Comments

1

So. Much. Yes.
I'm a motorist far more often than a pedestrian and I agree wholeheartedly. And if I might not be able to stop in time, guess what? It's time to slow down. Drivers don't own the road.

2

Everything Anonymous says is correct. And I'm an avid cyclist and pedestrian who hasn't owned a car for nearly a decade.

But there is a certain type of pedestrian that makes things worse for everyone. (Granted, the writer here is not one of those.) I'm talking about the people who will stand on the curb at an unsignalized crosswalk — where pedestrians have the right of way at all times — and either stand motionless when drivers stop for them to cross, or wave them through.

This kind of "you go ahead / no, you go ahead" standoff happens too often, and just trains drivers to blow through crosswalks.

If you're too timid a pedestrian to assert your rights, and prefer to wait to cross the street until there are no cars around, then back away from the curb and don't make it look like you're ready to cross when you really aren't.

3

Spot on, I, Anon!

5

People are assholes, only interested in themselves.

7

And it only delays them by about 3 seconds too. What drives me crazy is when I stop, and the oncoming traffic just keeps going. Last night I stopped for a dude, and because he clearly did not want to hold me up, he went for it and practically got nailed by the car coming the other direction. Flashing my brights doesn't seem to help either.

8

The culture of entitlement among drivers is absolutely absurd. Traffic laws are for everyone else. For them, there are all these exceptions and caveats like “momentum” and “the flow of traffic” and “I’m actually helping everyone else by speeding” and other hilarious and stupid rationalizations.

9

@2 I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately if you want to avoid these types of people you'll have to move. Don't even get me started on four way stops.

10

Dear OP, myself and many others don’t care about you or your concerns. That’s why we don’t slow down. Because it’s you. When you’re in Harborview Trauma. Just repeat to yourself “I shoulda got out of the way of the speeding car”. Fuck You Very Much

11

Had two idiots walk across the cross walk in front of me today when I had a green light. Didn’t look up even when I honked.

12

Has anyone had a ped cross in front of you and stop in the middle of the street, turn and look at you, and start break dancing for like two minutes? This has happened to me maybe 15 times.

13

https://sdotblog.seattle.gov/2014/09/12/crosswalk-law-1-0/
https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/travel/commute-choices/walk/pedestrian-laws

14

@9 I'm not a PNWer. As far as I can tell, this happens everywhere.

I'm currently in Seoul — where I live half-time — and, actually, only a fool would step into an unsignalized crosswalk here when there's oncoming traffic. I'm not even sure that pedestrians in Korea have the right-of way in such situations; it may be that crosswalks are the only place where one can cross the street legally, but they still have to wait until vehicles have passed. Jaywalking is not a thing.

Car culture and driver entitlement here are shocking. In part, it's because the auto industry is such a large part of the economy.

Secondary streets often have no curb or sidewalk and so motor vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians share the space as they do on, say, Dutch woonerven. But unlike with those, cars are prioritized and mostly barrel through at speed. People on foot have to be on constant alert and listening for vehicles approaching from behind, and prepared to get out of the way quickly.

Even on primary streets with curbs, if there's a curb cut drivers will routinely drive onto the sidewalk and park there, forcing pedestrians to squeeze around them or walk in the street. It's common for businesses to keep traffic cones or "no parking" signs out on the sidewalk to deter them.

15

@10: Will you be saying that when you end up at Harborview Medical Center?

16

Funny how we have drivers on this comment board complaining about pedestrians crossing on green lights. Yes, that it stupid. Yes, it’s against the law. But what’s the worst that it does for you? You have to wait 5 seconds. WHEN DRIVERS HIT PEDESTRIANS THE PEDESTRIANS DIE OR GET LIFE LONG INJURIES. All drivers who complain need to grow the f*ck up, narcissistic a**holes.

17

There is a crosswalk in my neighborhood adjacent to two pretty low rent bars. It is marked, but not well lit. There is a steady stream of folks dressed all in black with hoodies up obliviously wandering across the (relatively) busy street on rainy dark nights. I have lived here for many years so know to slow way down at that intersection. Every time I come home in a taxi or Uber I tell the driver to be cautious there, but they NEVER fucking listen. I can't count haw many times they have had to break hard and swerve to miss the clueless drunks. A young surgical resident I know well has spent many shifts in the ER surgery. He says that car / pedestrian accidents are the worst of all the messes that roll in. The collision breaks everything, starting at the knees and moving right on up to the skull, missing nothing in between. So, clueless, drunk, dressed in black hoodies invisible pedestrians, you may be legally correct but you are still dead or very permanently damaged. The clue here for drivers and peds is eye contact, both way. Be careful out there, there are idiot drunk drivers and idiot drunk peds.

