Pedestrians take responsibility for your own safety

[austin]

There is no such thing as a “non crosswalk intersection” in seattle. If your surroundings distract you so much that you can’t see people you shouldn’t be driving.

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[metrognome]

FOTW — you may want to brush up on the traffic code before you get a ticket or kill someone. Drivers are required to yield to pedestrians at all intersections whether their is a painted crosswalk or not.

And for some other commenters, peds do have to yield to cars when crossing at a location other than a crosswalk:

WAC 132E-16-040

Pedestrians — Right of way.

(1) Stopping for pedestrian. The operator of an approaching vehicle shall stop and remain stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross the roadway within a crosswalk unmarked or marked when the pedestrian is upon or within one lane of the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling or onto which it is turning.

(2) Pedestrian sudden movements. No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to stop.

(3) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply under the conditions stated in subsection (6) of this section.

(4) Overtaking vehicles stopped for pedestrian. Whenever any vehicle is stopped at a marked crosswalk or at any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, the driver of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall not overtake and pass such stopped vehicle.

(5) Yield right of way. Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than in a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right of way to all vehicles upon the roadway.

(6) Curb ramps. Where curb ramps exist at or adjacent to intersections or at marked crosswalks in other locations, disabled persons may enter the roadway from the curb ramps and cross the roadway within or as closely as practicable to the crosswalk. All other pedestrian rights and duties as defined elsewhere in this code remain applicable.

http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/PedestrianLaw.htm

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[JanS]

Seems like some people just like to call JoB out in this forum..it’s getting old. I would suggest you meet her, get to know her, and maybe you’d just understand what she meant. I didn’t read anything into what she said that meant that pedestrians are privileged and don’t have to look when they step off the curb. Off course we look at the traffic before we cross. For instance, I am disabled, walk very slowly, with a cane. I have to know that I can make it across the street in plenty of time. I joke about ” They wouldn’t dare hit a woman with a cane”…but the fact of the matter is, yes, some of them would. But if I am crossing legally at a crosswalk, I expect drivers to STOP, because THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO. It doesn’t just apply to every other car, or green ones only, or whatever.Again, I say it’s a 50/50 proposition..both parties need to be responsible.

I know JoB doesn’t need me defending her, but two different people have asked assinine questions in this thread because they don’t agree with what she said. Doesn’t add to anything, IMNSHO

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[JoB]

Yes, i did teach my children to look both ways before they crossed the street…

i just wish more drivers bothered to look both ways before they drove through an intersection.

crossing a public street in West Seattle on foot is literally taking you life into your hands these days… especially if you move slowly.

If you are driving it is part of your responsibility to actively watch for pedestrians as well as for other cars.

If it seems that people are constantly jumping out in front of you..

it’s likely you aren’t doing a very good job of watching

because most of us on foot are doing our best to avoid being run over.

if you can’t chew bubble gum and drive at the same time.. spit out the gum..

turn off the radio..

step away from your cell phone…

and let work or the fight you are rehashing in your head go.

Pedestrians aren’t the problem..

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[JoB]

Metrognome…

and how long do you think a pedestrian will have to wait at a crosswalk to make eye contact with the drivers in both lanes going opposite directions…

not to mention the idiot who sees a stopped car as an invitation to pass?

it would be nice if all intersections were provided with those nice little buttons you hit to make traffic stop so you can cross…

but they aren’t.

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[DP]

My sympathies tend to go with the pedestrian.

Just like me, he’s cold.

He’s exposed.

He’s vulnerable.

 

However, there seems to be some sort of pedestrian suicide cult that has moved into our fair city, and frankly, it’s got me worried.

You can spot these people most often on the mean streets of downtown (around 3rd and Pike) but lately I’ve seen them lurking around the Junction, pushing baby strollers across the street with one hand, juggling cell phones and purses with the other, arms flailing wildly as they gaze skyward, muttering imprecations to an unseen conversant.

What beat are these strange creatures marching to, exactly? (It certainly isn’t the same one to which the traffic signals are attuned.)

And what is it they’re searching for through those darkly tinted spectacles of theirs? Are they waiting for the mother ship to deliver them, perchance?

It may be arriving sooner than they think. But rather than the glamorous space ship they were expecting, it may take the form of a much more prosaic vehicle.

