slow down and pay attention

[sarahnb]

I know we've had lots of threads on poor driving and people not stopping at crosswalks but this is inexcusable.

Girl, 6, struck at Rothesay crosswalk
Last Updated: Thursday, September 6, 2007 | 10:55 AM AT
CBC News
Police say a school girl who was struck by a car in Rothesay Thursday morning is in good condition.

The six-year-old was hit while crossing at a crosswalk on her way to Fairvale Elementary School.

A spokesman for the Rothesay Regional Police Force said a crossing guard was on duty at the time.

The unidentified girl was being checked over in hospital Thursday morning, but police say she appears to be fine.

[lizard_lover]

oh yeah, saw that...but will people smarten up and follow road rules? of course not...i almost get hit every darn day at cross walks...

[stingray]

Don't be too quick to judge what happened in this instance. I have been complaining about this crossing guard for years,. She stands on the opposite side of the street from where the kids are coming from. When she sees them 2/3 of the way up the path she steps out and stops traffic and the kids come out of the path and continue right across the road.

They don't stop or look where they are going because this is what the guard has taught them. She should be on the same side as the kids and when traffic is clear , escort them across the street, not meet them in the middle of the road.
Also it is not the crossing guard's job to control traffic, thier job is to get the kids safely across the street. All too often I have been coming along and not a kid in sight and the guard steps off the curb with her sign. I have to jam on the brakes and then the kids appear out of the pathway.
I have said all along that the situation was an accident waiting to happen.

Now, for clarification, I am not saying that it was the guards fault in this instance because I did not witness the accident. I was merely recounting what I have witnessed on many occassions in this location.

[trinity]

My mother was a crossing guard for a couple of years back in the 1970s and she always stayed on the same side as where the kids were coming from- in the morning and at 1:00 she stood in front of the DVA hospital, at noon and afterschool she stood in front of Hillcrest church. She would never let the kids cross outside the white lines, she made them walk to the crosswalk no matter where they came from-bushes, front doors, DVA driveway, Duke st etc. She met them on the sidewalk, crossed with them halfway and stood in the road until they were all across. if she was in the middle of the road and saw more kids coming, she made them wait until she got back to the sidewalk and then took the new bunch across after waiting for traffic to stop. Of course, she was tough and kids listened to her.

[sanstu]

Don't be too quick to judge what happened in this instance. I have been complaining about this crossing guard for years,. She stands on the opposite side of the street from where the kids are coming from. When she sees them 2/3 of the way up the path she steps out and stops traffic and the kids come out of the path and continue right across the road.

They don't stop or look where they are going because this is what the guard has taught them. She should be on the same side as the kids and when traffic is clear , escort them across the street, not meet them in the middle of the road.
Also it is not the crossing guard's job to control traffic, thier job is to get the kids safely across the street. All too often I have been coming along and not a kid in sight and the guard steps off the curb with her sign. I have to jam on the brakes and then the kids appear out of the pathway.
I have said all along that the situation was an accident waiting to happen.

Now, for clarification, I am not saying that it was the guards fault in this instance because I did not witness the accident. I was merely recounting what I have witnessed on many occassions in this location.
If you have to jam on the brakes, you are either/or, driving too fast or not paying attention! Slow down!!

[mommyd]

If you have to jam on the brakes, you are either/or, driving too fast or not paying attention! Slow down!!

um, no, you could still have the need to "jam on the breaks" even if you were going 5 miles an hour. Jamming on the breaks means you are not expecting to use your breaks at a certain time and then all of a sudden (ex: someone stepping out into traffic when they shouldn't be). Just because this person is a crossing guard doesn't mean she has the right to step out before making sure it's safe to do so. Also, someone could be paying all the attention in the world, there is still room for error, and yeah, sometimes that error is on the pedestrian.

[stingray]

Thank you mommyd, I couldn't have explained it any clearer.

Sanstu, with this crossing guard, I have learned to expect the unexpected, so no matter what I am doing, I usually have to react to what happens.

[dan j]

In the morning and in the afternoon when crossing guards are out and so are the students people should be prepared to stop at any time and should bring their speed down at crosswalks where there are guards even if the guard is still standing on the sidewalk. ie. If the speed limit is 50, bring it down to 40 or so around the crosswalk area. Speeding is out of control in this city. You hardly ever see someone driving near 50 in a 50 zone. It's more like 70 most of the time. In 70 zones people drive close to 100. wtf?

