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July 21, 2008
Drivers, Cyclists, Pedestrians: Keeping the Conversation Alive
Photo by stop.down via Flickr
The LA Times has certainly taken the Mandeville Canyon story and run with it. But that's a good thing, it's a conversation that has been needed for a long time and to see the city's largest media outlet take it head on is a good sign for positive results. Here's some of the latest, which leads today's online California section:
With the city of Los Angeles in the early stages of formulating a bike plan, and with motorist-vs.-cyclist road rage on the rise, politicians, engineers, residents and cycling enthusiasts have begun what all agree is a long-overdue conversation about how best to coexist on the city's highways and byways."It's a citywide issue of people sharing the road, whether on foot, a bicycle, a Vespa or in our cars," said Jeanne Field, a Mandeville Canyon resident. "Manners have just gone out the window."
Manners out the window? Oh, yes. Remember this conversation about right-turn drivers not seeing pedestrians as they looked left for oncoming traffic? A habit to change, indeed.
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As pedestrians we also need to be practice common sense. I too have to make eye contact and sometimes lightly tap on the window if a car has blatantly stared only at the left (happens at the bristol farms parking lot everyday).
However, 2 pedestrians almost caused a 3 car pile up as they decided that even though there was only 1 second left of yellow blinking, they could somehow dash out. Well, it was red as they actually step foot in the crosswalk, while 2 cars where trying to make a left - the first car making a left did nothing wrong - but the 2 cars behind him were following dangerously too closely, and everyone hit the brakes hard so that these two moronic pinkberry carrying pedestrians could finish their red light run - which they then started to walk after they almost got hit.
As a pedestrian, I see why cars have little respect for us when people like that are walking around.
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Whats with pedestrians not looking both ways before they cross the street in front of a car? I'm not talking about crosswalks where they have the right of way (although you should still look just in case!) This happens most frequently in parking lots where they feel it isn't necessary to make sure drivers are paying attention. They don't bother to look and just assume I guess that we see them and we will stop.
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As a pedestrian, eye contact is a very good thing to make a habit out of.
However, I will never lightly and politely tap on someone's car again. The last time I did that, the guy got out and tried to start a fight with me.
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The pedestrian issue should come next. I live near Marina del Rey and cannot tell you how many times I've nearly gotten nailed crossing Admiralty Way on foot with the light.
A wine steward at Ralphs in the Waterside Shopping Center did get nailed and no one knows (even after a year) who killed him. A vague description of a large sedan and SUV was mentioned, but no one ever came forward or volunteered any information.
Of course this is a maddening thing when the Sheriffs Department patrols the waters and the Highway Patrol patrol the streets. In seven years I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I've seen the Highway Patrol on Marina del Rey surface streets.
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Zach, I actually got assaulted by a guy when he hit me with his car and I hit his hood. (I wasn't on a bike this time, surprise!) It sucked, especially since I was fully in the crosswalk when he turned right and hit me. I was kind of baffled by the whole exchange: Dude hits me with car, I hit hood to get his attention so he doesn't go any further, and I GET ASSAULTED.
His license plate was fake, unfortunately, because the police couldn't find it on record. :(