People Don't Kill People, Cars Do 4.26.2007 | 1 Comment(s)

I love working Downtown. Now that warmer weather has arrived, the streets have come to life with greenery and, more importantly, people. You know what would make working downtown even better? Drivers who paid attention to the traffic signals.

I park down by the Arch and enter downtown via Washington Avenue on foot. The cross walk at Washington and Memorial is dangerous with a capital "Take Your Life Into Your Own Hands". Drivers almost never pay attention to you or the signals until you are in the middle of the crosswalk and about to hit you. For the past 2 months I've been dealing with inattentive drivers who pay no attention to the little white walking man that is shining at them as they barrel towards me.

Today I got a bit fed up with it all and stepped into the intersection without stopping at the side walk, which I normally do even if I do have a "Walk" signal. The "walking man" beckoned me to cross the street, so I was in the right when I stepped into the intersection; however, people kept turning right onto Memorial and someone turning left from Washington almost hit me in the middle of the crosswalk. So infuriating to me.

I think people in this region are so unfamiliar with pedestrians that they don't even look for them in crosswalks until it's too late. I'm certainly guilty of the crime, although since I spend a good portion of my day being a pedestrian, I think I'm more observant than most drivers.

I'd like to see something done at Washington and Memorial to make it more pedestrian friendly and safe.

By  Anonymous, at 7:43 PM

I carry my umbrella as protection. Any car not yielding to me risks running into the metal tip of my umbrella.