To all you motorists out there...
Why is it that motorists stop for a jaywalker crossing the street (illegally) yet refuse to stop for a pedestrian crossing the street legally at street corners, or at a marked crosswalk??
I am lucky that I was not hit yesterday morning while trying to cross Fauntleroy (in the marked crosswalk near Juneau St). The driver of the small silver SUV - could clearly see me crossing the street, yet did not stop... He slowed down (never stopping) before coming up to the crosswalk, then he accelerated. I was in the middle of the marked crosswalk (at the pedestrian "island"! If I had taken one more step, he would have struck me. This is not an isolated incident. I know of at least 3 other times (within the past week) where drivers did not stop for pedestrians at that exact crosswalk.
I am a very defensive pedestrian - I look both ways; I cross streets at the corners and at marked crosswalks; I do not just stride right out into the road thinking that all drivers are paying any attention or have any intention of coming to a full stop; I carry a light coloured or red umbrella when its raining. I carry and use a flashlight when it gets dark. Rarely do I ever jaywalk.
I also expect the drivers of all vehicles to come to a FULL STOP before I walk into the path of on-coming traffic. But I would say 90% of drivers never stop... Most drivers just speed by; or give the pedestrian a dirty look when they do stop at the last possible moment.
Slowing your vehicle down to 10 mph or 5 mph or 3 mph is not stopping. I can not read your mind, nor do I know if you actually intend to come to a full and complete stop; or that you will just keep going albeit at a slower speed (right through the crosswalk).
* Sidewalks - Drivers and bicyclists must yield to pedestrians on sidewalks and in crosswalks (RCW 46.61.261).
* Crosswalks
(1) The operator of an approaching vehicle shall stop and remain stopped to allow a pedestrian or bicycle to cross the roadway within an unmarked or marked crosswalk when the pedestrian or bicycle is upon or within one lane of the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling or onto which it is turning. For purposes of this section "half of the roadway" means all traffic lanes carrying traffic in one direction of travel, and includes the entire width of a one-way roadway.(RCW 46.61.235)
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West Seattle Blog
