Pedestrian safety subject of tonight's forum in downtown Ann Arbor
The invitation to tonight's forum being held by the Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition says there's a serious issue to be addressed in Ann Arbor: Pedestrian safety.
"We love walking down our tree-lined streets in Ann Arbor, along the Huron River and through our vibrant downtown," the invitation reads. "But as motorists, we don't yield for pedestrians at crosswalks. We ignore 'no right turn on red' signs. We speed through residential neighborhoods. Why? Not all communities in America experience this problem."
Hoping to call attention to the issue, the Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition is hosting tonight's forum to explore the issue and engage community members around the topic of improving pedestrian safety.
Panelists at the forum include Susan Pollay, Ann Arbor Downtown Development director; Eli Cooper, the city's transportation manager; Pat Cawley, the city's senior project manager; Kristen Larcom, a city staff attorney; Officer Patton of the Ann Arbor Police Department; Carolyn Grawi from the Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living; Robert Wagner, director of Lurie Terrace; and Rory Neuner, urban policy specialist for the Michigan Environmental Council.
The meeting will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Ann Arbor DDA offices at 150 S. Fifth Ave, Suite 301.
"We can have a community where we no longer feel invisible as pedestrians - where motorists stop to allow children to cross the street," the invitation reads. "Come voice your concerns to city staff, learn how Ann Arbor is currently addressing these issues and be part of shaping the pedestrian vision for Ann Arbor's future."
Learn more at www.wbwc.org.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529.
Comments
Moose
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 : 7:58 p.m.
Thanks Phil. Pictures are worth a thousand words "Here's an idea... stop walking in front of cars downtown as if the whole world stops to your every need." Here's an idea, learn to drive with respect for others and not like the whole world revolves around your need to get somewhere 60 seconds later than you might have wanted to.
Phillip Farber
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 : 2:35 p.m.
The forum mentioned in the article was about pedestrian safety and the current behavior of motorists when a pedestrian is trying to cross legally at a cross-walk.. PLEASE try to focus you mind on the subject rather than use it as an excuse to bash cyclists and inattentive pedestrians. We all know the problems.. It is apparent that virtually all motorists are ignorant of the law that gives pedestrians the right of way in crosswalks. The following video, presented last night at the forum, should serve to make that point.. Note that sections of the video are sped up to shorten its length, *not* to suggest that motorists are speeding. One segment includes a sight-impaired pedestrian, carrying a white cane, struggling to cross at a legal crosswalk. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsT5ZJUnBg0
Visual Echo
Wed, Oct 14, 2009 : 3:48 p.m.
I think that sometimes drivers go faster so that jaywalkers know that if they cross in front of them, they're going to hit them, and they're going to kill them. Frankly, if I'm on the jury, the driver is going free. Not only give them jaywalking tickets, but make them buy an insurance policy.
Moose
Wed, Oct 14, 2009 : 12:39 p.m.
Did I hear a dog whistle? Who's blowing that whistle? Why, it's A2.com! Read an article in Scientific American on "How To Get More Bicyclists on the Road". http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=getting-more-bicyclists-on-the-road Ban bikes from sidewalks. But FIRST help educate motorists and cyclists and THEN spend the $$ on the necessary and proper infrastructure, for cyclists AND pedestrians. It's really amusing to read the same tired old attacks on cyclists from the "cagers" who have all the advantages when it comes to using the same part of the public infrastructure that cyclists have every legal right to use.
A2transplant
Wed, Oct 14, 2009 : 12:19 p.m.
Correction: Pedestrians should be ticketed for JAYwalking....crosswalking, I approve of. :-)
Brent Lofgren
Wed, Oct 14, 2009 : 12:13 p.m.
I think AAFish came the closest to getting it right. People seem to want their own advantage, whatever their current mode of transport, and ignore the general safety of all. Downtown, pedestrians and sometimes bikers do ridiculous things that inconvenience motorists, while along the Plymouth Road corridor, crosswalks that form parts of the sidewalk bike/pedestrian route as well as those going across Plymouth carry no significance to motorists. As ocho says, what is the difference between the crosswalk and jaywalking in that case? a2roots, I spent some time living in Boulder, and would love to have that kind of biking environment here; sometimes they seem to have crossed the threshold at which bikers face more danger from other bikers than from cars.
A2transplant
Wed, Oct 14, 2009 : 11:52 a.m.
Enforce ALL the traffic laws--for everyone. Drivers get ticketed for running red lights, violating no turn on reds, etc. Bikers get ticketed for running red lights, riding on sidewalks, etc Pedestrians get ticketed for cross-walking and walking INTO traffic. Or, maybe just relax the laws, put up the cameras, and decide on a case-by-case basis on personal responsibility. Did the walk in front of the oncoming car? Yes? Then the pedestrian is at fault for extreme lack of common sense. Was the pedestrian in the middle of the road when the car approached and ran him over? Yes? Then the driver is at fault. Pedestrians have always had a profound sense of entitlement in Ann Arbor. Before moving here, I was warned that pedestrians here are like the sacred cows of Calcutta...and they know it. Too true.
rugburn
Wed, Oct 14, 2009 : 11:42 a.m.
Whether you have to yield to a biker or pedestrian or not, you'll just be at the next red light anyways. Wheres the fire?
ocho
Wed, Oct 14, 2009 : 11:11 a.m.
