Why don't people know to stop at crosswalks?!

[Anonymous]

I am not defending the driver, but I do worry that crosswalks that don't have traffic lights give pedestrians a false sense of security and also set up a dangerous game of chicken. I really wish that all crosswalks had push buttons to trigger a red light for cars (similar to the light to cross CT Ave near the Uptown). i always tell my kids not to cross at crosswalks that do not have lights even if means walking a few blocks out of our way.

[Anonymous]

It's awful. And it gets dark so early now, so pedestrians are hard to see. I really wish DC had those lights on the ground or signs that lit up when you pressed a button or SOMETHING

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's hard to know where all the crosswalks are. If you are speeding along, by the time you realize it's a crosswalk, it might be too late to stop. Sometimes you drive through an area with a cross walk and there may even be a sign saying blind pedestrian but never in your life have you ever seen a pedestrian there. I'm not excusing people not stopping in crosswalks. It's a problem in this area. Drivers are often in a hurry and think they are more important than pedestrians. Pedestrians should never assume a car is going to stop or it could be a fatal mistake.

If you're going too fast to realize you're approaching a crosswalk, you're just straight-up going too fast.

Agreed. Most of the time the crosswalk is associated with an INTERSECTION, and the driver should be aware of the intersection because there could also be cars. If it's another kind of crosswalk (like a church near me has one midway down the block between the church and their parking lot, they put out signs on Sundays).

Besides which, there does not have to be an actual crosswalk or signs for an intersection where pedestrians can pass and we DO have the right away. One day I was crossing at the end of my block, I do wait for traffic to clear (I don't have a death wish) and a woman who had plenty of time to slow down (wouldn't even have to stop, she was far enough away to begin with) yelled at me for crossing the street.

You want to make eye contact with drivers, though. I do have fantasies about wearing a giant stop sign with flashing lights though.

What's weird is when you have the occasional driver who, seeing you at the corner, actually stops, but the other lane keeps on driving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
American cities should put traffic lights at all intersections, just like in most European and Asian cities. That way, there's no excuse. You have to stop.

That or little roundabouts like in the UK. You're forced to slow down and will slow down enough to see any pedestrians and stop.

Uh, no. Crossing roundabouts in London was terrifying.

I've wondered about that. The roundabouts I use, I've only once ever seen a pedestrian there, and of course no lights in a roundabout (in other intersections in the area they have talking lights. . . which do NOT work the same way at each intersection, they have put different things in at different times I guess). Roundabouts look very dicey for me for walking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is this so hard to understand?! I live on the street where a 24yo woman was killed Saturday night after being hit by an SVU in a crosswalk in BROAD DAYLIGHT. I just ran across the street to pick up a prescription and an idiot blew right through the crosswalk. Didn't even pause. Why is this so hard for seemingly everyone driving in the District of Columbia?!

I just read about this tragedy too. I live right up the street. This is a very obvious and well-marked crosswalk, right near a children’s playground. I can’t tell you how many times cars don’t stop for my son and I when trying to cross the crosswalks on Columbia road.

[Anonymous]

As a driver, pedestrian, and cyclist in the District, I strongly believe that the city needs to make every crosswalk either at a stoplight or a HAWK signal (push button with signs that light up when a pedestrian is crossing).

I think HAWK signals would make a HUGE difference in this city. We have so many crosswalks that go across Georgia Ave, Columbia Road, MacArthur Blvd, etc that are not connected to street lights but where drivers go FAST.

More HAWK signals please. Ideally at every intersection in the city with a crosswalk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a driver, pedestrian, and cyclist in the District, I strongly believe that the city needs to make every crosswalk either at a stoplight or a HAWK signal (push button with signs that light up when a pedestrian is crossing).

I think HAWK signals would make a HUGE difference in this city. We have so many crosswalks that go across Georgia Ave, Columbia Road, MacArthur Blvd, etc that are not connected to street lights but where drivers go FAST.

More HAWK signals please. Ideally at every intersection in the city with a crosswalk.

Honestly, this would be great. It wouldn't fix all the problems (the number of people who have tried to run me over by doing illegal things at intersections with actual traffic lights is pretty shocking) but hopefully it would cut down on genuine accidents and help with awareness of pedestrians, especially in the winter when visibility can be hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a driver, pedestrian, and cyclist in the District, I strongly believe that the city needs to make every crosswalk either at a stoplight or a HAWK signal (push button with signs that light up when a pedestrian is crossing).

