Tag: pedestrians

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Don’t Get Tripped Up By The Sidewalk

Q: In local parks, sidewalk upthrusts (say, by tree roots) are marked by yellow paint for the length of the walkway re-elevation. That’s terrific. But what about regular sidewalks along streets where there is often a one-inch elevation change from one concrete section to the next? Can we call the city to apply yellow paint to those? Could we simply paint them ourselves in our own neighborhood? Streets often have the same upthrust problems and are a great surprise to bicyclists. Also those pedestrian courtesy outcroppings of sidewalk that shorten their walk across the street (but stop cold the parking lane) – unwary or at-night cyclists ram those all the time; some are painted yellow but most are not. Thank you from a voice of unfortunate experience.

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Why You Shouldn’t Drive Through a Flooded Road

Q: I noticed Whatcom County Public Works added a note to a recent road closure notice, reminding people not to drive past those temporary closure signs for flooded streets. Sometimes the county has put so many out that it takes a while to pick them back up. Drivers see the road doesn’t have much or any water over it, so they ignore the sign and go past it. Is it illegal to ignore those temporary signs?

A: This time of year it’s not uncommon to encounter flooded roads, so it’s a good idea to review the rules about road closures due to flooding. Since the signs that notify drivers of flooding follow the same guidelines as other road closure and warning signs, this will be more a review about traffic signs (in the context of flooding.) Continue reading “Why You Shouldn’t Drive Through a Flooded Road”

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Is Twenty the New Twenty-Five?

Q: I’ve noticed some cities changing their speed limits in neighborhoods and business districts from 25 MPH to 20 MPH. Does five miles per hour really matter for safety or is it just another way to discourage driving?

A: There is little doubt that some city planners would like less people driving cars on city streets. And not just city planners; when I drive through Seattle I often selfishly wish that less drivers were allowed on the road (as long as I’m still allowed, of course.) New roads are expensive and there isn’t always room for them; in crowded cities fewer drivers might be the best (even if unrealistic) option. However, I don’t think a reduction from 25 MPH to 20 MPH is part of that agenda. The data show that a five MPH speed reduction really does have an effect on pedestrian safety. Continue reading “Is Twenty the New Twenty-Five?”

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How to Cross The Street Around a Bus

Q: What are the rules for crossing the street after getting off a bus? Should I cross in front of the bus or behind it?

A : If there is a rule in our state law that applies exclusively to this situation, I haven’t seen it. But there are laws about crossing the street, and in the case of crossing the street after getting off a bus, there is one specific sentence in the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) that is useful in this scenario. Continue reading “How to Cross The Street Around a Bus”

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The Most Dangerous Way To Cross The Street

Q: In regards to a statement in a previous article about pedestrians crossing the street at unsafe locations, what is safe versus non-safe? I think a pedestrian crossing at any intersection is safe but some people think only marked crosswalks are safe.

A: The problem with the word ‘safe’ when talking about traffic is that it can misrepresent the risks, and lead us to believe that because we’ve chosen a ‘safe’ behavior a threat doesn’t exist. When people ask me about my job, my answer generally includes ‘traffic safety’. Maybe instead I should say that I work to make getting where you’re going less dangerous. Continue reading “The Most Dangerous Way To Cross The Street”

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Flashing Hands And Countdown Timers

Q: I have a question on traffic signals for pedestrians. My understanding is that when a pedestrian comes up to the corner to cross the street and the red hand light is flashing, they are not supposed to start across. I see pedestrians constantly starting to cross when the red hand is lit and the seconds are showing. They seem to think that they are okay to start across as long the seconds are showing. Who is right on this?

A: By a show of hands, how many of you, when you see a pedestrian traffic signal with a countdown timer, look at the remaining seconds, calculate whether you can cross the street that fast, and then make a run for it? You can all put your hands down now. Continue reading “Flashing Hands And Countdown Timers”

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Travel With Care – A Local Traffic Safety Project

This week’s column is less of a question and more of a plea: Can’t we all just get along on our roads? I’ve received questions from drivers who are angry about cyclist and pedestrian behavior, pedestrians who are terrified of drivers and nervous about cyclists, and cyclists who fear for their lives because of drivers.

Many of you have sent questions asking about why a driver or cyclist or pedestrian would do ____. (Fill in the blank with the dumb action of your choice.) I’ll continue to work through the questions, but for today I’d like to address a common question that often follows the first question: What are we going to do about it? Continue reading “Travel With Care – A Local Traffic Safety Project”

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School Zones – What Does “When Children Are Present” Really Mean?”

Q: I always wonder about what “when children are present” on school zone signs means. Does that mean just during school hours or any time you see children? Also does it apply during school hours during the summer vacation (and how are we to know the vacation times?)

A: I thought this would be easy to answer, but it turns out that reading the law about school zone speed limits confuses as much as it clarifies. There’s a good reason many school zones are getting updated with flashing beacons instead of the “when children are present” plaque. But let’s get back to the question.

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