June - July 2002 Edition 

Walking Safely   By Traffic Todd I’ve been sitting her trying to put together this issue’s installment for a few days. I knew I wanted to focus on pedestrian’s this issue, however I couldn’t find the right starting point; then it hit me while crossing a street in Ridgewood one Thursday night (the idea hit me, not the on-coming car). My wife and I were shopping and parked on the street across from Talbot’s. We parked mid-block right across from the store, so we got out of the car and just started walking across the street – of course we looked both ways and the a car was just coming around the corner, well away from our crossing. As we got to the other side, a voice rang out from the car coming down the street, wouldn’t you know, it was a Ridgewood police office in an unmarked car. The officer was very polite and to the point, asked/reminded us to us the crosswalk in the future to safely cross the street. A very simple, straight forward and common sense pedestrian safety statement. Pedestrian safety is not just the responsibility of drivers and government. No matter what the law says and the number of signs posted along roadways, pedestrians need to use common sense when crossing the street. Crosswalks are in place as a safe zone for pedestrians because it acts as a warning to drivers that people will be crossing in the area. This safe zone allows the driver’s attention to be focused on possible crossings. Crosswalks should be used at all times – if an area does not have a crosswalk, then crossing at an intersection is preferable to crossing mid-block. A driver expects either crossing vehicles or pedestrians at corners/intersections and there is usually a better sight line at intersections so drivers can see pedestrians starting to cross. Of course the best places to cross are at lighted intersections. However most pedestrians do not obey the crossing lights. A pedestrian cannot see all of the traffic control lights, so it is imperative that the cross signals are obeyed. Many lights have delayed green cycles or turn only cycles to keep traffic moving. The pedestrian crossing lights are timed with these cycles to allow safe crossing by pedestrians, which is why they are in place. So obeying these signals is imperative for your own safety as well as drivers proceeding through the intersection. No matter where a pedestrian crosses a street, it is imperative that common sense and self-preservation instincts are used to their fullest capacities. With the many distractions found in today’s cars, a pedestrian cannot and should not expect the driver to be fully aware of their surroundings – so a simple rule is don’t cross right in front of a vehicle. It takes several feet to stop a vehicle that weighs a ton and half or more, and the bigger the vehicle, the longer the stopping distance – and the same goes for speed, the faster it goes the longer it takes to stop. Take it slow, move into the roadway a little bit, making it obvious to oncoming drivers that you are seeking to cross. If the drivers signals you to cross, cross, if the vehicle appears to be slowing down, most likely the driver saw you and is ready for you to cross. Do not assume that because the law states that drivers must yield to pedestrians, that the driver will stop and let you cross. And if you do start to cross a street, don’t stop and change your mind. A driver needs time to react to your movements, so if you started crossing the street, a driver will assume that you will continue and will react accordingly. Pedestrian safety is the responsibility of these behind the wheel and those walking along the roadways. If you are a driver and see a pedestrian, think about what you would be doing and thinking if you were trying to cross the street and give that pedestrian the courtesy of obeying the law and stopping so the pedestrian can cross safely. If you are a pedestrian, think about what you would be doing behind the wheel and give the driver ample time to react to your presence before crossing the street. Well, that's it for this issue; see you next time with more helpful walking and driving tips. Until then: Remember to Drive and Walk Alert, Patiently and Smartly. See Traffic Todd's Previous Column Basic Driving  (April 2002)    What Do You Think?: Send an e- mail to editor@fairlawnnews.com or post a message on the Fair Lawn News Discussion Forum.