Pedestrians

Question: A pedestrian was on the sidewalk mid block and an approaching driver stopped to allow the pedestrian to jay walk. The car in the adjacent lane behind this driver stopped abruptly and almost caused a collision because the car following that vehicle was not expecting the stop. Should the second car have stopped or just kept going?

Here is a public safety video from the province of Quebec that has the aim of convincing pedestrians to cross in crosswalks rather than jaywalking. Here in B.C. jaywalking or crossing the road at a place other than a crosswalk is generally not illegal and may not be as unsafe as some people think. It is only prohibited in municipalities where a bylaw against the practice has been enacted.

QUESTION: @JohnsonStBRDG asked on Twitter about crossing the intersection of Cook Street and Oxford Street in Victoria. He wants to cross Cook directly on the south side of Oxford instead of walking the U shaped path indicated by the marked crosswalks that is assisted by the traffic lights. Is it legal to do this?

The case of Vora v Adams takes place in the Nakusp area. Douglas Fryer was walking on the right side of 10th Avenue NW because that was the side of the road that street lighting was on. There was no sidewalk, the road was strewn with debris from a previous storm and the shoulders were covered by snowbanks.

The BC Cycling Coalition is asking you to speak up for safe cycling and active transportation. The group would like you to help to realize the transportation future of BC—a complete transportation network suitable for people of all ages, abilities, and socio-economic backgrounds.

On a morning walk I found myself facing a young woman across a busy intersection while we waited for the traffic signal to change. She was facing me but keeping an eye on the van waiting beside her at the red light signalling a right turn. As I watched the situation unfold I was impressed with this woman's street smarts.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has issued a report on Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) and pedestrian crash risk. Current AEB systems with pedestrian detection are effective, but only during the daytime.

According to the Association of School Transportation Services of British Columbia, travel by school bus is statistically the safest method of ground transportation in Canada and by a substantial margin. We all expect and demand nothing less when our children and grandchildren are riding those buses to and from schools and school related events. Surely all drivers should understand this and not hesitate to stop when the red lights on a stopped bus are flashing.

While the Walk Audit Tool Kit is a publication of the AARP, it's not just for seniors. It teaches how to assess and report on the safety and walkability of a street, intersection or neighbourhood, hoping to inspire any needed changes. Anyone who walks can use information from the kit to do an audit.

We are seeing significant changes to city streets that create more room for transportation modes other than the automobile. Your opinion of these changes likely depends whether you are inside or outside of that automobile. Is it an informed opinion? Where do you find information on how these things work? Good questions!