18

"standing there, waiting patiently, staring directly at you, trying to meet your eye"

Sorry about that. But I was watching the crazy person driving in front of me. Very intently. Because (based on my observations of Seattle drivers) making U-turns just anywhere, or right turns from the left lane, or slamming on the brakes for a hallucination are all legal maneuvers in this city. And it's going to get worse, no better with the new speed limit reduction. Traffic that used to be somewhat spaced out is now going to be stacked bumper-to-bumper. With little or no space left to allow for driver error. Or pedestrians at uncontrolled crossings (those without the Big Red Hand).

19

Hey! Asshole pedestrian! Yeah, you, the one dressed in all black on a rainy night. Maybe you should look up from your cell phone before setting foot in the street. Do not assume a car can see you. Also, you don't have right of way at all times. When that walk light is flashing red, and the cross walk is empty, and a car is turning into it, you don't have the right to run into it to maybe get across the street before the light changes (or maybe not). You also don't have the right of way to cross in the middle of the street into fast moving traffic (as I had happen to me two days ago, causing me to slam on my brakes and terrify my passenger). I'm not trying to hit you, but you might want to use some common sense when you assert your entitled pedestrians-always-have-the-right-of-way right.

20

I'm from out of state and I'm surprised at how much shit pedestrians take from drivers. This city could learn a thing or two from us east coast psychopaths that will run down and/or kick cars that don't stop or get too close.

21

BTW, before anyone posts one of those "you're a passive-aggressive coward because you didn't take this up with those motorists in person" screeds...1) it's not possible to confront a motorist who has just run through the intersection you were walking through and nearly killed you in doing so because that person is three blocks down the street, you had no chance to get a good look at the motorist's face OR license number and 2) the whole POINT of "I, Anon" is for people to be able to discuss things anonymously, and those are usually things it simply wasn't possible for that person to find a way to discuss in person with whoever they were supposed to discuss them with.

22

@2 Here's the rule: If you are a driver approaching a crosswalk or intersection where a lone pedestrian (who is standing on the sidewalk, not already in the street) clearly signals you to go ahead, GO. Do not start playing "No, you go" games. A pedestrian's line of sight is usually higher and more encompassing than yours and they may see a hazard that you're unaware of and thus not want to cross just then. Other pedestrians, especially older ones and those with limited mobility, may simply prefer to wait until there is no approaching traffic at all. Respect that and never try to browbeat a pedestrian (actively or passively) into crossing the street in front of you.

23

Handy tip for peds. Carry golf balls in your pockets or bags. Break some windshields (when warranted).

24

@12 -

15 times you've been held up by spontaneous pedestrian breakdancing!? Hip hop magnet! Is this your car?

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/84/c8/a5/84c8a5a05e1484d6d595f042e28c3e04.jpg

25

When will the Seattle PD start aggressively arresting these suburban Vehicles of Death and their murderous Drivers of Destruction that threaten the very citizen taxpayers who pay for the roads they murder our citizens on?

Just this past week I literally saw a car blow full speed through a stop sign, not stopping or slowing, and hang a right, while two pedestrians were crossing - one in each lane they blew through.

Roadside 72 hour suspensions and mandatory 360 day prison sentences are too good for them.

26

And @20 reminds me of the time, when I first moved to Seattle, and had to cross Denny Way next to Denny Park to get from my bus to my workplace and cars would go into the crosswalk even when it was red.

I found that carrying a 5 pound sledgehammer in my right hand worked wonders at getting them not to do that. I used that hammer to crack walnuts, of course. Nom nom nom.

27

This doesn't apply to crosswalks without traffic lights, but on the subject of pedestrian safety: There are a few intersections on Capitol Hill (Broadway and John, 12th and John, other?) where the pedestrian light turns green several seconds before the traffic light turns green. This gives pedestrians a chance to get themselves crossing before traffic can go. I'm a fan of these timed lights and think they could be helpful at many other intersections. They make pedestrians more visible, and since folks are getting mostly across the street before the traffic light turns green, this gives vehicles more pedestrian-free time to make turns through the crosswalks.

28

As a little meat bag walking amongst a bunch of 2 ton, high-speed, metal monsters, I take it upon myself to watch out, and avoid getting hit by vehicles. It's a lot easier for me to see them than them see me.

29

i dunno seems a little overly angry

30

@27, it's called a "leading pedestrian interval" and it's the only sane way to signalize an intersection.

31

Using your body to stop vehicles not only a bad idea, is an RCW. I don’t want to hit you. Your life your responsibility. Look (not at your phone) before you cross... you malignant suburban transplant...

RCW 46.61.235

Crosswalks.

(1) The operator of an approaching vehicle shall stop and remain stopped to allow a pedestrian, bicycle, or personal delivery device to cross the roadway within an unmarked or marked crosswalk when the pedestrian, bicycle, or personal delivery device is upon or within one lane of the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling or onto which it is turning. For purposes of this section "half of the roadway" means all traffic lanes carrying traffic in one direction of travel, and includes the entire width of a one-way roadway.
(2) No pedestrian, bicycle, or personal delivery device shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk, run, or otherwise move into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to stop.

32

Really...speak for yourself.


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