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by celtic_cpl from Orlando

Last Post 204 days, 2 hours Ago


Watch out for pedestrians!!!
Jun 19, 2008 | 4:45 PM
Category: Traffic
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I admit it, I have asthma and am a pedestrian. I don't own a car, I take the bus, which requires me crossing East Colonial after school every day to get home. I don't run, but neither do I 'crawl' across the street, and I always make it across *well* before the walking timer runs out.
Three days this week while crossing the road with the light, following laws, I was nearly hit halfway across the street by cars turning left. I was about 15 feet from traffic waiting at the red light, so it wasn't that I was being slow, and it wasn't a case of I didn't look for oncoming traffic. As a matter of fact, the white "walking man" had just turned to the orange flashing hand and the timer was at about 20 seconds.  Plenty of time to cross 2.5 lanes of traffic. And plenty of time for turning traffic to *look*. There is no turning light going in that direction.
If someone in the waiting cars hadn't honked at the turning cars I'd probably be in the hospital right now instead of blogging because they barely had time to swerve out of the way. They hadn't even noticed me, I was wearing bright blue scrubs and this was around 2:30 pm, plenty of sunlight. And then of course two of the three had to swear at me for "being in the road".

So please, PLEASE if you're driving along the road, watch out for pedestrians! We're just trying to get home, just like many of you. I obey the laws and cross at the crosswalk. If someone walks out on you between cars, then I can honestly say it was the pedestrians fault, but watch for crosswalks and pedestrians. That could have been someone pushing a stroller, or could have been your son or daughter crossing the street.

Thank you.
Celtic
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Member Comments Total Comments: 18
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Truthguys read my blog view my photos
Jun 20, 2008 | 4:39 AM

Probably no better but I am sure you cross at the lights right?
celtic_cpl read my blog
Jun 20, 2008 | 9:01 AM

Yes, I always cross at the light, and with the walking light. Which is why I'm annoyed with the drivers who aren't paying attention!
polecatextreme read my blog view my photos
Jun 21, 2008 | 9:04 AM

some drivers also don't seem to realize that pedestrians have the right of way over traffic turning right at the light. as long as the light is green for you. but jaywalkers are fair game as far as I'm concerned, darting across traffic between vehicles and against the light. makes them targets of opportunity. road kill at its best!
Native_Floridian read my blog view my photos
Jun 22, 2008 | 7:47 AM

How about this one, there is a CROSSWALK on ALOMA AVE where there is NO TRAFFIC LIGHT and the nighttime illumination isn't all that great either, speed limit is 45mph and the other night I almost took out a ped in this particular crosswalk, but not by choice, he was just sauntering along, there were two guys in it, the first one, briskly crossed and out of the crosswalk, BTW: This crosswalk IS NOT at an intersection either!, but the second guy just started walking SLOWLY across, so who's at fault here when the crosswalk IS NOT at an intersection, there are NO SIGNS warning drivers of a PED Crosswalk Ahead either and the speed limit is 45mph in the area.

Whomever put this crosswalk where it's at must have had ROCKS or AIR in the cranial cavity, because it wasn't too smart to put it where it is and then NOT WARN you about it in either direction!
Native_Floridian read my blog view my photos
Jun 22, 2008 | 7:50 AM

BTW: I get honked at, cursed at, etc. BECAUSE I wait for the pedestrian to cross when I am making a RIGHT TURN on a green light. Too many drivers are just too damn impatient.

However, I get EXTREMELY ANNOYED at IDIOTS that think the LEFT TURN SIGNAL means they can cross the street, IT DOES NOT, pedestrians NEED to wait for the SOLID GREEN and the white symbol or WALK before crossing, LEFT TURN signals are for VEHICLES ONLY to turn left, NOT for Pedestrians to casually walk across the street and hold up left turning traffic that doesn't usually hold that long anyhow!
celtic_cpl read my blog
Jun 22, 2008 | 11:10 AM

I agree with you Native, on both counts, both the crosswalk in the wrong place and the ones who don't wait for the signal. Unfortunately, the light I have to cross at doesn't have a left turn signal, only a straight green. Usually those turning left do so into one of the other lanes (there's three at that point on Colonial) instead of trying to run me over. All I'm saying is, more drivers should be like you and keep their eyes open to what's going on around them.
I can get off at that stop and cross with the cross walk and pedestrian light or get off at the next and have *no* cross walk and pedestrian light. Those are the only choices I have other than staying on the bus another 45 minutes to ride the bus around until it arrives on the other side of the street.