 

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[TDe]

“You can spot these people most often on the mean streets of downtown (around 3rd and Pike) but lately I’ve seen them lurking around the Junction, pushing baby strollers across the street with one hand, juggling cell phones and purses with the other, arms flailing wildly as they gaze skyward, muttering imprecations to an unseen conversant.”

Ha DP… good one. I saw almost that exact pedestrian crossing at the Alaksa Junction recently. I was stopped at the stoplight, so no worries about running over anyone. She began to cross when the light was almost done blinking and didn’t make it to the other side until it had actually turned green for traffic. We were all patient and waited until this muttering person was on the sidewalk and I worried a bit about the child in the her stroller. I assusmed she had a bluetooth, but who knows…

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[MB]

Um, I’m pretty sure JoB can take it, considering she dishes it ALL the time. And it’s funny because most the the comments disagreeing with each other are actually agreeing with each other, just in different words. More than half of us are saying pedestrians need to pay better attention as well as drivers. Just because YOU are a smart ped, doesn’t mean all others are. I know I’m a pretty good driver, but am not silly enough to think that means everyone else is too. Come on. This blog sure is entertaining ;) Oh, and high five to the couple on an Alki side street last night that didn’t get killed only because THIS driver WAS the only one paying attention. I have no problem stopping for people, it just helps if you have some sort of clue they are about to randomly change corse and head into the street mid block without even looking up, let alone both ways. Yet another pedestrian saved by the fact that I’m not oblivious ;)

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[I Wonder]

Yes, I would agree JoB can handle herself, and assume the worst in everyone else to make her case, and that everyone on her side is an angel. Its not piling on when the assumptions are assinine too, Jan. Have a nice day everyone, and to all, keep your eyes peeled!

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[JoB]

I Wonder…

I wonder what you would have to say if i made personal comments about you on the forum?

i wonder?

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[JanS]

I rest my case – lol…

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[JoB]

I may seem pretty hard line to some..

but here’s the deal…

In discussing this people have stated that they don’t stop at unmarked crosswalks… otherwise known as intersections… for pedestrians because they fear being rear ended by other drivers.

and that is a valid fear.

people have stated that they can’t see pedestrians at intersections because other drivers have chosen to park their larger vehicles too close to the intersection.

another truth… in fact larger vehicles are more likely to park at the end of a block if possible simply because they need more room to maneuver out of a parking space and the empty intersection gives them that room.

people have complained about pedestrians who legally enter an intersection while the crosswalk light is still blinking but do not clear it before the traffic light changes.

well, i have to ask.

if it is unsafe to cross the street at unmarked intersections..

and equally unsafe to legally cross the street at marked intersections

what incentive do pedestrians have to walk to the corner to cross the street?

I don’t walk much any more at all on city streets and certainly not where there are unmarked intersections because it isn’t safe for me to cross the street..

running to avoid being run over is no longer one of my options.

and while i agree that it is a dangerous world out there for anyone on foot…

the idea that pedestrians should be taken to task for not adequately taking care of their own safety while drivers admit that they don’t stop for a pedestrian legally attempting to cross a street because they fear being rear ended by other drivers really sticks in my craw.

And i am guessing it is equally aggravating to others who simply aren’t willing to take the flak to say so.

Calling me names or making comments about my character won’t change the fact that there is a large need to address pedestrian safety.

A close friend lost his parents to a driver who complained that they were too small and their clothing was too dark and she was talking on her cell phone and just plain didn’t see them. It was their fault.. not hers.

She hit them mid-intersection and they were still holding hands when pronounced dead at the scene.

And would you believe it?

In spite of clear laws to the contrary.. the woman was not prosecuted.

I have a problem with that.

And silly old woman that i am..

I think you should too.

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[JanS]

and now…an adult and a 22 month old child…hit by a car in an intersection in the last hour or so. Will be interesting to hear what the circumstances were. Supposedly the car was only going 10-15 MPH. And the child was thrown into the air and injured. Imagine if that driver had been going 30 MPH. We will know what happened later…this was an accident, and we can’t blame it on speed.Inattention? Perhaps..Sun in the eyes? could be. Sad, no matter what the cause. It’s a well marked and signalled intersection…it shouldn’t happen there.

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[JoB]

that’s the intersection where the idiot laid on his horn at me because i waited for a school crossing guard to clear the intersection before turning right onto California…

i am glad the woman and her child are ok.

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[I Wonder]

Knock yourself out, JoB.

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[Author]

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