In other countries the law is that cars must yield to pedestrians ENTERING the crosswalk. Here you're lucky if a car stops when you are in a legal crosswalk. In Canada, the pedestrian hits a palm button to activate flashing yellow lights which then gives the pedestrian right of way. Simple changes to make pedestrians safer. Otherwise, what is the advantage of using a crosswalk over jaywalking? Finally, consider getting rid of right on red downtown... too many cars block the crosswalks and only look left when turning endangering pedestrians from the right.
a2roots
Wed, Oct 14, 2009 : 11:03 a.m.
Seems like we spend way to much money, time and energy on cowtowing to the bike riders in Ann Arbor. Build it and they will come does not work. This is not Boulder. Our weather is significantly worse than what Boulder experiences. Anyone think this might influence the level headed person's bike useage. Anyone take a look for an extended period of time at some of our newly put in place roadway bike lanes. Talk about a waste of money. The lanes on S. Main, Packard and W. Stadium to name a few which I encounter regularly are underutilized. Where are all the bikers these were put in place for? Don't try and tell me there is no connection. I grew up here and can still get from one side of the city to another with minimal interaction with main thoroughfares.
AAFish
Wed, Oct 14, 2009 : 10:58 a.m.
Idiot drivers. Idiot bicyclists. Idiot pedestrians. There's certainly an abundance of all three. What I find really distressing (among other things) are pedestrians who saunter across the street mid-block, looking straight ahead or down at the ground, and don't bother checking for traffic, at all. The fact that they never even see me is more bothersome, to me, than their jaywalking. Talk about totally abdicating responsibility for one's own safety... Jerk drivers -- well, that topic could fill an entire book.
DadooS
Wed, Oct 14, 2009 : 10:37 a.m.
I walk to and from my work. While I have dozens of weekly interactions with cars, it is an exception when I feel threatened by a driver's action, although an occurrence does leave a huge impression. In contrast, I feel threatened by many of the interactions I have with bicyclists. I believe they are a much greater danger, especially on long downhill sidewalks where they take pleasure in the thrill of speed heedless of the folks their endangering. There are clearly active automobile traffic police. A2 needs the same for bicyclists.
treetowncartel
Wed, Oct 14, 2009 : 10:23 a.m.
Blue, the cameras you speak of are forbidden in Michigan. I think there is an Attorney General Opinion addressing this.
brian
Wed, Oct 14, 2009 : 9:02 a.m.
I see cars stop at red lights and then just go through them as if it was a 4 way stop sign all the time. I have lived in a few other cities around the US and have never seen this happen before. I don't know about the complaints about people turning on red as i can only think of a few intersections in town where this is prohibited so i don't see how that is such a huge problem. What are the bike riding laws in this area? I couldn't seem to find any when I looked. I couldn't even find anything about riding on sidewalks or wearing helmets. If you are on the road are you supposed to hug the curb and follow all the same laws as being in a car? If so then the Ann Arbor bikers really need to work on things. Just last week I was stopped at a red light and had my right turn signal on and a biker behind me decided to try and pass me on the right, right as I turned. That could have been very messy and they had the nerve to get upset with me.
Rizzle
Wed, Oct 14, 2009 : 8:56 a.m.
if I have a green light, and I'm in a car, and you have a don't walk or red light and you are on a bike or walking, why do you automatically assume I will stop for you?
Deb Anderson
Wed, Oct 14, 2009 : 8:47 a.m.
As a pedestrian, I was hit from behind by a speeding "vehicle" at the bottom of the steep hill on Medical Center Drive near the intersection of Fuller. I was hit by a bicycle on the sidewalk and I ended up at the ER. The entire left side of my torso, arm, and leg was badly bruised. It could have been much worse, the cyclist who hit me had to be going at least 25 MPH. I agree whole-heartedly with BornNRaised. Follow the rules people!
AAJoker
Wed, Oct 14, 2009 : 8:18 a.m.
There is complete lack of Police enforcement in the areas of "right on red", speeding, red lights, cars in the intersection after the light has changes, pedestrian crossings as well as the enforcement of bike laws. When is the AAPD going to get off their butts?
BlueNever!
Wed, Oct 14, 2009 : 7:51 a.m.
I partially agree with the other posters. Bicyclists in Ann Arbor disregard traffic laws more than obey them. However, that's because the City is afraid to enforce the laws for fear of offending the students. Still, Ann Arbor ranks as one of the highest offense cities in regard to ignoring red lights and no turn on red laws. The City should install the ticket cameras at all downtown intersection to fairly enforce the existing laws. Unfortunately, for the minority of us bikers and pedestrians who obey traffic laws, we have little protection from thousand pound moving vehicles. Stop whining about the existing laws and enforce them, that was the point for enacting them.
a2grateful
Wed, Oct 14, 2009 : 7:18 a.m.
Pedestrian safety is a primary quality-of-life issue. One often questions the magnitude of so-called great Ann Arbor neighborhoods, as cars speed through crosswalks, intersections, and red lights, regardless of pedestrian occupation.. Speed limits also seem to be meaningless here.. It would be great if motorists and bicyclists complied with existing traffic laws.. In absence of such compliance, it would be great if existing laws were strictly enforced with zero tolerance.
AAW
Wed, Oct 14, 2009 : 7:15 a.m.
Well here goes...I agree with the comment from BornNRaised. An example of an bike rider attitude, last Saturday while driving east on Washtenaw I passed a bike rider. I was a little to close to the curb after stopping at the light at Washtenaw and Huron PKWY. Biker flips me off rides up onto the sidewalk then through the red light that was for me and him. Hmmm what made him so special that he could just zoom through the light? I see this more often then a biker stopping and following all traffic laws. I will take some heat for this I am sure but this is a true story. Everyone must be safe while on all roads and follow the law.