ext_267541 ([identity profile] bobobb.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] davis_square2010-09-14 12:45 pm
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Better than permit parking tickets....

So 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.....
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[identity profile] ruthling.livejournal.com 2010-09-14 04:54 pm (UTC)(link)
they did that for a while some years back near the Broadway-to-Powderhouse side, but I think they repaved/replanted a lot in that area and there's no longer a pull-out there.

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.

[identity profile] omg-anna.livejournal.com 2010-09-14 04:55 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't live in Davis, but I have this problem as a pedestrian in my neighborhood, and have often thought the same thing. I've seen one or two people get pulled over as a result of ignoring people in the crosswalk, but sometimes 10+ cars will drive past as I wait to cross-- there's SO much potential for the city to make a lot of money here.

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?

[identity profile] bombardiette.livejournal.com 2010-09-14 05:02 pm (UTC)(link)
See...and I always wait for the signal at crosswalks or until I'm totally clear if there is no signal. It's happened occasionally, but otherwise, I've never come that close as a pedestrian.

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.

different departments

[identity profile] springhill02143.livejournal.com 2010-09-14 05:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Cross walk violations are moving violations, regulated and enforced by the Police Department. Parking violations are generally regulated and enforced by the Traffic and Parking Department. So regulation shouldn't even need to be a trade-off, and both are important to our quality of life.
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[personal profile] avjudge 2010-09-14 05:46 pm (UTC)(link)
In fairness to the drivers, there's serious brain overload in that circle. (1) I'm always looking in every direction to make sure i'm not being clobbered by a driver as I spiral in & out (as is proper when going more than 1/2 way around a circle) and (2) once I'm in the circle my front pillars completely block the lights. So I've been guilty of running those myself, mostly when leaving the circle for the reasons above.

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.)

[identity profile] overstim.livejournal.com 2010-09-14 05:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Purely as a profit generator- it's a lot easier for a parking enforcement agent to walk down a street and write (print, now) 20 tickets in a row, then for a cop to pull over a driver, check their license and reg and write them a moving violation, then circle round back to their spot.

[identity profile] somervilleguy.livejournal.com 2010-09-14 06:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Under the law you must be in the crosswalk for drivers to be compelled to stop. Being on the sidewalk might signal your intent, but it doesn't mean drivers have to stop at that point.

[identity profile] ocschwar.livejournal.com 2010-09-14 07:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Parking enforcement is done by parking agents, who are cheaper than cops, and not trained for anything else. Traffic enforcement takes cops, and so crosswalk stings are mostly for days when the criminal community is on vacation.

[identity profile] thetathx1138.livejournal.com 2010-09-14 07:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Matter of priorities; unless there's a rash of pedestrian deaths/accidents, the Somerville PD just have too much to do elsewhere.

[identity profile] ringrose.livejournal.com 2010-09-14 08:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Taking my daughter for a walk on Highland toward Davis at the corner next to Kick-Ass Cupcakes, I push the button and wait for the walk light. Light changes. I start going... and pull the stroller to a halt as some moron on his cell phone makes a right turn against the a red arrow and "No turn on red" sign.
I'm glad I was paying enough attention to realize he wasn't slowing down.

[identity profile] dougo.livejournal.com 2010-09-14 09:31 pm (UTC)(link)
I've been wondering recently: as a pedestrian traversing Powderhouse Circle, am I allowed to cross at the crosswalks at any time (which is what I've been doing, assuming there isn't a car with an oblivious driver barreling towards me), or am I supposed to hit the walk button and wait for the walk sign (which turns the entire circle into a 6-way red light)? I kind of hate doing the latter unless traffic is really heavy and I need to cross the diameter of the circle, but I wonder if I'm technically jaywalking if I cross without hitting the button.

[identity profile] boblothrope.livejournal.com 2010-09-14 09:41 pm (UTC)(link)
I'll take this opportunity to complain again about the treatment of pedestrians at the main Davis light.

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.

[identity profile] josephineave.livejournal.com 2010-09-14 10:07 pm (UTC)(link)
I drive (and walk) through that circle pretty much every day and the crossing guard there drives me nuts (no pun intended). He wants to jump out to stop traffic as soon as he gets a single pedestrian at his station, even if the solid red light just turned back to blinking and even if he has another pedestrian coming soon (making a twofer possibility). He can really tie up traffic on one branch by being too conscientious about his job.

[identity profile] ukelele.livejournal.com 2010-09-14 10:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Yay, awesome!

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.
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