[FutureChief88]

true ture.. But even if you are driving 30 in a 50 zome and someone walks out in front out you.. sometimes its too late..

[mommyd]

In the morning and in the afternoon when crossing guards are out and so are the students people should be prepared to stop at any time and should bring their speed down at crosswalks where there are guards even if the guard is still standing on the sidewalk. ie. If the speed limit is 50, bring it down to 40 or so around the crosswalk area. Speeding is out of control in this city. You hardly ever see someone driving near 50 in a 50 zone. It's more like 70 most of the time. In 70 zones people drive close to 100. wtf?

like i said, it doesn't matter how slow you are going. There will still be times you need to jam on your breaks. And who cares if you have to do that anyway, as long as you don't HIT someone. That's the ultimate goal. You can be following all the rules and then some, and still almost hit someone (or hit them) because of their negligence.

[suesguy]

No excuses!! Sounds like this is a Known crosswalk...If you are not from that area, don't travel it I can see your point,(somewhat, there are still the signs warning you) but if you KNOW there is a crosswalk there...no excuses....slow down...watch for kids!!!
I see tha same thing with deer crossings etc...zooming along 110 kmh ignore signs and run into a deer...duh what happened? All traffic signs are posted for a reason folks. Sorry but a lot of drivers seem to think they own the road and it is their right...driving is a privilage...walking is a right.

[mommyd]

i was basicly just talking about the incident with the crossing guard that apparently doesn't know how to be one that stingray was talking about. If the children are hiden right until they are crossing the rd, then you can't really slow down like you're supposed to when you see them.

[sanstu]

um, no, you could still have the need to "jam on the breaks" even if you were going 5 miles an hour. Jamming on the breaks means you are not expecting to use your breaks at a certain time and then all of a sudden (ex: someone stepping out into traffic when they shouldn't be). Just because this person is a crossing guard doesn't mean she has the right to step out before making sure it's safe to do so. Also, someone could be paying all the attention in the world, there is still room for error, and yeah, sometimes that error is on the pedestrian.

I don't know how may times one has to say yielding the right of way to pedestrians at a cross walk is the law! The incident the other morning regarding the 6yr. has charges pending against the driver of the car! If one doesn't know the rules of the road get a hand book and brush up.

[suesguy]

exactly, there does not have to be children present, if you see a crosswalk sign you are supposed to slow down somewhat and be AWARE!!! cheez...everyone knows children are hard to see at the best of times and quick.. please be careful and follow the rules.

[mommyd]

exactly, there does not have to be children present, if you see a crosswalk sign you are supposed to slow down somewhat and be AWARE!!! cheez...everyone knows children are hard to see at the best of times and quick.. please be careful and follow the rules.

holy crap are you ppl retarded? i never said you shouldn't slow down around crosswalks.. basiclly what you ppl are saying, is that if there is a crosswalk, you should stop at it.. even if there is no one there.
I never said that every person hit or almost hit by a car is at fault, i'm just saying that just because there IS a person hit or almost hit, it 's not ALWAYS the driver's fault.. "Cheeeeeeeeeez" And just so no one is confused, i wasn't at this accident so i'm not saying that it wasn't the drivers fault or not in this incident ..

[sanstu]

holy crap are you ppl retarded? i never said you shouldn't slow down around crosswalks.. basiclly what you ppl are saying, is that if there is a crosswalk, you should stop at it.. even if there is no one there.
I never said that every person hit or almost hit by a car is at fault, i'm just saying that just because there IS a person hit or almost hit, it 's not ALWAYS the driver's fault.. "Cheeeeeeeeeez" And just so no one is confused, i wasn't at this accident so i'm not saying that it wasn't the drivers fault or not in this incident ..

There is no need for name calling. I think people are finally getting tired of the constant defence of poor driving habits. The crossing guard in question has been assisting neighbourhood children for many years. This crosswalk is on a busy road,(Gondola Point Rd) with the speed limit clearly posted at 50 klm per hr. except in the school zone where posted speed is 40 klm. per hr.(I believe) Vehicles are required, by law, to yield the right of way to pedestrians at a cross walk. The crossing guard wears an orange vest and carries a STOP sign that is raised in the air for all to see. What part of the above is sooo.... difficult to understand? School+ crosswalk + crossing guard + children = Stop!!! I don't think I can put it any more simple than that!!!

PS. thank you to all the crossing guards for helping the little ones get safely across the street.