Police fine 90 jaywalkers during morning commute

[taco.vidal]

Here you have a story about drivers complaining about people walking on the road that results in pedestrians being ticketed and in a story about this, you have a picture of a jackhole stuck in an intersection forcing pedestrians to manoeuvre around his their vehicle.

How about ticketing drivers who block sidewalks and roads when they don't clear the intersection after the traffic lights change?

[Bigtime]

^^^

I can't understand the drivers that do this normally, but I really can't understand the ones that think it is a good idea to do it and stick out into 7th avenue of all roads.

[ken0042]

Maybe traffic had to stop suddenly due to pedestrians jaywalking on a lane of traffic?

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

^^^

I can't understand the drivers that do this normally, but I really can't understand the ones that think it is a good idea to do it and stick out into 7th avenue of all roads.

true. although the other day the light was green and there was room for me to go across. then the guy in the lane right of me sped up cut me off to take that gap so I was stuck in the crosswalk.

[Resolute 14]

I've never done it, but whenever I am crossing a street and encounter someone like that, I am always sorely tempted to just climb onto the hood of the car and walk over it.

[PsYcNeT]

Everytime I've ever been caught in a crosswalk, it's because I've been moving my way through the intersection, when some jackass in the lane beside me guns it out of their lane and cuts in front of me to grab last open spot in my lane.

Then I just feel like an ####### as people walk around me.

[ranchlandsselling]

Or someone further down the line in traffic cuts in and makes everyone stop. Generally t's like the parking lot argument. Even though the guys looks like an ass, there's a few reasons why they can end up parked like that whereas there's usually only one reason a pedestrian is j-walking.

[shermanator]

Originally Posted by taco.vidal

Here you have a story about drivers complaining about people walking on the road that results in pedestrians being ticketed and in a story about this, you have a picture of a jackhole stuck in an intersection forcing pedestrians to manoeuvre around his their vehicle.

How about ticketing drivers who block sidewalks and roads when they don't clear the intersection after the traffic lights change?

As someone who walks to/from work in the downtown core I see this 4-5 times each day. You just start to ignore it and walk around them.

[Igster]

Police should start fining pedestrians who step off the curb when the no walk signal is flashing. That's the big pedestrian problem in Calgary. When pedestrians walk through the entire light and cause traffic tie ups in several directions because cars can't turn right to get onto the adjacent street and cars trying to yield left onto the same street can't, even when no oncoming traffic is coming. That is the real problem in Calgary when it comes to pedestrians.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Igster

Police should start fining pedestrians who step off the curb when the no walk signal is flashing. That's the big pedestrian problem in Calgary. When pedestrians walk through the entire light and cause traffic tie ups in several directions because cars can't turn right to get onto the adjacent street and cars trying to yield left onto the same street can't, even when no oncoming traffic is coming. That is the real problem in Calgary when it comes to pedestrians.

You can start walking when the no walk signal is flashing but you gotta jog. People just waddle across the street when the signal is flashing 5..4..3.. like they own the road.

[Igster]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

You can start walking when the no walk signal is flashing but you gotta jog. People just waddle across the street when the signal is flashing 5..4..3.. like they own the road.

No, you can't.

That's the point of the "no walk" signal. If it says don't walk, don't step off the damn curb.

[photon]

Originally Posted by taco.vidal

How about ticketing drivers who block sidewalks and roads when they don't clear the intersection after the traffic lights change?

I'd be ok with that, though more often than not when I've been caught in one it's because of someone else doing something up front, but I still could have been more careful (which usually results in abuse from people behind you). But there has been a few times when I just straight up screwed up and badly misread or misjudged things and got stuck in the crosswalk.

But I also agree with the not entering the crosswalk when it's saying not to, I don't drive much downtown anymore but when I used to I agree that there were some spots where that was the biggest contributor to congestion with people unable to turn on a red because 5th Ave or whatever is already busy, and unable to turn on a green because people are in the crosswalk until it's red again, meaning only one or two cars can get through.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by photon

I'd be ok with that, though more often than not when I've been caught in one it's because of someone else doing something up front, but I still could have been more careful (which usually results in abuse from people behind you). But there has been a few times when I just straight up screwed up and badly misread or misjudged things and got stuck in the crosswalk.

But I also agree with the not entering the crosswalk when it's saying not to, I don't drive much downtown anymore but when I used to I agree that there were some spots where that was the biggest contributor to congestion with people unable to turn on a red because 5th Ave or whatever is already busy, and unable to turn on a green because people are in the crosswalk until it's red again, meaning only one or two cars can get through.

I am more forgiving of drivers if they at least acknowledge their mistake. Hate the driver that is cross the crosswalk, but stares ahead while you walk around the vehicle. I mean we have all been caught in that situation, all you need to do is acknowledge your mistake.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Igster

No, you can't.

That's the point of the "no walk" signal. If it says don't walk, don't step off the damn curb.

But I'm Usain Bolt! And I even pass the person who started walking when it was still white.

I know what you mean though, when it's less than 10 I don't go.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

But I'm Usain Bolt! And I even pass the person who started walking when it was still white.

I know what you mean though, when it's less than 10 I don't go.

[photon]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I mean we have all been caught in that situation, all you need to do is acknowledge your mistake.

Yeah, though no one likes to be seen when they did something dumb, at least wave sorry.

In addition to the honk horn, cars should have an ooops-sorry horn.

[Enoch Root]

I don't want to derail, but this has already been brought up a few times so...

IMO, the biggest issue by far in Calgary with respect to pedestrians is this bizarre notion that pedestrians own the street and that vehicles should stop for them.

Calgary is the only place on earth that I have ever seen this and it is beyond stupid. Pedestrians should heed traffic, not simply step in front of it and expect it to stop.

(and not only is it a stupid notion, but typically, pedestrians are extremely rude about it as well - but that's a different story).

Bitching about it doesn't solve anything but I ask you all: what can we do to reverse this idiotic trait that has infested this city and gets worse daily?

Seriously, it has to stop.

[The Yen Man]

Agreed. It really does seem like the pedestrian thing is unique to Calgary. When I drove in Toronto, it was awesome how smart the pedestrians were. They crossed with the flow of traffic. It flowed so much more smoothly than the crap we get here. I wish there was a way to educate the pedestrians here on a proper way to cross.

[Bill Bumface]

We should change our traffic laws to line up with the rest of the world.

Only here on a green light do you need to watch out for pedestrians while also checking if anyone is turning on a red.

Make it so if your light is green, you get to go. If you get a straight green arrow, you get to go straight. No yielding to anyone. If you get a right green arrow, there won't be any pedestrians crossing, you're good to go.

Also, set the cross walks back from the intersections so that cases where there is car/pedestrian interaction, you can make a turn without having to look for the pedestrians because you are already past them and won't hit another crosswalk until you are clear of the intersection:

[GirlySports]

there are right turning green arrows downtown now which is nice.