UPDATE: Driver hits man on Admiral Way

(WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)

12:37 PM: Thanks to those who tipped us to a collision reported to be blocking most of SW Admiral Way by Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor), between 41st and 42nd. We don’t know the circumstances yet – one man was reported to be down.

12:45 PM: WSB’s Christopher Boffoli has just been at the scene and says it was an 89-year-old man crossing the street with groceries, hit by a car. Witnesses told Christopher the man was briefly unconscious but a registered nurse who was nearby stayed with him until medics arrived. The lanes have reopened but police are still there investigating, he says. The man was taken to Harborview Medical Center.

JanS April 7, 2016 (12:44 pm)

I’m around the corner from there, but can’t see anything…have heard the sirens…just heard more. It’s a challenging block…two gas stations with people pulling out…a one way alley exiting on Admiral right in the middle from the south..alley from Met Mkt. exiting from the north…and then there’s people constantly trying to get into and out of Starbucks lot from both directions, sometimes across two lanes of traffic…it’s a bit hairy. I hope everyone is OK.

JanS April 7, 2016 (1:03 pm)

oh, sad…thanks for the update.

David April 7, 2016 (1:20 pm)

Not surprising. I was almost hit there a few weeks ago, crossing in the crosswalk near the Safeway gas station, heading over to the library. I had right-of-way of course, green walk signal lit and all, and luckily the turning driver saw me in time, but seemed startled and confused that there was a pedestrian in the crosswalk (?). I always thought of Seattle as this progressive, environmental, green city, but after living here for 7 years I now see that that honor for the Northwest belongs to Portland, the city that walks the walk. Seattle is just a wannabe green city. My thoughts are with the victim and I hope he has a speedy recovery.

B April 7, 2016 (1:38 pm)

I don’t see how almost having a traffic accident makes you think Seattle isn’t some “progressive, environmental, green city”; drivers are drivers.

And I don’t have recent stats, but a report released by the City of Portland in 2014 references 2009 traffic fatality statistics and Portland compares unfavorably:

“Portland’s safety performance has improved much more
significantly than the U.S. as a whole; but other large cities
are doing better when comparing likelihood that a person
will be killed in a traffic crash. For example, traffic deaths in
Seattle occur 16% less frequently when adjusted for
population.”

Thought that is just deaths.

John April 7, 2016 (1:33 pm)

@David…. I agree with you . I ride my bike to and from work everyday. I also walk to everything. I’d definitely call myself a pedestrian. I’m constantly amazed at how I feel cars don’t seem to sees me. My bike is full of ‘ON’ lights and I wear yellow outfits……when walking I’m always looking for that one car having me in their crosshairs.

A lot of cars see me, but simply don’t care that I have the right-of-way. Everyone is in a hurry and I’m in their way.

waikikigirl April 7, 2016 (1:39 pm)

OH NO I hope the “elderly man” didn’t get too badly. :>(

B April 7, 2016 (1:40 pm)

I guess the link was lost if I just paste it in: how about this instead

MG April 7, 2016 (2:12 pm)

All the intersections along the Admiral Junction are dangerous. You really have to be careful and watch for inattentive drivers. I almost got hit crossing Admiral on 42nd, and also on Admiral on 41st. Those intersections are prone to pedestrian accidents. At the very least, I wish SDOT would make the crosswalk light go on automatically rather than have someone press on the big button. It may not stop future accidents but every little bit helps.

Bill Bob April 7, 2016 (2:56 pm)

IMO, Portland has us beat in bicycle, transit, and pedestrian friendliness. I used to live there. I also feel as if more people in Portland understand environmental issues than Seattle. Portland is a smaller city, however.

Regardless of that, accidents happen. Vehicles cause so many problems, yet are so helpful. Such is the trade off. My heart goes out to the man who was hit.

Oakley34 April 7, 2016 (3:37 pm)

I know this has very little to do with the rechannel/road diet debate centered around 35th, but I think it is important to note that when we speak about protections for pedestrians THIS gentleman (89 years old) is who we are talking about. Our laws should aim to protect the most vulnerable.

rw April 7, 2016 (4:09 pm)

David described my experience from a few months ago almost to a T. Crossing from the Safeway gas station when the Walk sign came on, I was very nearly tagged by a Mom (baby in the back seat) who was checking her phone while turning left onto Admiral. She slammed on her brake with barely a foot between me and her SUV. She was clearly shaken, and I didn’t settle down until I had safely walked back home.

rpo April 7, 2016 (4:58 pm)

I have had cars at that intersection, on two occasions now, run the red light westbound on Admiral that were so close to hitting me that I touched the side of the car as they went by.

colleen April 7, 2016 (5:32 pm)

Ya, I was walking by the gas station by Trader Joe’s a few months ago and had some guy run the sidewalk in his eagerness to get his gas. I touched his car too.

Motorist April 7, 2016 (6:30 pm)

I urge all pedestrians to cross the street only at the intersection. There are too many jaywalkers who think it’s okay for them to cross mid-block. This advice goes for every street, not just the arterials.

Wb April 7, 2016 (7:35 pm)

I urge all motorists to pay attention and keep their eyes on the road.

Matt S. April 7, 2016 (8:27 pm)

I’ll second your urge. The people driving the elaborate machines (and more often than not, that’s me) need to put some effort into it or get off the road.
Matt April 8, 2016 (8:00 am)

And get off your damn cell phone, driving 5-10 under doesn’t make you safe enough to look at your phone just makes you all the more frustrating and dangerous.

Seattlite April 7, 2016 (8:31 pm)

First I hope the 89 year-old man recovers swiftly. Dangerous times on Seattle’s streets: distracted drivers, distracted pedestrians, pedestrians that jaywalk. Pedestrians needs to cross streets using marked cross walks or from corner to corner for safety. Pedestrians need to cross streets like they are driving a car which means to look all ways even if you have the right of way especially look for drivers turning corners into the cross walk. Last week I was rear ended by a distracted driver…very upsetting. I was fortunate that I was not injured. Distracted drivers and distracted pedestrians are putting everyone around them on the streets in danger. Bicyclists who blow through stop signs, red lights are just as dangerous.

JN April 8, 2016 (3:11 pm)

@Seattlite, fortunately your statement regarding bicyclists being “just as dangerous” as cars is completely, utterly false. >30,000 people are killed every year by drivers, the number killed by bicyclists can be counted on your hands if any are killed that year at all. A vehicle weighing thousands of pounds going more than 35mph is exponentially more dangerous than a typical bicycle/rider weighing 200lbs going 15mph (average speeds).

Morgan April 7, 2016 (8:39 pm)

Sending healing thoughts to the gentleman that was hit.

Katherine April 8, 2016 (10:54 am)

As a pedestrian, runner, cyclist and a driver my rule is …”If you can’t make eye contact, assume they haven’t seen you”, in particular if crossing an intersection with turning vehicles.

One thing to keep in mind is that vehicle “A” pillars create a driver blind spot more than large enough to hide a human. The ones on my jeep can hide a vehicle if driving conditions (speed, angle of approach, etc) line up in a certain way. After a recent bus incident there was an article showing the size of the blind spot on a bus was something like 18′ wide at 10′ away.

Be safe, take your time, look both ways…