Brand new “Stop Here on Red” signs in my city remind drivers to come to a complete stop, before turning right at a red light.
Many drivers need such reminders.
Stop ... and look right for pedestrians, please.
Observe for yourself as you are out and about driving and walking. You may be surprised how many drivers look left for traffic, when slowing down, but are too rushed to stop. And even if they do stop, many are still too rushed to look right for pedestrians who have the right of way.
After a near tragedy in our family a few years ago, I really started noticing.
Returning from a Goodwill outing, Phil was pushing Mom in a wheelchair, with me and my niece Jennifer walking behind. At the corner crosswalk, Phil planned to ease the wheelchair backwards over the curb.
It was my pre-designated duty to say when it was safe to cross.
So, when the pedestrian light turned green, and the front car had stopped, I said out loud, “We can go now.” But the driver turning right, he kept on looking left for traffic, and never, ever, looked right for pedestrians, even after he stopped. And I had not taken the extra seconds to make sure I had eye contact with the driver.
So, at my instruction, all four (4!) of us started crossing as the driver started turning right on red. Phil bellowed, “Stop! x@$%&$! Stop! #$%&*!” and kicked hard off the bumper, pushing Mom out of the way, and somehow preventing his own legs from getting smashed.
We were all shaken, very upset … and blessedly not injured.
Since that scare, while out walking I’ve had a number of drivers cut in front of me when I had the right of way. They just didn’t take the extra seconds to make sure there was no pedestrian traffic to their right.
Now when I walk, I try not to assume drivers will do the right thing. Instead, I take an extra second or two make sure to catch the attention of the drivers before crossing in front of their cars, even when I have the right of way. Often, I take off my sunglasses to help me make better eye contact. I even remove my iPod ear buds, to give crossing my full attention — which is a real pain, since I’m usually listening to a really good audio book by Stephen King or James Patterson.
I admit, these extra efforts can be irritating. But each time I curse when a driver turns, totally oblivious to me and other pedestrians, I am reminded that the extra effort and time is less painful than … the potential alternative.
To be honest: I have found myself being just as oblivious a driver.
Just this past month I started turning out of our drive, not noticing to my right a bicycle riding on the sidewalk. I had looked left for cars, but not right to the sidewalk. I slammed on my brakes in time to scare both of us.
“Stop Here on Red,” warns the new signs.
Perhaps the next sign should be, “Look Right Before Turning.”
And the last, “Bet You Wish You Had.”
