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Where are my rights?

Editor: I agree with everything Carol Oslie says in her letter (Coast Reporter, Aug. 8) about drivers who do not respect pedestrians’ right of way.

 

Editor:

I agree with everything Carol Oslie says in her letter (Coast Reporter, Aug. 8) about drivers who do not respect pedestrians’ right of way.

I can almost hear the responses from drivers, about the stupid things pedestrians do, but we aren’t talking about stupid pedestrians here. I have been a super-cautious pedestrian ever since I was hit, at age 24, in an unmarked crosswalk by a driver who was making a turn (the law deemed him at fault).

Since then I’ve had near misses several times in crosswalks with the walk sign in my favour. If I don’t have the right to cross then, when do I have that right?

I always try to make eye contact (sometimes impossible at night due to glare from the windshield) with any drivers who are inching into their turn. I’m usually wearing a red jacket. I use a flashlight at night, but all my near misses have been in daylight.

This is not a matter of recklessly claiming one’s right of way regardless of one’s own safety, because if you wait at a crosswalk to make sure that driver is really going to stop for you, you are never going to get across the street. Most stop rolling when they see a pedestrian in front of their car. Others seem not to see us — or perhaps, they have a sense of entitlement about making their turn while the rest of the traffic is held up at the red light.

I’ve only escaped being hit because I moved fast. What about people who can’t move fast?  What about those who are visually impaired?