The deaths and injuries add to the war between pedestrian and driver and frustrate police and traffic safety advocates who say fatalities and injuries could be prevented if people would simply watch and listen.
“The easiest thing to say is it's unacceptable,” says Traffic Services Sergeant Tim Burrows. “When it comes to traffic collisions, they're predictable, they're completely preventable and they don't have to happen.”
The fatalities – eight in Toronto alone since Jan. 10 – have spurred medical professionals to push for pedestrian awareness campaigns to encourage people to watch where they're going, and for more traffic enforcement for inattentive drivers.
All of the deaths have been due to human error, by the driver, the pedestrian or both, Sgt. Burrows said, adding it's too early to say if charges will be laid in yesterday's accident. Next of kin were yet to be notified last night.
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D: I bought a car last year. In the car, I sometimes hope to turn left on a yellow. But the incoming cars going straight are apparently rushing to an emergency. Or they are very late. Or they are just fools. I am sure I am sitting in front of a red before they hit the interesection. But cannot turn until cars stop coming.
As a pedestrian, these are the cars that take you out at a cross-walk, when you have the right of way.
So yeah, you gotta watch. Feel free to encourage those drivers. Toss something at the car.
Piston kick the passenger side door. I personally like to reach and bend back the radio antenna, which then forcefully flicks forward and smacks their rear window.
D: easy to say watch and listen. But in the middle of the street in a crosswalk, when a car is gunning it into the turn (remember, that car driver is a caped crusader, rushing to the scene of a crime to find some phone booth to don their costume in! ) you are stuck like a deer in headlights.
Don't wait to assume they'll swerve last minute.
Toss what you're holding at their windshield.
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D: I've often fantasied about designing robo-pedestrians. They scrupulously adhere to the rules of the road.
Wait until the sign says walk. And start to walk.
If a car heads towards them, they throw themselves through the driver side window, thereby impaling the driver.
Problem solved.
Of course, I also fantasize about robo-drivers. There would not be many university students left around here...
D: pedestrians will often wear dark clothing on a dark night. We're really not visible to peripheral vision.
Do keep in mind what you look like out there. Tacky, but consider a nice fluorescent toque.
Or buy reflective stripes on your next jacket.
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I am a bit of a jerk with my bicycle. I dismount at crosswalks. I go onto the sidewalk. I hold the bike (important) on the RIGHT side. Don't look at the driver beside you planning to turn right. To many, that implies you see them an acknowledge their mass superiority.
On the walk signal, appear to lunge into the road to assert your right of way. Don't actually!
Lead with your bike. The following can happen:
1) they stop and glare. Look at them like the moron they are and point at the walk signal.
2) they don't stop. They run over your bike. And/or they get a ticket. And you get.... a new bike! Make sure your bike is a junker. You'll get a new bike. <:
3) they try to swerve left to get into a second lane. Keep walking. They end up blocking traffic. Great fun!
You can even stop and stare at them in the middle of the cross-walk then. Gesture at them as if they were particularly slow (they are). Point to the cross-walk sign.
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We seem to think the Pedestrian signal is for pedestrians. We place it away from the driver's signal.
It's not. Pedestrians KNOW when they should walk.
The pedestrian walk is for the DRIVER. So why we place it visually away from where they are looking is quite beyond me.
I'd say this flawed assumption costs lives.
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