I have begun to notice lately that Lincoln drivers could use a few more reminders to watch out for pedestrians. That shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody who has ever tried to cross a street on foot in this town.
I began thinking about this problem (again) relatively recently with the closure of the bike path underpass at 48th and Highway 2. Bike path traffic is diverted up to the crosswalk. Unfortunately, it isn't one of the safer crosswalks in town. There are two major sources of potential problems: The first is southbound 48th Street traffic turning right (west) onto Highway 2. It's very easy for drivers to roll around the corner without stopping, and so they don't. The second is eastbound Highway 2 traffic turning left (north) onto 48th Street. Turning drivers are so focused on not getting plowed down by trucks on Highway 2, they very often don't look for pedestrians until they have already begun to turn. As a result, if a pedestrian is in the crosswalk, the vehicle is forced to either wait in the middle of Highway 2, or cut off the pedestrian.
There are probably many ways to improve this situation, but the most simple is to post signs for the turning traffic. Something like "RIGHT TURNS YIELD TO PEDS". It's relatively cheap, it's easy to implement, and it's a direct reminder for every driver.
Several intersections around town already have similar signs. Anecdotally, I've seen them work: a driver who is about to turn takes one more look and stops before getting himself in a jam. (I'm thinking specifically of a couple instances at 27th and Highway 2.)
Quite a few more intersections could use a reminder sign or two. Which intersections can you think of? Can you think of any other quick, cheap, and easy ways to address the problem?
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See what your friends and neighbors have to say about this.
Floating cars, a la the Jetsons, would help.
Why did they close the trail under 48th Street? I haven’t figured that one out.
You’re giving Lincoln drivers too much credit with your hypothesis. You’re assuming that they are only careless when it comes to pedestrians, but I would submit to you that they are also careless with bikes, motorcycles, and other vehicles. I think a lot of people just don’t pay attention - what happened to driving defensively?
<em>Why did they close the trail under 48th Street? I haven
People could start paying attention to what they’re doing and yield to pedestrians. Cheap and easy.
It seems to me that a lot of folks simply don’t even know what the word “YIELD” means.
On the block bordering my downtown workplace: I’ve had a coworker killed while crossing at 10th and P; another coworker on permanent disability after being hit while crossing at 10th and Q; a coworker hit crossing at Ninth and P; and almost daily close calls myself at Ninth and P and at Ninth and Q. In every case, the pedestrian was in the crosswalk and obeying the traffic signal.
Drivers throughout Lincoln, but especially downtown, seem not even to think a pedestrian might be approaching in the crosswalk. At stop lights they park in the crosswalk. They get angry if they have to wait a pedestrian to cross.
And in our local newspaper’s comments section, if a reader even politely suggests drivers keep an eye out for legally crossing pedestrians and bicyclists, the angry venom that spews forth in return is too much to take.
Why do pedestrians make drivers so angry?
The method that would pay for itself would be pedestrian speed trap by the police with big fines for those who do not yield to pedestrians. I have seen this work very well in other cities. The traffic enforcement in this town is very poor. They could also make a fortune if they would ticket those who make turns after the light has turned red.
Hmm..the block bordered by 9th, 10th, P and Q you say? In that case, there’s a 95% probability that your employer’s name sounds like “Rinkon Nurnol Bar” 😉
Since I live in the Haymarket and work downtown, I walk that area on a daily basis. Yours and other anecdotes notwithstanding, I personally don’t see the crosswalks surrounding that block as very dangerous (with the exception of crossing 10th at Q, as everyone loves to run that light at about 40 mph). In the other directions, the sightlines and the overall width of the street make them safe enough for me.
A final caveat: I’m young, spry, and have a walking pace that’s more at home in London than it is here.
I think the LJS should use that name on April Fool’s Day.
This post is right on. I live downtown and also work downtown, so I walk each way at least twice a day. I don’t think a day has gone by that I haven’t had at least one near miss in an intersection. Most frequently it occurs when someone is trying to make a right turn from P Street (in the 1-block stretch in front of Embassy Suites) onto 10th. Rarely does the driver even glance to the right to see if someone is in the intersection, walk sign illuminated or no. I’ve taken to wildly waving my arms and yelling “do you see me?!” before I cross, so as not to be flattened. Also, in particular with the wet slush all over the sidewalks and intersections, I do not appreciate drivers coming so close to me while I’m crossing that I have to back up or risk getting splashed. Give me a minute to get across, and more importantly, CALM DOWN! You’ll make it through the green light, and if you don’t BIG DEAL. There will be another one in a few minutes, I promise.
I should say this, as well. I believe in defensive driving. All the time. Even when I’m on my cell phone. LOL
However, I think pedestrians have to think defensively even more. True, they are often right and have the right of way, but I’d rather be defensive and alive than have the correct right of way and be dead as a result of an idiot in a car.
while this may not be directly related, it does have to do with cyclist and crosswalks.
i really think Lincoln needs to work on getting some of the main streets’ sidewalks “ramped” at crosswalks. what i mean is sometimes you’ll be flying down the sidewalk on your bike, and you’ll come to the end of the sidewalk at a street and there won’t be a ramp… or some will have a ramp on the side that you’re coming from, but when you get to the other side of the street there’s no ramp. this = endo; or worse…
just a thought.
i’ve actually taken to riding down the center of the streets in the turning lane when there’s no bike path available. i guess it’s my silent (yet stupid) protest. LOL!
Actually TWO things. First HANG UP THE CELL PHONE. The call can and WILL wait if it’s THAT important. Second. TURN DOWN THAT BOOMING STEREO. Instead of dancing along to the tunes pay attention to your driving. Save the thunder car for a different time.
I was hit IN A CROSSWALK by someone that was more concerned with what they were talking about than to pay attention to what was going on 5 feet away from their car.
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