Posted on Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 9:44 a.m.
Pittsfield Township resident hit by car while walking dog, police say
By Steve Pepple
A Pittsfield Township woman was injured this morning when she was struck by a vehicle while walking her dog across Ellsworth Road at Lohr Road, township police said.
The woman sustained non-life threatening injuries in the 7;35 a.m. incident, according to a press release from the police department. The dog was not injured.
The woman was walking north on Lohr Road and was crossing Ellsworth when she was hit by a vehicle driven by a Jackson County resident, police said. Witnesses told police the vehicle had a green traffic signal and was not at fault, according to the press release.
No other details were available this morning.
Comments
Craig Matteson
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 10:58 p.m.
Frankly, I am shocked at the insensitivity of some of the comments posted here and grateful for those that show good sense and sympathy. This woman has family and friends (my family is among them) who care about her deeply and are terribly distressed over this painful and severe injury to her. We are doing our best to show support and help. We are equally concerned about the driver. His or her life will never be quite the same either. This kind of event is traumatic and we pray for all involved. We want to help them get their lives back together. But this is not a cartoon, or a joke, a movie script or a tv show. These are real flesh and blood people who are members of our communtiy who need our love and help right now. Thanks for those who are showing maturing and sense. I hope the others can open their hearts a bit and feel more clearly what has happened here.
Diane
Sun, Nov 6, 2011 : 4:01 p.m.
A RED LIGHT is a no brainer. Stay put until it turns green!!!!
Carole
Sun, Nov 6, 2011 : 1:06 p.m.
I just don't get it. When pedestrians have the green light to walk, walk. When they do not, stand on the curb and wait. In this day folks feel as though they are entitled to do whatever, and it is everyone else's fault. Be safe, wait, and cross when it is safe to do so. Driver, myself included, be patient when turning right on any given street, because folks may be crossing. I truly hope again that the woman is going to be a-okay, and that the driver is all right as well. I can't imagine what it would be like to hit anyone.
RRinAA
Sun, Nov 6, 2011 : 12:15 p.m.
Wow! Two car-pedestrian accidents in as many days. This clearly shows Ann Arbor is ahead of it's time with the new crosswalk law. I predict in a few years the State will catch on and pass a law for the speed limit to automatically go to 30 mph on every street whenever there are pedestrians in sight.... Uh oh. That's sarcasm. Ann Arbor City Council: DO NOT take this seriously!
Basic Bob
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 7:35 p.m.
Why wasn't she on the new asphalt path? Cars are not allowed there. Perhaps because her neighbors wouldn't allow it to built on the west side of the road and she needed to cross back to get home. If they had built pedestrian tunnels under the intersection, they wouldn't have this problem. (except people would be afraid to use them)
Yurmama
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 5:13 p.m.
Driving is a Priviledge, not a right. We all paid for the roads, we all have to share them in a prudent and responsible manner, no matter our means of transport. Shame on pedestrians who cross against signals. Shame on drivers who crowd bicycles. We are in this together.
Alaina
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 4:38 p.m.
I am really glad both the woman and dog are OK. I hope for a speedy recovery. I am also extremely surprised that this doesn't happen every single day. I have a 2.5 mile commute, either on bike or by bus. Every single day, I see at least one pedestrian, at every single light (8 in total), that walks right into traffic. What I mean is, the pedestrians have a RED LIGHT- no right of way, but they go anyways. They don't run, they don't even hustle- they just walk across a 2 or 4 lane road with cars driving through that have a GREEN light. It is mind-bogglingly insane. Cars have to come to a halt, in the middle of intersections because these people are so self-entitled that they think the traffic laws (and the laws of physics) don't apply to them. This has nothing to do with the crosswalk ordinance or pedestrian safety- this happens at signaled lights with crosswalks and walk/don't walk signs, and it is both students and adults. DON'T CROSS ON THE RED!!!!! Could you imagine if cars started acting like pedestrians do in this town?
a2cents
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 5:51 p.m.
and this is in one of the best educated communities in the country... speaks for itself.
Joe_Citizen
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 3:27 p.m.
One needs to look at the whole picture here. This is not A2, and does not follow their stupid laws. People get so full of themselves that they want their cake and eat it too. I care and I hope she will make a full recovery. If you were to ask yourself if you were in the same situation, could you stop on time? How many people ignore the cross walk signs? I don't know about all of you, but when I cross the street, I tend to want to survive it, at all costs. I used to drive a cab in A2, and people had no problems with just walking out in front of a 2 ton vehicle, at night, and walking out from behind a row of parked cars. I wish I had a dollar for every time I almost hit someone because of their stupidity. Pedestrians have to be accountable for their actions too. If they can't get with the whole fast cars on the street thing they should not be out and about. If we hit an animal it gets wrote up as an act of God, and that's because they don't know better. Who knows what the driver is doing other then paying attention to the road. Maybe walking your dog on a high speed is not making the right decision for yourself or your pet. Wake up, reality is setting in.
Yurmama
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 5:23 p.m.
Remember when you were too young to drive, and you couldn't believe how many drivers almost hit you because of their stupidity? Tell us about the way your beliefs changed, so that now you think that everyone has to stay out of the way of your car. Responsibility goes 2 ways. A driver can't justify any correctness in hitting a pedestrian. The driver may be able to convince a sympathetic officer that he couldn't avoid it, but he is still responsible for thinking ahead and avoiding accidents, that's called driving in a prudent manner, and that's a large committment.
