'Flash mob' highlights pedestrian safety

metrogirl said on November 21, 2009 at 11:00 PM

Hey I know! How about educating the public as to what those traffic lights actually mean. Like when to cross and when NOT to cross. Pedestrians think they own the road due to the crazy right-of-way laws they THINK they have. Let's put some police out there and give tickets to everyone crossing on a red light or when the "red hand" is flashing and they think it's just waving at them. There are vehicles on the road that need to turn right or left and can only do that with a green light so that red hand tells the pedestrians to stop so the cars can clear the turns. Pedestrians just seem to think they have the right to walk out in front of any vehicle. A cell phone in one hand and a latte in the other, they just mosey across the road and pass out dirty looks to drivers who dare to invade their space. It's not the drivers that need the lessons. Drivers don't drive on the sidewalk. It's the pedestrians. Then there are bicycles!....~~~sigh~~~~don't get me started.

fosterp said on November 22, 2009 at 5:02 AM

There is no law stating when a pedestrian is allowed to walk across a crosswalk. The law simply states they have the right of way while in the crosswalk. Vehicles who fail to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk are breaking the law, regardless of what any traffic safety control device states. The only time a pedestrian does not have the right of way is when yielding the right of way would not be "reasonably" safe (as in, people cannot just simply walk into moving traffic.)

4america said on November 22, 2009 at 12:29 PM

FosterP you just showed that pedestrians need to be educated. Here is the RCW to show you that you are wrong. Whenever pedestrian control signals exhibiting the words "Walk" or the walking person symbol or "Don't Walk" or the hand symbol are operating, the signals shall indicate as follows: (1) WALK or walking person symbol—Pedestrians facing such signal may cross the roadway in the direction of the signal. Vehicle operators shall stop for pedestrians who are lawfully moving within the intersection control area on such signal as required by RCW 46.61.235(1). (2) Steady or flashing DON'T WALK or hand symbol—Pedestrians facing such signal shall not enter the roadway. Vehicle operators shall stop for pedestrians who have begun to cross the roadway before the display of either signal as required by RCW 46.61.235(1).

4america said on November 22, 2009 at 12:44 PM

FosterP you are wrong. Here is the RCW. Whenever pedestrian control signals exhibiting the words "Walk" or the walking person symbol or "Don't Walk" or the hand symbol are operating, the signals shall indicate as follows: (1) WALK or walking person symbol—Pedestrians facing such signal may cross the roadway in the direction of the signal. Vehicle operators shall stop for pedestrians who are lawfully moving within the intersection control area on such signal as required by RCW 46.61.235(1). (2) Steady or flashing DON'T WALK or hand symbol—Pedestrians facing such signal shall not enter the roadway. Vehicle operators shall stop for pedestrians who have begun to cross the roadway before the display of either signal as required by RCW 46.61.235(1).

bluemax2001 said on November 22, 2009 at 1:16 PM

I wish Seattle would adopt the Tokyo style of crosswalks: ALL traffic stops, the pedestrians cross on the crosswalks in ALL directions, even kitty-corner, then the traffic goes. Traffic just gets backed up for blocks so bad when a large load of pedestrians just slowly go across blocking the intersections when cars need to go right or left. In Federal Way, they have a timer on the lights to show the pedestrians just how long they have to clear the intersection. They should have that in Seattle, too.