A lot of pedestrians use this intersection, and kids are out of school and walking to the convenience store across the highway. If I'm nearly getting hit crossing once a day, how much danger are the kids in crossing, kids who likely aren't paying as much attention to what's going on around them?
Native_Floridian read my blog view my photos
Jun 22, 2008 | 3:03 PM

I understand your frustration, for several months I had to take the bus because all three of our vehilces broke down and I sold all of them, so I was taking the bus to a job I held at the time and I KNOW exactly how you feel.

What these damn morons that drive DO NOT seem to COMPRHEND is "DRIVING IS A PRIVELEDGE", IT ABSOLUTELY IS NOT a RIGHT. If you put half these same morons that have just about ran you over in the same situation, they'd probably end up dead because of their inability to comprehend FLORIDA LAW, and I state, "THE PEDESTRIAN IN A CROSSWALK ALWAYS HAS THE RIGHT of WAY, EVEN IF THE CROSSWALK IS UNMARKED, BUT HAS PED SIGNALS at the intersection.

What gets me is the TRAFFIC SIGNAL and PED CROSSWALKS that was put in place for ROLLINS COLLEGE students to cross FAIRBANKS AVE safely, I don't know how many times I've come close to running one of these morons over that #1. DOES NOT BOTHER TO PUSH THE BUTTON to get the signal and STOP TRAFFIC SAFELY.

#2. Walks out into the crosswalk AGAINST the light and ped signal, then stands in one of the lanes expecting everyone to stop dead and allow them to cross against the light.

#3. Or they stand just over the curb in the lane waiting to cross again, AGAINST the light and ped signal causing drivers to have to swerve nearly or into the other lane, which could result in a vehicle accident and possibly even their death.

No one will ever convince me that COLLEGE makes you smarter, because I see some of the DUMBEST ones right at this crosswalk that just can't wait. If they're late for class, they need to leave ea
Native_Floridian read my blog view my photos
Jun 22, 2008 | 3:08 PM

continued:

earlier.


But I've been where you are and I've almost been hit by INEPT drivers that do not comprehend a ped in the crosswalk DOES have the right of way if crossing with the signal, no signals, but a crosswalk (even though not signed to warn the driver of it) have the right of way, but that one on Aloma SHOULD WARN drivers that it exists at least 1000-1500' before you reach it so you can expect to slow down for it. This is how I almost flattened a ped the other night, if I'd have known the crosswalk was there, where there is no intersection or traffic control device, I'd have been prepared to and would have slowed down just in case someone was in it, which they were. Now that was scary at 45mph after dark and they were wearing DARK clothing!
polecatextreme read my blog view my photos
Jun 23, 2008 | 8:09 AM

native. the rollins students aren't stupid, just arrogant!
Native_Floridian read my blog view my photos
Jun 23, 2008 | 4:23 PM

polecatextreme, no, IT IS definitively STUPID! Anyone that runs out in front of moving traffic and expects it to stop short and not hit them are not only STUPID, it my book it makes them a MORON too!


Arragonce is putting on heirs, like someone acting snooty, rich and better than everyone else in the room.

STUPID and MORON are the idiots that do not have enough sense to know how to use a very simple pushbutton at a crosswalk and traffic flow control devices to walk across a street safely WITHOUT almost creating or even causing an accident by their idiocy!
Twocents
Jun 26, 2008 | 1:27 PM

I have a solution to both help pedestrians take back their rights AND help stop red light running: But NO ONE is going to like it...

REPEAL THE RED TURN ON RIGHT LAW

Look back and try to remember what it was like before that law was enacted... I believe the increase to our traffic woes can be traced back to then. People don't even stop for red lights or stop signs any more - we're lucky if they pause long enough to see anything/anyone else in the roadway, tapping the brakes only slightly, before careening around corners or through intersections. Stop signs have become a joke.

I am tired of driving by watching my rear view mirror. I follow the road rules, and risk having my bumpers crumpled daily.

And all you people out there BREAKING THE LAWS: Keep your fingers and voices down. You have NO RIGHT to be complaining. Your personal anti-social behavior does not trump anyone else's rights to proceed safely around our public roadways. You want to buy your own traffic network, slap your name on it and flip people off at will. Until then, back off - literally.
LoneWolf1278 view my photos
Jun 27, 2008 | 9:52 AM

Don't feel bad my friend. I ride a motorcycle, and if I don't come close to being killed at least once a week by careless drivers somthings wrong. It's getting so you need to have a head like a owl not to get creamed by someone on a cell phone, eating or puting on their makeup!
celtic_cpl read my blog
Jun 27, 2008 | 10:50 AM

Maybe someone out there's been reading who uses that intersection, because the "target" on my scrubs seems to have gotten smaller. Only one incident this week!
smitty read my blog
Jun 27, 2008 | 2:24 PM

Another bad situation is when your riding
on the sidewalk on the side with opposing
traffic. People are looking ONLY at the
oncoming traffic to get out of a parking
lot therefore, they aren't looking your
direction. They will pull out at full bore
without seeing you.

