Better than permit parking tickets....
Sep. 14th, 2010 12:45 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
bobobb.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
davis_squareSo everyday when I walk to and from work in the Davis/Tufts/Ball Square area I am a good little pedestrian and only cross in designated crosswalks, waiting for cars, crosswalk signals etc. And everyday I have to dodge a driver who is not paying attention, or does not care and very nearly runs me down. This is particularly bad at powderhouse circle, where the crosswalk signals are completely ignored by drivers.
The other day though, a driver did this right in front of a cop and got pulled over -- Yeah for me! And so I was wondering....nearly running over a pedestrian in a cross walk is punishable by up to $200 ticket *and* is a public safety issue. Couldn't the city just park a cruiser at powderhouse circle or some other place where violations are common and start ticketing people for that rather than focusing so much on the $50 permit parking tickets (which is not a public safety issue as far as I can tell)? Is there some reason they don't do this?
Sorry if this comes across as car negative.....
The other day though, a driver did this right in front of a cop and got pulled over -- Yeah for me! And so I was wondering....nearly running over a pedestrian in a cross walk is punishable by up to $200 ticket *and* is a public safety issue. Couldn't the city just park a cruiser at powderhouse circle or some other place where violations are common and start ticketing people for that rather than focusing so much on the $50 permit parking tickets (which is not a public safety issue as far as I can tell)? Is there some reason they don't do this?
Sorry if this comes across as car negative.....
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no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 04:54 pm (UTC)I wish they would, I see people run the light there several times a week (I cross twice a day on average) and I've never seen anyone get pulled over.
Of course, don't get me started on how infrequently people stop for peds in crosswalks over the line in Medford.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 04:55 pm (UTC)I'm sure there's some reason why they don't do it (no way could they be unaware of the amount of money they could make), maybe something about not wanting to have multiple cops sitting at intersections all day? Like I said, I don't live in Davis, but maybe traffic enforcers do the parking tickets and only the police can give out tickets to cars that don't stop in crosswalks?
no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 05:02 pm (UTC)As a driver, I always stop for peds in xing. The only time I'll stop short is if I don't see them because they've come out from behind parked cars.
My biggest rant is on the numerous peds xing all along my commute, from Lexington, through Arlington, and Medford - who never use the crosswalks and dart out when I'm doing 30 down Mass Ave, then leisurely stroll across after I've slammed on the brakes nearly causing a pileup behind me and my toddler to freak out because of the sharp stop.
So, good that they're ticketing assholes who don't stop when they're supposed to, but it'd be nice to see someone get nailed for jaywalking and practically causing an accident too. Because that's JUST as frequent.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 05:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 05:31 pm (UTC)But when you just bolt out in front of me, nowhere near a light or a crosswalk? Unh uh. And as I said, this happens to me more frequently than not being able to get across as a ped. And I spend more time on foot/T than I do in my car!
It's like cyclists. We all share the roads in some fashion. We need to all be courteous of one another.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 05:41 pm (UTC)Usually on my street I'll wait until I have nearly enough time (and am sure that the car I'm about to cross in front of isn't speeding like crazy), and I'll take a few steps out into the crosswalk and wave. If they see me and stop, awesome. If they don't, I flip them off in my head and wait for the next opportunity.
Unfortunately it seems like pedestrians get the short end of the stick in a lot of situations. Someone on foot is pretty much powerless to someone in a car, and if the guy in the car doesn't want to stop, it's tough luck.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 06:00 pm (UTC): ) I will never forget my experiences in Germany and Austria. Pedestrians absolutely crossed at the signals established for them - and only when the signal stated. Bicyclists followed the rules too. I never had to dodge people or cars when driving or walking through any of the cities I spent time in and it was so nice.
It drives me even more nuts when people bolt like this with strollers, small kids in tow, or babies in their arms. JFC...if not for yourself, then at least for your kid!
Unfortunately it seems like pedestrians get the short end of the stick in a lot of situations. Someone on foot is pretty much powerless to someone in a car, and if the guy in the car doesn't want to stop, it's tough luck.
