Home › Forums › Open Discussion › Drivers not stopping or watching for pedestrians
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June 13, 2012 at 9:07 am #603587
BookGalParticipantWhy do drivers stop for jaywalkers (which is illegal) who just saunter across the street (mid-block)… but these same drivers will zoom by a pedestrian who is clearly standing at a street corner or walking in a marked crosswalk?
Or worse, drivers who never actually come to a FULL STOP for a pedestrian trying to walk across the street legally (at a corner or at a marked crosswalk). These drivers just keep coming… and they wonder why the pedestrian is hesitant about stepping directly in front of their (still moving) vehicle??
I consider myself to be a very aware and fairly assertive pedestrian. But I am not about to place myself in harms way by stepping in front of a moving metal object that clearly out weighs me. Especially if I am not sure if the driver will actually come to a full stop.
Oh, and those drivers who never look to see if a pedestrian is crossing the street or driveway before they turn the corner… You do know you are suppose to look both ways – for on-coming traffic and pedestrians??
Trouble spots for pedestrians trying to cross:
The marked crosswalk at Fauntleroy Way SW near SW Juneau Street. Drivers are always speeding and tailgating one another. So, even when someone does stop (at the last second) – it is at the risk of almost getting rear-ended. What Fauntleroy needs is a pedestrian activated sign (for drivers to see before reaching the blind curves on Fauntleroy) to slow down and stop for a Pedestrian Crossing Street Ahead.
The marked crosswalks on California Ave SW (SW Findlay; and the one where Rite Aid is) – sometimes as many as ten cars will just zoom by before someone finally stops. There used to be flags at the Rite Aid stop, but they kept getting stolen.
Even the Junction’s “raised” mid-street crosswalk on California can be a tricky crossing for pedestrians.
June 13, 2012 at 2:01 pm #760736
redblackParticipanti sat in cactus on a recent sunny afternoon and observed drivers’ behavior at the intersection of alki and 63rd SW (but that’s not why i was there, of course) and was disturbed at the fact that not one driver executed a full stop there – unless there was a pedestrian in the act of crossing the street.
if i was a traffic cop, this city would be flush with revenue. there’s a potential gold mine out there.
drivers of late seem to have a policy of never allowing their wheels to stop moving, even at controlled intersections.
…which causes my obstinate self to execute full stops at every stop sign and red light in order to annoy the dim bulbs behind me.
June 13, 2012 at 4:03 pm #760737
SueParticipantI am a pedestrian far more than I am a driver, so when I am driving I try very, very hard to look for (and stop for) pedestrians. But it’s not always easy. For one thing, I have this large pillar in the front corner of my car at the end of the windshield, and if I’m driving and someone is waiting at the corner to my left, I sometimes can’t see them if they’re at just the right angle to me. I’m particularly sensitive to crossers on Fauntleroy as I live on Fauntleroy and know it’s not the easiest street to cross. It’s unlikely they’d approve a pedestrian crossing at Juneau since they’re already one a block away at Findlay, but you could try requesting one. I was one of the people who helped to get the one put in at Dawson and it’s a long process. (And frankly, many drivers don’t even stop at that red light – it’s like that one is optional because it pisses them off that they have to stop for someone.)
Pedestrians are also not always clear that they’re actually waiting to cross the street. If you’re standing 1+ feet back from the curb, not facing the roadway, I’m going to assume you’re not trying to cross. (I see this all the time.) If I’m trying to cross a street w/o a light, I step off the curb to make myself more visible and let them know that, without a doubt, I am trying to cross.
And yes, sometimes I mess up because of other driving distractions and I don’t see the pedestrian until it’s too late to safely stop, so I keep going so I don’t get rear-ended by the car behind me. Yes, it may be the law for me to stop, but it’s also common sense for the pedestrian to make sure they’re not going to get hit before stepping out. My dad always said “right-of-way doesn’t make a difference if you end up dead.”
Why do I stop for jaywalkers? Because they’re usually stupid enough to race out in front of me, causing me to slam on my brakes. Believe me, if I don’t risk hitting them, I don’t stop for them.
June 13, 2012 at 4:29 pm #760738
pattileaParticipantI am also a walker, with my young son on his scooter. I work so hard trying to teach him to stop at corners, driveways ect. To get off his scooter and walk it across the street. I am just shocked by drivers behavior. I become very upset, I hold my temper, because I don’t want him to learn walker (road) rage from me. It only takes a moment to stop, is it just bad manners, or are people in such a hurry that they risk killing someone? Last week on California and Spokane, I was honked at for stopping for a crosser!
June 13, 2012 at 5:35 pm #760739
ThistlemistMemberRight Turns! Right Turns! Right Turns! As a pedestrian, I have had more close calls at the Admiral/California Junction then I care to count, cars will whip around those corners and then look shocked when they almost run into someone in the cross walk. Yes, you have a green light but guess what – pedestrians also have the walk signal! It amazes me too how many people will blast their horns at a vehicle that is waiting to make the turn (not moving “fast enough” for you?) … 99% of the time their just waiting for pedestrians to finish crossing.
I am not a 100% perfect driver; I will fully admit that there are times I have not seen someone waiting to cross at a corner until it is too late for me to safely stop. But seriously, when it comes to turns, the driver is in absolute control of the situation – there is really no excuse for not looking and taking the corner too fast.
June 13, 2012 at 6:23 pm #760740
SueParticipantOh yes, Thistlemist – right turns are a huge problem for pedestrians. I nearly got run over the other day downtown by a police car; he had stopped at the red light, was looking left for traffic, and then decided to make the right on red, without ever looking to see that I had stepped off the curb to (legally) cross the street he was turning off of. Fortunately I was not in front of his car yet, but I don’t think he actually ever made eye contact with me. Scary.