Ron Granger
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 3:04 p.m.
I hope the woman is okay! The speed limit where witnesses report she crossed against the light is 45 mph. I am a big proponent of pedestrian safety, but if you are going to cross against the light, you really take your life in your own hands. Especially at those speeds.
Marilyn Wilkie
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 2:59 p.m.
I'm wondering if people are thinking that cars will automatically stop even when they have the green light due to the new crosswalk law. Yes, vehicles are to stop for pedestrians by law, but pedestrians are not supposed to walk when they do not have the green either. The first thing kindergarteners are bought is to look both ways. I do agree that drivers seem to be driving too fast for conditions everywhere though. When I try to obey speed limits I get dirty looks. 1 finger gestures and cars squealing their tires as they pass me. I guess they have someplace important to go.
Peter Baker
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 6:03 p.m.
"I'm wondering if people are thinking that cars will automatically stop even when they have the green light due to the new crosswalk law." I highly doubt that. There's a big orange "don't walk" sign when there's a crosswalk at a stop light. Not everything is city council's fault. I'm FOR the crosswalk ordinance, but if she really was crossing against a green light, it's absolutely her fault.
bunnyabbot
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 2:52 p.m.
I am always careful when out walking. Even more so when walking my dog! I'm not going to speculate about the accident. I am glad the dog is ok (and the owner).
sacmalama
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 2:38 p.m.
A couple years ago I almost hit two women who were crossing Ellsworth near that area at dusk. I was going the speed limit. They seemed to have misjudged my speed and/or walked more slowly than they expected. I barely spotted them in time...but I did spot them, was able to quickly slow down , and avoided a hit. Be alert out there - pedestrians and drivers!
grimmk
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 2:29 p.m.
My god, what is with all these cars and pedestrian meetings?! Do we all need to wear helmets when we go outside? Flashing lights? Have we all forgotten to look both ways before crossing a street? That goes for the driver as well. Whether or not the driver had a green light doesn't make it right. Pedestrians always loose against moving vehicles.
jns131
Sun, Nov 6, 2011 : 4:13 p.m.
I think it is time to rethink how we cross the road. Yes, we look at the cross walk monitor and say, OK we can cross. But we also need to look at the light we are crossing with and against. Is it green? Is it red? If facing the street to cross we look at the light. Yes, it is green we can cross. Red we cannot. This in both cases, both drivers are not at fault and yet, when we cross the road? We really need to think. A pedestrian will loose in every case.
Joe_Citizen
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 3:08 p.m.
This isn't A2 we are talking about.
swcornell
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 2:26 p.m.
So much for Ann Arbor's special new pedestrian laws making things better. Oops sorry, I guess this is Pittsfield Township, common sense doesn't apply here! I'll bet it was still dark and the walker wasn't carrying a flashlight?
DBH
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 7:26 p.m.
@bunnyabbot, my reply was simply factual. I offered no opinion regarding the possible connection of the ambient lighting at the time and the accident.
jcj
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 6:45 p.m.
What sunrise means is that 30 minutes before sunrise begins legal hunting hours.
Joe_Citizen
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 3:46 p.m.
Maybe it was an intersection, my bad.
Joe_Citizen
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 3:34 p.m.
This post said nothing about it being in an intersection, and this is not A2.
Tony Livingston
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 3:25 p.m.
This location is not in the city of Ann Arbor.
slave2work
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 3:07 p.m.
re-read the article.. It states.. at " 7:35"
bunnyabbot
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 2:50 p.m.
@DBH, sunrise doesn't mean it is all of a sudden the perfect light for driving, sun can also get in your eyes. But we don't know the factors of the hit.
Aavatar
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 2:39 p.m.
I like that you attack Ann Arbor's new pedestrian law, even though that only affects crosswalks that aren't at intersections. This happened at an intersection with a traffic light, thus it has nothing to do with the new law that you're complaining about. If you feel so passionately about the Ann Arbor law, write a letter to city hall, don't whine about it on Annarbor.com. I have seen far too many people on this site whining, yet I know that no one has sent in a formal complaint to the city.
DBH
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 2:32 p.m.
Sunrise occurred this morning at 8:12 AM, 37 minutes after the time the accident is reported to have occurred.
Townie
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 2:18 p.m.
People really drive fast through that intersection and I've seen people crossing against the light who don't realize how fast the speeders are going. I've been stopped on Ellsworth going west waiting to turn south on Lohr at that intersection and it's really something to have people on Ellsworth going west blast by you at 55 mph. Shakes the car.
shadow wilson
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 2:13 p.m.
How do these witnesses determine who was a t fault? I believe in Mich it is a shared responsibility; i.e the pedestrian and driver share a determined percentage of blame.......if any know different let us know.
jns131
Sun, Nov 6, 2011 : 4:10 p.m.
The case of the pedestrian out on Jackson? Pedestrian is at fault. They walked against the green. Otherwise, it is determined on a number of events. This one again pedestrian thinking they had right of way. I heard we all go into a fog this time of year. Guess it goes without saying.
MIKE
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 : 5:15 p.m.
It's different, at least in my book. If a pedestrian is crossing when he/she has the green, and a driver runs a red light, I blame the driver. When it's the opposite, I blame the pedestrian.