It's sort of a sad commentary, but I'm convinced that the way we treat others while driving, biking, or walking is really indicative of how we truly are as a society.
We commute as a family (my husband works down the street and our daughter is in daycare at my place of work), and he yelled at someone in a car yesterday for almost hitting an old man in a crosswalk.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 08:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-15 01:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 09:32 pm (UTC)i see it all the time here, people being all "they HAVE to stop here, just step out! watch!" and it makes me crazy. i admit if i am driving in an unfamiliar area i will miss a crosswalk or two if they aren't clearly marked, but most of the time i do my best to stop for peds when i'm supposed to, and i try to be especially courteous if it's a bad weather day, or i know they're in a spot that's notoriously a pain to wait at (as i'm often a ped too). still, i see so many (esp now that college kids are back) that seem to purposely try to piss off drivers - they walk in herds through green lights when they don't have a walk signal, or they take FOREVER while staring at you smugly, etc etc.
it will also never not bug the shit out of me that really busy overcrowded areas like central have cars getting a green the same time as peds are getting a walk signal. it's really, really dangerous as so many are just watching for one or the other.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-15 01:24 am (UTC)Re: Your second paragraph - yes, yes, and yes. Friday, coming home, a woman just wandered out into Mass Ave, on the phone, like she was out for a Sunday stroll. M slammed on the brakes but didn't beep or yell or anything - and she turned, smiled, and flipped us off!
[apoplectic fit tiem nao]
And again, yes. Having peds x when you're supposed to go, even if there IS a sign (which I've seen in some places) that warns peds to use caution when xing due to cars having right of way too...it's insanity.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-15 07:30 pm (UTC)(And there'd probably also be a downside somewhere.)
no subject
Date: 2010-09-15 07:31 pm (UTC)different departments
Date: 2010-09-14 05:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 05:46 pm (UTC)However, even coming into the circle, I check the lights as I approach, but once I'm stopped under them, they're out of my line of sight as I watch for that opening in traffic that's just big enough for me to squeeze into - and once I see it I have to move fast!
And, in a quick glance, you can't tell the difference between a flashing red & a solid red. You have to watch long enough to see the red blink if it will. During which time the opening in traffic has gone by, so I try to make the quick glance work.
So maybe my middle-aged brain just can't handle as many items as it needs to to drive around the Boston area (when I don't stop for pedestrians it's usually because I'm paying attention to too many other things & don't see the peds until too late), but to me, that circle just looks like really, really bad traffic engineering. (Not circles in general, as I've driven enough in the UK to be comfortable with them, just the way the lights work around that one.)
no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 07:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 07:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 09:36 pm (UTC)as a ped when i don't have a time to walk that is ONLY for me, i pretty much always try to make eye contact with the driver first. sometimes we check for peds, but it's easy for a person sized, well, person, to 'suddenly' appear when we've already started to make our move.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-15 12:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-15 02:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-15 06:02 pm (UTC)If people just paid attention to the stop signs and lights, taking turns getting in and out should not be a problem.
I fear for the lives of the pedestrians that frequent the circle, but it's just as well for their safety when I can't stop in the middle of the circle for them to cross -- example- when I come into the circle from harvard Ave and exit through powderhouse blvd...I can't really stop to let those peds cross if there are 15 cars behind me flying aimlessly. although i do when the traffic isn't horrendous
no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 05:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 07:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 09:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 06:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 06:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 07:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 06:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 10:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 07:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 07:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 08:38 pm (UTC)I'm glad I was paying enough attention to realize he wasn't slowing down.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 09:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 10:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 11:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 09:41 pm (UTC)If they retimed the light to allow people to cross each segment when there wasn't conflicting traffic, instead of making everyone wait for an all-way scramble, it would save time for pedestrians and drivers alike. And if pedestrians knew they didn't have an endless wait for no reason, they'd be less likely to cross when it's dangerous.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 10:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-14 10:42 pm (UTC)I often wonder why the cops don't just park themselves across from the West Branch library and push the walk button. I can count on at least one car running the ensuing red.