June 13, 2012 at 7:15 pm #760741
HomerParticipantJust remember, that car that stops for you in a crosswalk for you to cross…..the car behind it may not be expecting the car in front of it to be stopped on a major road. It slams into the stopped car pushing that one into the pedestrian…..Moral of the story, don’t just assume you’re safe to cross if the first car has stopped for you, keep an eye out while crossing at all times.
June 13, 2012 at 7:28 pm #760742
JanSParticipantAnd, pedestrians, please, please wear clothing at night to make you visible. If we can’t see you, we can’t stop for you. If you are wearing dark clothes at night, please don’t dart out into the street assuming that we will stop. This has happened to me twice this week.
Responsibility goes both ways.
June 14, 2012 at 3:49 am #760743
redblackParticipantgood point, homer.
if you stop for a pedestrian who’s waiting to cross, check your mirrors and make sure the cars and bikes behind you know your intentions. consider tapping the brakes a few times and flashing those brake lights. or maybe put on the hazards.
this isn’t rocket science, people.
June 15, 2012 at 5:21 am #760744
TreyseaLinMemberI’m so glad I read this blog. I’m new to West Seattle, and this is the most “urban” place I’ve ever lived. I honestly thought that you only had to stop for pedestrians waiting to cross if there was a flashing yellow light. Now I know better! By the way, why do some crosswalks have overhead signs and flashing lights, and others just have a sign on the side of the road with no lights? Is it a matter of funding (or lack thereof)?
June 15, 2012 at 6:16 am #760745
JanSParticipantthose intersections are sometimes the more dangerous ones, or busier ones…
and welcome to our ‘hood :)
June 15, 2012 at 1:26 pm #760746
SueParticipantWelcome, TreyseaLin! I’m not entirely sure why the intersections differ – probably in part from funding, probably because one intersection was deemed more dangerous so needed more visibility. However, *every* corner/intersection is considered a “crosswalk” whether painted/lighted/signed or not. They’ve actually done studies that show that the ones where lines are painted are allegedly the most dangerous – I think mostly because some pedestrians feel that they can just stroll out and people will know it’s a crosswalk, and they pay less attention to traffic.
June 15, 2012 at 3:50 pm #760747
cjboffoliParticipantWhen I learned to drive (In Massachusetts) I was taught that it was unlawful to fail to yield to any pedestrian who is in the road. Whether they’re in a crosswalk or not, pedestrians always have the right of way. I’m not sure what the detail of the law is here in Washington, but I don’t think it is a bad rule to follow, providing that I can make a safe stop while being mindful of the traffic behind me.
There is nowhere that I could possibly be going that is more important than the safety of another human being who might be killed or seriously injured if I don’t stop my car and let them pass. Whether they exercise poor judgement or have the legal right to be in the road is incidental.
June 15, 2012 at 4:29 pm #760748
sacatoshParticipantAnd, pedestrians, please, please wear clothing at night to make you visible.
I find that most of the pedestrians wearing clothing are less visible than the nekkid ones, but YMMV. ;->
PLEASE OH PLEASE if you are on foot, on a bike, etc, wear something light-colored and/or reflective! Moreso if you’re out on foot, jaywalking, in the rain at dusk. I’ve had a few close calls due to people stepping out from between parked cars or walking out without really paying attention in the rain. At night, the glare off the wet pavement makes it difficult to see, and at dusk it’s even worse with the greyed-down colors of everything around.
I’m an extremely cautious driver – haven’t had a ticket or accident in >25 years – and I’m particularly aware of pedestrians and bicyclists, but it is hard to see at certain times a day. Please help me NOT hit you. Neither of us wants that!
June 15, 2012 at 4:41 pm #760749
Genesee HillParticipantYes on right turns. I always force myself to be extra careful in those situation that Sue describes above. When stopped at a red light or stopsign and then making the right turn the last place was in inclined to check is to the left, to make sure a car is not coming. I now make sure I take a guick look to the right to ensure no pedistrian is going to step off the curb in front of me. I have been surprised in the past and will not be in the future.
June 15, 2012 at 5:53 pm #760750
miwsParticipantChristopher, IIRC, if not State law, it’s at least Seattle law, that it’s not legal to jaywalk, per se, but that the driver is expected to stop for pedestrians (or at least make a reasonable attempt) even if the ped is jaywalking.
Mike
June 15, 2012 at 7:40 pm #760751
waterworldParticipantMike is correct. RCW 46.61, which lists all the Rules of the Road, regulates pedestrians as well as drivers. There are many car vs. pedestrian situations where the car legally has the right-of-way and the pedestrian could get ticketed for violating the law, but under 46.61.245, the driver must always exercise “due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian.” Having the right of way never gives a driver the right to hit someone. (You’d think we wouldn’t need a law to spell this out…)
June 15, 2012 at 7:40 pm #760752
dbseaMemberHey Boffoli, you must be an excellent driver!
I think we Bay State products are amongst the most skilled (not the most polite) anywhere. You know, cause it’s so competitive back there and all.
To me the most basic, common denominator to all the above mentioned car/bike/ped issues is to think. Think about what you are doing. Actually while you are doing it. You know, “I am driving a car. I shall look at crosswalks and watch for people in the street. I will watch for cars pulling out. I will stop at yellow lights. How’s my speed? Am I tailgaiting? Do I have the WALK light or not? I better make sure that guy is looking at me before I step off the curb.” And on and on. The hardest part is having and maintaining the discipline to consistently THINK.
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