Morning Fix: Needed Weekend

11 Comments

Comment by ze barefoot pirate on June 6, 2008 at 7:21am

About those pedestrian deaths (bicyclists, too): I've never lived anywhere that peds were considered fair game like they are here. Yesterday I was walking across the UNM campus, crossing the road in the walkway in front of the hospital parking structure and apparently impeded a hotshot in white Jeep. He honked and yelled at me "You're supposed to look" just before he pulled in to park.
I thought he was supposed to be the one to look and stop.

Comment by Khan on June 6, 2008 at 9:24am

I think it's a shared responsibility. Of course, the differences of weight ultimately put the final onus on the 2-ton meat masher. If you're in a marked walkway, though, theoretically that gives you the right of way. I take nothing for granted, though! As a driver, a cyclist, or a pedestrian.

Comment by once banned twice shy on June 6, 2008 at 10:07am

Yes, the final onus should be on the 2-ton meat masher, but unfortunately our laws are not written that way. If you went to the link, you saw that the sheriff's deputy blamed the pedestrian. I think this is the mindset of all law enforcement--the pedestrian (or cyclist) was doing something wrong, so too bad for them. This needs to change.

Comment by SoyJames on June 6, 2008 at 10:21am

That's total bull. Drivers in this state need to be educated to the fact that roads are not solely for motor vehicles. Pedestrians, bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, cats, dogs, children, and roadrunners all need to use those roads too. And if the police don't even understand that, how are we to change the public outlook? (See deputy's comment above and previous DCF post where APD cop told a bicyclist to "stay off the road".) $%&*#@!@@!!!

Comment by Khan on June 6, 2008 at 10:23am

Well, there has to be a balance in the legal arena. Dumbasses that merely blunder into traffic, can't be given a an automatic "pass." In such cases, laws are really there to enforce normative behaviors that create a safer environment for everyone. If you don't adhere to those normative behaviors, well, I accept that as your right, but you also forfeit your right to redress.

This is a concept that escapes modern America, though; cf multi-million dollar settlements to people who smoked for 40 years and got cancer. I fully support their right to smoke, and F-You to all the do-gooders on city councils that want to save me from myself (they should stick to their sex scandals & corrupt development deals) (but I'm not gritty on the issue, surely). But if you inhale burning vegetation, paper, and chemicals for 40 years of your own volition, any health effects are no one's business but yours.

People hit whilst crossing properly at a cross walk, they "win." Drunks walking down the middle of Lead Ave. at 3am in black, they "lose." There are physiologically determined reasons that people doing something unexpected tend to get hurt by people who genuinely don't see them.

That said, people really need to start realizing that driving is a dangerous thing, for yourself and for others. They need to drop the sandwich, hang up the phone, close the mirror, and freaking pay attention. The levels of self-absorption our society attains, I honestly believe, contribute to a large portion of avoidable accidents.

Comment by ze barefoot pirate on June 6, 2008 at 10:30am

I'd just like to clarify that I was on campus -- a pedestrian area -- and in the crosswalk. Perhaps I should change my perception of crosswalk, and think in the crosshairs instead.

Comment by sophie on June 6, 2008 at 10:38am

UNM, I will say, is supposed to be pedestrians-first. My understanding is that you stop (if in a car) when a pedestrian is even approaching a crosswalk.

Comment by Albuquerque Commentator on June 6, 2008 at 11:13am

Though enforcement is always a problem, unless you go the route of "citizen arrest", the pedestrian laws do need to be changed and ALL intersections should have at least a marked pedestrian cross walk, yield sign for pedestrians, and laws similar to California where is a pedestrian is in a crosswalk you have to yield to the pedestrian.

Try crossing any intersection in the University avenue to San Mateo Central Avenue stretch even at marked crossings and lights. Driver's consistently ignore the current laws in yielding to pedestrians who have a light in their favor while crossing within a marked cross walk. The round about downtown at least has yield signs, why are these not installed at every marked intersection? Maybe the law does not require it.

I would challenge anyone to try to cross Central avenue safely between Carlisle and San Mateo where there is not a light. As a pedestrian you have no argument when the the cross walks are not marked. For someone handicapped / disabled it is an exceptional burden to have to walk the total distance to the next light.

Part of this is there needs to be a reeducation of drivers which would include to be retested both on the law and a practical driving test at each license renewal. Included would be a sign off where the driver would acknowledge in writing they understand at least the yield and pedestrian / bicycle laws.

Bicyclists also have to take some responsibility for their actions as they are required to obey the same traffic laws as motorized vehicles, but rarely do. I'm particularly disturbed when bicyclists use the side walk and force pedestrians out of the way.

Comment by SoyJames on June 6, 2008 at 2:27pm

I remember being told that UNM is pedestrian right of way crosswalk or not. Same with Santa Fe.

Comment by Robert S. on June 6, 2008 at 10:18pm

Pedestrians - the news item doesn't surprise me. We don't have exactly the smartest of night pedestrians (walking down a non-streetlit main streets wearing dark pants and dark shirts). I almost got one (missed him by about 10-12 feet) the other night as his black top/pants/shoes blended into the black background when I was making a turn off a main street that is not lit by streetlights. If it had been about a few seconds earlier, I don't know if I might or might not have stomped on the brakes quick enough to avoid a hit.

If you are going to be a pedestrian at night, I hope one would select clothing that doesn't blend into blackness!

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