Walking in Waterloo Region

[danbrotherston]

Possibly I am confused. I assumed the commons side was the west side. Of course it would be nice if they described the side more specifically. Not that its particularly easy in our city.

[bpoland]

Might have to just wait and see what they build

[danbrotherston]

A pedestrian was killed on Highway 7 at Spitzig Rd. this morning.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-...-1.3811444

I was surprised to find there is a school in that area.

[Section ThirtyOne]

A pedestrian was killed on Highway 7 at Spitzig Rd. this morning.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-...-1.3811444

I was surprised to find there is a school in that area.

Two schools actually! Both are private schools.

[danbrotherston]

In far better news, I received this in the mail:

   

   

[MidTowner]

From the CBC: Pedestrian, 91, killed while crossing Kitchener street

"A 91-year-old Kitchener man is dead after being hit by a car while crossing an intersection in the city's south-end. 

Police said the crash happened on Friday at a crosswalk at Vanier Drive and Shelley Drive, north of Vanier Park."

Very sad. For the record, Vanier and Shelley Drives meet at a four-way stop, and there is a park on two sides of the intersection.

[Viewfromthe42]

It's seemingly worse by the day in the area. I walk in the Downtown and adjacent neighbourhoods every day, and the amount of no-stops is incredible. Even yesterday, saw someone go through a red light to make a left turn. Anecdotal, of course, but very upsetting.

[Markster]

"The man was struck by a car being driven by a 36-year-old woman travelling east on Shelley Drive."

I... have no idea what direction that is.
In Google Maps, Shelley is due north-south.  It doesn't even have an East/West naming like Lancaster (the other due North-South road) to tell me which way is which.

My bet is that the car was making a right hand turn.

[MidTowner]

From the Record: Driver charged after pedestrian struck in Waterloo

"An 84-year-old man suffered minor injuries after he was hit by a car while crossing Northfield Drive West at Skylark Road in Waterloo Monday morning.

Police say the man was crossing the intersection on a green light around 8:55 a.m. when he was struck. He was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.

A 35-year-old woman is charged with failing to yield to a pedestrian."

It's hard to imagine missing an 84-year-old at this intersection. Turning onto Northfield from Skylark with the light, there's not really a lot going on here that would be distracting from the job of looking out for people crossing on foot.

[danbrotherston]

From the Record: Driver charged after pedestrian struck in Waterloo

"An 84-year-old man suffered minor injuries after he was hit by a car while crossing Northfield Drive West at Skylark Road in Waterloo Monday morning.

Police say the man was crossing the intersection on a green light around 8:55 a.m. when he was struck. He was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.

A 35-year-old woman is charged with failing to yield to a pedestrian."

It's hard to imagine missing an 84-year-old at this intersection. Turning onto Northfield from Skylark with the light, there's not really a lot going on here that would be distracting from the job of looking out for people crossing on foot.

Not really, driver's trying to make the right on the red, so the're looking left, looks up, see's the green, steps on the gas without looking right or in front.  I see this frequently.  Yet another danger of Right on Red.

It can happen for driver's making a left too, but usually that's a case of the pedestrian being more spry than the driver expects, or cynically, the driver intentionally cutting off the pedestrian and the pedestrian not noticing.  But regardless, I see that happen plenty too.

[Elmira Guy]

I almost got smoked by some ignorant ass yesterday who looked right at me as I was about to cross and then he turned right on the red and almost hit me. This happens to me about twice a month at the same intersection by my home. Most are unintentional (not that this is acceptable) but sometimes the drivers see me (or other pedestrians) but just don't give a damn.

Apparently we as pedestrians just have to accept it.

[danbrotherston]

@Elmira Guy

As a pedestrian, I am very proactive about making sure drivers notice me, I watch for eye contact from drivers before crossing in front of right turning vehicles, and I don't shy away from shouting or even knocking on a hood or window (depending on how far into the crosswalk they are) to get their attention.

Cars with (probably illegally) tinted windows are the worst since you often cannot see the driver.

[Elmira Guy]

This guy looked right at me before he went, and out his side (passenger) window as he went by while I very vigourously gave him the finger and called him a f***head. Part me of hopes that some day one of these drivers will get out to confront me on these hand gestures. Little do they realise how much disdain I have for drivers who disregard laws and willingly put others at risk. It would get ugly.

I have been thinking of putting my camera on video and recording as I wait/cross so as to get the vehicle, it's plates, and to show I had the lights in my favour. Problem is, I can easily imagine the police dismissing my evidence out of hand. Such driving infractions matter little to them it seems.

[timc]

Stop signs are the worst. I live near a four-way stop and I have to force myself to stop watching the intersection due to the shockingly large percentage of drivers that have no regard at all for stop signs.

[Elmira Guy]

Me thinks it is time for traffic cams.