Thursday, May 29, 2014

Better Be Extra Careful at those Intersections...

... and I don't mean pedestrians. I'm talking about drivers, and the countless near misses I've had with them every time I try to cross Queens Blvd.

Well, the times, they are a changin':
Hitting a pedestrian or a cyclist who has the right of way is grounds for a misdemeanor charge.
 Council Passes Bills Aiding de Blasio’s Quest to End Traffic Deaths

22 comments:

  1. I'm all for tougher punishments, but I'd be shocked if this had any impact. I've almost got hit a bunch of times right out front of the 112th precinct. Motherfuckers around here just do not care.

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    1. Jaywalking is also a chronic problem.

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    2. They've made it awfully hard for anyone to jaywalk across Queens Blvd. here in the center of Forest Hills. They have fences up and everything. I don't remember the last time I saw a jaywalker in the middle of Queens Blvd. Sorry. The problem is aggressive motorists at the intersections and pedestrians given a scant 45 seconds to cross an obscenely wide boulevard.

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    3. You obviously haven't been paying attention.

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  2. Report dangerous pedestrian issues here http://visionzero.herokuapp.com/

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  3. The biggest issue are those aggressive drivers who don't yield to the pedestrians when it's the pedestrian's walk sign. The drivers are turning onto QB and do not want to wait until people have crossed. They will go and cut in front of the walkers or in between. I've even seen drivers go around a car who has yielded and cut across the same lane which is insanely dangerous since that driver cannot see clearly why the first car had stopped.

    Just the other day, I was crossing QB at 71 and a driver turning honked at me. I turned to look and gave her the finger and we exchanged words. I was honked at because I walked at the walk sign??? This has got to stop. I'm hoping for more police presence and enforcement.

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  4. Agreed, I see tons of stupid pedestrians who think they can get across. Combined with overtly aggressive drivers makes quite the combination.

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  5. Technically, crossing against the pedestrian light is illegal too (even at the crosswalk).

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  6. wish this has happened before i was hit by some beotch while i was crossing the street ON MY LIGHT and she was making a left turn. she claims she did not see me. if that is true she shouldn't be behind the wheel of any moving vehicle because i am not invisible and it was BROAD DAYLIGHT. she received no summons, no ticket, NO NOTHING for failure to yield to a pedestrian.

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  7. I still think the biggest problem is drivers on the phone or texting. I see it constantly and paying half attention to the road is 50% too little.

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  8. I think the biggest problem is people distracted by either chatting on the phone or texting while in motion- this applies to pedestrians and drivers. Now we also have the bicycle delivery men talking on the phone while riding on the sidewalks. Where is it safe?

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    Replies
    1. People crossing the street while staring at their phones is just as much of a problem. Everyone needs to start being more present.

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  9. I literally held an elderly woman back on the curb as she tried to start crossing QB at 71 Av while the countdown clock read 12 seconds!

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  10. I agree that there are just as many rude and ignorant people commuting on two feet as there are commuting on four wheels. However, I think the really important thing that needs to be stressed - and that perhaps some people are overlooking - is the wording:
    "The bill, sponsored by Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal, allows the city to suspend and revoke the license of a taxi or livery driver who kills or maims a pedestrian who has the right of way."
    So, if I am understanding it correctly, if the pedestrian DOESN'T HAVE the right of way, the driver will likely not be punished.

    I think it's a great idea. I live in Forest Hills and travel back and forth every day to work in Long Island City by car via Queens Boulevard. I have seen way too many drivers who think the laws don't apply to them!

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  11. The problem with the cross-walks is that card are expected to be passing through the intersection at the same time. So naturally a driver is going to find a pedestrian in the crosswalk.

    Not sure if you caught the Freakenomics episode on "Getting away with Murder". But it dealt with the NYC issue of killing pedestrians. Unless you forget to pay the parking meter when you pull over after killing someone, it is highly unlikely you will be charged for anything.

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    Replies
    1. Cost money that the public is obviously unwilling to invest in, or else they'd be installed already.

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    2. The Freakonomics podcast on the subject was very informative and timely. It was posted on a QB safety forum on FB. If you haven't listened to it yet, I'd suggest it.

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    3. Both sides are pushing the envelope. Cars speeding and many pedestrians crossing against the lights. Both at fault but the pedestrian will always be on the losing side when hit by a car. Both infractions are risky as speed kills, speed can cause accidents between cars and between cars and pedestrians. I live on the BLVD and wonder how stupid and reckless some people are to cross against the lights. They are a danger to themselves and everyone else around them. Ditto the speeding cars. There is no cure but it might help to add every few blocks one of the illuminated signs above the road that indicates your speed and have it flash when over the limit. I feel this visual aid will have more impact than just installing traffic light cameras and speeding cameras as they only document the “after the fact”. Don’t know what to suggest about the people who dart across on green. Maybe through attrition their numbers will dwindle?

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    4. They need to make the lights for cars and pedestrians separate. Pedestrians can walk only when they have the walk light, and cars can only drive when they have the green light. And having pedestrian only crossing lights means all pedestrians can walk at the same time. Sure it may mean longer waits at light for cars but it'll be safer for everyone.

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    5. totally agree.

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