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In September I decided to move to the North end of Halifax in order to be closer to work, downtown etc. I own a vehicle but decided to walk to work each morning as it only takes me twenty minutes and it’s healthy, environmentally friendly, blah blah. This morning I was hit by a turning car while crossing the crosswalk at Young and Robie/Novalea. The driver took off in a rush and I didn’t see the license plate. This is the second time it has happened to me in that spot and there was a third time on North street last month. All incidents were in the morning but many people are clearly not looking for pedestrians. Sadly, I must start driving to work as I no longer feel safe to walk Halifax. —Wayward Walker
This article appears in Feb 18-24, 2016.
I’ve walked to work every day for many years without being hit. There have been a few close calls. It’s unfortunate that drivers are in such a hurry and don’t pay attention to pedestrians when turning …but it is what it is. That said, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t continue to walk to work. You just have to be more vigilant about making eye contact with drivers before crossing and waiting to be sure it is safe to cross intersections. Unfortunately, you can’t rely on drivers to be responsible…. but get back to walking …. you have a right to be there on the sidewalk!
Witnessed a car pass another car in a wide lane as the front car was slowing down at a flashing cross walk. The pedestrian had made it out of the lane in question (barely) but it was a very dangerous move. Still, I agree with Hayve.
Drivers in this city are absolute shit. However, even at crosswalks you have to STOP and look both ways. I feel like if you try this once in a while you will stop getting hit by cars.
Just by coincidence, during my lunch break today I saw someone blabbing furiously into her phone walk right into a crosswalk against the red light. They seemed completely oblivious to the other pedestrians (everyone else) who had stopped at the intersection. Luckily there were no drivers coming towards her at full speed. The last thing I want to see is a pedestrian being taken out.
A driver who stopped to let her cross seemed just as flabbergasted as I was and didn’t even bother to toot the horn.
Nuts! Just plain nuts! Be careful when walking and talking on your phone folks!
Taught to cross the road when you were..4. Do we have to re-train people to cross the fucken street in 2016? Jesus, people in Halifax apparently walk the same way they drive….head looking at their junk.
Gotta take those ear buds out and walk like your not asleep. No way should you get hit by a car that many times. Drivers suck anywhere you go, it’s not just a N.S thing. You go to any city in North America and every one of them will tell you two things. 1. How strange their weather is and 2. How bad the drivers are. Look alive pedestrians, cars hurt you more than you hurt cars.
Most pedestrians from this city wouldn’t last a day in most big Quebec cities, like Montreal etc. Funerals planned for weeks.
I walk most days from the North End to DT and I am a VERY cautious pedestrian. I NEVER look at my phone and always look for drivers, especially ones turning. I know there are some self absorbed pedestrians however drivers need to understand they ARE in control of 2,000 lbs of metal, which is usually going at a high rate of speed. To me the left turners that hit pedestrians are the worst. How can you turn left, turn your vehicle and NOT look in the direction that the car is going??? Yes, the cars coming at you are important but you also need to look where the car is GOING. You wouldn’t turn left without looking for cars coming toward you, so why can’t you use that same common sense and look for people crossing? If you have a green, so do they!
Oh…and OP, walk down Agricola or Isleville instead of Robie, I would NEVER walk down Robie….to dangerous, everyone is in a hurry! It’s very pleasant walking down Agricola 🙂 you can hit Smith’s bakery for a treat too!