I think HAWK signals would make a HUGE difference in this city. We have so many crosswalks that go across Georgia Ave, Columbia Road, MacArthur Blvd, etc that are not connected to street lights but where drivers go FAST.

More HAWK signals please. Ideally at every intersection in the city with a crosswalk.

Honestly, this would be great. It wouldn't fix all the problems (the number of people who have tried to run me over by doing illegal things at intersections with actual traffic lights is pretty shocking) but hopefully it would cut down on genuine accidents and help with awareness of pedestrians, especially in the winter when visibility can be hard.

Also, every single intersection should be a scramble- I should not as a pedestrian have to wait for two light signals to cross the street when drivers do not.

I think we should go a step further and every intersection should have a button for drivers to push to make the light turn green for them. Pedestrians have the RIGHT OF WAY, why are we the ones that have to stop, push a button and wait for the light? Literally only because people driving huge machines don't care if they kill us. This city needs to stop making its easy for people to get into a 2,000 lb car/ truck/ SUV and speed through the city while speeding pollution. If you live in MD or VA and want to go into the city you should not expect to be able to get into your car and drive the same speed in the city that you drive on the Beltway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a driver, pedestrian, and cyclist in the District, I strongly believe that the city needs to make every crosswalk either at a stoplight or a HAWK signal (push button with signs that light up when a pedestrian is crossing).

I think HAWK signals would make a HUGE difference in this city. We have so many crosswalks that go across Georgia Ave, Columbia Road, MacArthur Blvd, etc that are not connected to street lights but where drivers go FAST.

More HAWK signals please. Ideally at every intersection in the city with a crosswalk.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cars are not required to stop at crosswalks if they have a green light.

there was a stop sign. the SUV clearly blew through it. And of course they can’t drive into pedestrians in the crosswalk.

You mean they ran a stop sign?

[Anonymous]

Crosswolks without a stop sign or stop light or flashing lights are super dangerous. They are hard to see by drivers and pedestrians feel emboldended.

For better or worse, our built environment is designed for cars, so pedestrians need to act accordingly.

I teach my kids to assume every car is TRYING to hit them and act accordingly. This is only in jest, but the mindframe I have. I don't enter a crosswalk unless I see any approaching cars slowing, and I prefer to make eye contact with the driver.

If cars keep zooming by, I will deliberately step off in front of an oncoming car to compel them stop, but will be poised to jump back if they don't comply. Again, the assumption is they are aiming to hit us, or at the very least are likely staring at a TikTok video on their phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cars are not required to stop at crosswalks if they have a green light.

there was a stop sign. the SUV clearly blew through it. And of course they can’t drive into pedestrians in the crosswalk.

You mean they ran a stop sign?

The one from this weekend on Columbia Rd? No stop sign there. Tons of comments on twitter about what an awful intersection it is for pedestrians- poor sight lines, cars speeding after waiting at light at 18th, etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cars are not required to stop at crosswalks if they have a green light.

there was a stop sign. the SUV clearly blew through it. And of course they can’t drive into pedestrians in the crosswalk.

You mean they ran a stop sign?

The one from this weekend on Columbia Rd? No stop sign there. Tons of comments on twitter about what an awful intersection it is for pedestrians- poor sight lines, cars speeding after waiting at light at 18th, etc

there is a stop sign there on Biltmore to cross Columbia, but not Columbia to turn onto Biltmore.

[Anonymous]

Because at crosswalks on a busy straightaway I’m way more likely to get rear-ended by another driver than a pedestrian is likely to walk out in front of my car. On slower or more residential streets of course I stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Crosswolks without a stop sign or stop light or flashing lights are super dangerous. They are hard to see by drivers and pedestrians feel emboldended.

For better or worse, our built environment is designed for cars, so pedestrians need to act accordingly.

I teach my kids to assume every car is TRYING to hit them and act accordingly. This is only in jest, but the mindframe I have. I don't enter a crosswalk unless I see any approaching cars slowing, and I prefer to make eye contact with the driver.

If cars keep zooming by, I will deliberately step off in front of an oncoming car to compel them stop, but will be poised to jump back if they don't comply. Again, the assumption is they are aiming to hit us, or at the very least are likely staring at a TikTok video on their phone.

I do this too, while wildly waving my arms. It is humorous how many people will fly by and then the person who does stop will yell out the car all indignant "of course I was going to stop!!"