Many years ago I was crossing from the Post Office side towards the bank in
front of a Metro bus headed towards Portland.
As I started to get past the bus a car intending to turn right onto Spring
Street nearly took my cane out of my hand as it flashed through its turn.
I once could recall 21 different events like this where the attitude of
traffic nearly killed me.
If not for excellent O&M training I’d be gone.
From: wsmac-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:wsmac-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf ;
Of Dennis Marrotte
Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2019 8:03 AM
To: wsmac@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [wsmac] Re: Crosswalk yielding or lack thereof
John, Thanks for this eye opening video. One of my more frequently used
controlled Crosswalks is the one from Walker Memorial Library next to People's
United Bank, to cross Main Street to the Post Office side and back. The most
Dangerous part are Drivers turning RIGHT to Spring Street from Main Street,
eastbound. They do not want to have to Stop. Please note the Video is in FL.
on a nice warm, clear day, not up here on a snow covered Street, or Slush
covered Street, in Winter, when Visibility and Stopping Distances on Slippery
Streets are reduced.
Dennis
On Jan 30, 2019 10:07 PM, "John Brooking" <johnbrooking4@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Group,
This video <https://vimeo.com/15959440> was made in Orlando, FL, back in
2010, by the graphic designer who produced the CyclingSavvy classroom
curriculum I teach. This was from a "pedestrian workshop" they did in which
they assisted pedestrians with crossing the street, by using active
communication (hand motions and eye contact) with car drivers. Note that even
so, yielding was extremely poor and sometimes risky. But my takeaway was it's
clear to me that the active communication does help, and I often do something
similar myself. I find that making a "stop" hand signal to the drivers can
really help. (I'm speaking of course of crossing as a pedestrian. I never ride
my bike in a crosswalk, although I may dismount and walk with it.)
- John
