Home › Forums › Open Discussion › RANT-Yellow VW Bug north on 35th
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September 26, 2014 at 10:30 pm #612801
webshafParticipantTo the driver of the yellow vw bug going north on 35th in the midday hours. You didn’t slow down while I was crossing in the crosswalk at Kenyon and after coming within 10′ of me, you laid on the horn like I was the problem!! Look up the laws regarding crosswalks in Seattle, learn the laws and drive like you know them. Otherwise, when you do hit someone, I hope there are lots of witnesses who step up to identify you. I know there was at least one witness to this who I hope would have chased you down if I had been hit. LET’S PAY ATTENTION PEOPLE!!!
September 26, 2014 at 10:38 pm #814176
wsn00bParticipant35th/Kenyon needs a signal and/or signaled crosswalk. With the bars/restaurants/businesses on that block it would be useful.
September 26, 2014 at 11:54 pm #814177
KenParticipantThere is no marked crosswalk at that intersection.
Perhaps there should be, and perhaps Google maps/street-view does not show one that is there… But this ,like many other unmarked crosswalks in Seattle is an IQ test. The losers get a Darwin Award and the winner gets a life time of guilt, pain and regret.
Don’t take that test and don’t force every driver on that 4 lane major arterial to gamble with your life.
September 27, 2014 at 2:27 am #814178
JanSParticipantwhether the crosswalk is marked or not, the pedestrian has the right of way in Seattle, at an intersection. Both sides need to be heads up about it.
September 27, 2014 at 4:09 am #814179
WSBKeymasterA crosswalk WAS there – removed seven years ago:
https://westseattleblog.com/2007/08/another-crosswalk-in-the-citys-crosshairs
September 28, 2014 at 3:39 pm #814180
KenParticipantThe problem with unmarked crosswalks has been illustrated on 35th several times. I will never again be the one who stops in the right lane for someone who is so dense that they will assume the other three lanes will also stop and goes back to texting on their iphone as they cross. Good thing I could find my horn button that day to shock them into looking up as the truck went by on my left.
Having the legal right of way is not useful when you are dead.
I don’t stop for unmarked crossers on 35th anymore unless I see I am the only car on the road that can hit them if they don’t stop.
I will happily pay that ticket if you are alive to complain :)
September 28, 2014 at 6:39 pm #814181
sbreParticipantAs a driver who is adamant about doing the right thing AND who’s actions advocate pedestrian and cyclist safety, I, like Ken, do not stop for people trying to cross 35th at any non-light controlled intersection as it serves to set them up like a bowling pin for drivers who are unaware or just plain won’t stop for them.
Doing so can actually make it more unsafe for them.
September 28, 2014 at 7:44 pm #814182
anonymeParticipantIt may come as a surprise to some of you that there are actually a LOT of people who live on and adjacent to 35th who MUST cross that street, and there are long, long stretches where there are NO marked crosswalks. As the editor points out, and as SDOT informed me years ago, they have systematically been removed. Would you suggest that we apparate? Has walking become illegal? What if you’re not able to walk a mile out of your way to find a marked crosswalk? Your attitudes are arrogant, ignorant, illegal – and dangerous.
Here’s a thought – SLOW THE EFF DOWN, pay attention, and yield to pedestrians as the law requires you to do.
September 28, 2014 at 7:44 pm #814183
miwsParticipantYeah, as a Professional Pedestrian, who if normally got deeply into these discussions, might come across as a bit militant, I definitely agree with Ken and sbre.
When a driver in that type of scenario does stop for me, I keep an eagle eye on any cars approaching in the same lane, to make sure they are absolutely slowing down, and going to stop, and not go flying into the next lane, and/or slam into the car that is stopped for me.
Too many times, both as a pedestrian, and back when I drove regularly, I witnessed too damn many close calls.
One time, probably around twenty or so years ago when I still had a car, I stopped in the left lane of Admiral, westbound at 42nd, to (try to) let a pedestrian cross from the Starbucks corner, to the other side of Admiral.
Driver after driver zipped right on through, many switching from my lane to the right lane, even though I did not have my turn signal on. I think I may have even tried, or at least thought about scooting the car noticeably into the right lane, when/if safe to do so, to wake the idiots up to the fact a pedestrian was trying to cross.
I don’t even recall if the guy was eventually able to make it across, or if I ended up just giving a “we tried” wave/shrug, but if my eyes were laser beams, there would have probably been a couple dozen or so, disintegrated cars and drivers that day.
This scenario affects me personally and deeply, as 40 plus years ago, as a pre or early-teen, I was damn near run over by a driver that pulled that very boneheaded maneuver, on Silverdale Way in Silverdale, when that was still the main highway.
It was a clearly marked, striped, and with the push button activated, overhead flashing lights on a sign, with an Elementary School on the other sign of the highway! (Although school was not in session.)
I actually panicked, and froze, right in front of the moron that tried to kill me. Fortunately, he was able to stop in time.
Sometime after that, my Step-Mom and I were in the car, and a next door neighbor girl, a couple year younger than me was trying to cross there.
Step-Mom stopped for her, and guess what? Moron approaching us from behind, swerves around, and damn near hits the girl. S-Mom felt guilty, saying “I should have never stopped for her”. She may have even apologized to the girl, there or later.
We can have these discussions endlessly, about everyone in every mode of transportation being responsible both legally, and in just common sense, for the safety of others, and yes, we all have made potentially very harmful, either to ourselves and/or others “mistakes”, and sometimes no matter what, it can maybe be a bit harsh to judge and vilify the person that screwed up, but the scenario of blasting around a stopped car on a multi-lane road, with blatantly obvious disregard as to why that vehicle is stopped, is unforgivable in my mind.
Okay, off soap box! ;-)
Mike
September 28, 2014 at 7:48 pm #814184
miwsParticipantanonyme, Thank you!
I often feel that the oldest known form of transportation, (next to crawling) ;-) known to Humankind, is so often given short shrift…
September 28, 2014 at 9:04 pm #814185
JanSParticipantI agree with anonyme…slow the EFF down. That is aimed at all drivers. Just having come from Endolyne Joe’s , down 35th I was amazed at how many drivers are speeding, guessing 50 mph or more. One guy was stopped behind a left turner, and just as the light was going to change, zipped around him to the right to get thru the intersection, and caused the guy in the right lane to literally stop with someone right behind him.Got to the next light? Swervy guy was right in front of me. So, he saved what?..a second or two? Patience is a virtue. I would rather get there a few minutes late, than not get there at all. I will go the speed limit on 35th, and wherever else. If you all(general “you”) don’t like that, don’t drive near me :) You can only go as fast as the guy in front of you.
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