I make sure I have eye contact with them
before riding in front of them or I just
wait until they pull out.

Drivers need to start looking BOTH directions
before pulling out of any lot or driveway
where there are also sidewalks present.
Native_Floridian read my blog view my photos
Jun 27, 2008 | 5:02 PM

Twocents, I have been saying that same thing for years, NO RIGHT TURN ON RED.....PERIOD!!!!

I have had three cars damaged because I opted to take the curb instead of slamming into these BUFFOONS, the sad thing is, the intersections where this happened at, ALL THREE OF THEM have NO TURN ON RED signs, so even if we REPEALED the law, these IGNORANT MORONS WILL continue to make the turn, even though IT IS POSTED, NO TURN ON RED!

Smitty, I agree with you, I see drivers do that crap in front of me all the time, ONLY LOOK to the left toward oncoming traffic as they barrel out of parking lots, make right turns at intersections with and WITHOUT traffic lights. I almost got slammed into just the other day because I STOPPED because there was some people crossing the street WITH the light and in the crosswalk, then I got honked at and bitc*ed at because I wouldn't make the turn until they were out of the way.

Today the majority of drivers ARE F'ing MORONS, I have come across a select few, VERY FEW, that still follow the road rules, too many are in too much of a hurry to give a damn about anyone but themselves, and I know the media ain't gonna like this, but they are JUST AS GUILTY when breaking news is happening, so it's breaking news, that does NOT give them the right to drive like a maniac to get there either!
Native_Floridian read my blog view my photos
Jun 27, 2008 | 5:04 PM

TW: Smitty, Not just sidewalks, many roads DO NOT have sidewalks and I still look BOTH ways because people may be walking along the side of the road in the grass or edge of the road. So ANY DRIVER that was TAUGHT to drive PROPERLY, COURTEOUSLY and DEFENSIVELY knows to ALWAYS LOOK BOTH WAYS, ALWAYS EXPECT the UNEXPECTED and to KEEP THEIR EYES MOVING, NOT Focused in one spot like they have blinders on, as so many of these idiots do!
smitty read my blog
Jun 27, 2008 | 7:40 PM

I liked your explanation much better Native.

Absolutely correct. I had a hard
time explaining the scenario but, anyone
who has ridden a bicycle around town
or who are a semi-conscientious driver
towards pedestrians know exactly what I'm talking about.

Oh yeah, I know what your talking about... I love getting nearly rear-ended and flicked off when I stop on the road for
pedestrians crossing an entrance.

It's like, Oh I'm sorry, next time I will run over that mother and child out on a walk on a beautiful day for you so your not inconvenienced with a 5 second stop!

Just disgusting and the reason I DON'T
carry a gun in my car. Forget it,
I'd be serving 7 life sentences by now with how these inconsiderate people piss me off!
Native_Floridian read my blog view my photos
Jul 8, 2008 | 1:57 PM

Smitty, that's why I don't carry a gun either, I wouldn't be shooting the driver, but I'd damn sure shoot out their radiator so they couldn't drive anywhere!

Just this afternoon I was coming back from a prospective job interview, I was sitting at the light on Bumby Ave and Colonial Drive (Highway 50), I was on the Colonial Plaza side heading North in the straight lane, the traffic light there has LIT SIGNS, NO TURN ON RED, but I watched not 1, not 2, not even 3, but 8 morons make a right turn on red.

So this is why I say, even if we repeal it, there are too many BLEEP out there that APPARENTLY CAN NOT READ, UNDERSTAND or COMPREHEND these signs, oh wait, they aren't in Spanish, so that's the problem right? Partially, maybe, but, even if the sign was written and lit up in Spanish, what about the BLACK ARROW (White Arrow if a LIT sign) with the BIG RED CIRCLE with the DIAGONAL LINE over it that is the "INTERNATIONAL SYMBOL" for NO TURN ON RED. Some people think the road rules only apply to everyone else but them.

Sometimes I wish I was a Police officer in an unmarked vehicle so I could cite these brain-dead buffoons!
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celtic_cpl

I'm a full time student, work part time in retail and a full time mom of two.

Member Since: 6/14/2008


 

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