. Many times I’ve been crossing Central Ave downtown and was glad I looked both ways. Even though it’s a one way street, I’ve encountered a lot of cars coming the wrong way. (And some drove more than one block too. It really makes you question your hope for the future of the human race)
Oh, I almost forgot, bicycle riders – if you are walking your bike across the street then you’re a pedestrian, if you’re riding your bike, you’re not. It’s pretty straight forward.
So please, be careful. Crossing the street can be a minefield sometimes. May the odds be ever in your favour.
