This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2007.
Use the crosswalks
To the jerk who crossed Wyse Rd near the bridge just now….WAKE THE HELL UP! Use the crosswalks thats what they are there for!!! If I had not been the curteous driver that I am, I would have run your sorry ass over! And you’d be paying the fine. Tha
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Lurch, put your cellphone and double-double down for 1 second to realize that every intersection IS a crosswalk regardless if it is marked or not.If the guy was jaywalking AND you are as courteous as you claim to be then take the extra 1.5 seconds out of your oh so busy life to let the guy cross the flippin road. Not everybody has a nice warm car to get from “a to b” in.So, Lurch the omnipitent has saved the guy from death AND a fine. Oh heartless driver you are most curteous …. get stuffed.
No, not every intersection is a crosswalk. If that was the case, there wouldn’t be a need for “walk” & “do not walk” lights. People get tickets for jaywalking at intersections, not just in the middle of the road. Unless you’re in a marked crosswalk, you the pedestrian do not have the right of way. That’s why there’s a sidewalk and a road.
Mike,I got this little gem from the HRM website:”1.0 Introduction 1.1 BACKGROUND The Nova Scotia Motor Vehicle Act states that crosswalks exist at every intersection and that pedestrians have the right-of-way at a crosswalk. Despite this protection under the law, municipalities find it necessary to take steps which more clearly identify crosswalks and aid the pedestrian in making their presence known to motorists.”It appears you need to read up on the rules of the road my friend. Turn down the radio and start paying attention.
Raoul,I dare you to cross the street against a red light at any intersection while there’s a police presence. I also dare you to do so during rush hour at any major intersection, say Bayers & Connaught. Let’s see how long that bit of logic works.The act states there’s a crosswalk at every intersection, but it does not state that the pedestrian has the right of way regardless of what the traffic light states. If it states “do not walk” then that means do not walk. You’re still jay walking. That’s why they have cross & do not cross lights. So no, pedestrians do not have the right of way regardless. Traffic signals exist for a reason.
I have been reading some comments in other forums from “Mike”. You seem like a fairly intelligent person. Here, however, you come across as a petulant 8 year old.”I dare you … I dare you”. What’s up with that? What’s next, Mike? Your Dad is going to beat my Dad up?Of course I’m not advocating people disregard traffic signals. What I am advocating is that drivers understand that crosswalks exist in more places than drivers are aware of. I also advocate for drivers to exhibit patience when behind the wheel. Not everybody has a nice warm car to get around town in when it’s -30 c. If the situation allows just let the guy cross the road, c’mon how much time out of a persons life does it take?Do you know ANYBODY that has ever received a ticket for jaywalking???? Did you ever get a ticket for jaywalking??? I have never known or heard of anybody receiving a jay walking ticket but I have heard of drivers cutting down people in crosswalks … again …. patience and educaion Mike.
I mostly agree with you too Raoul. Even in the Nova Scotia Drivers Handbook, on page 43, it states quite clearly that:”At intersections without traffic signals, pedestrians have the right of way if they are in marked crosswalks /or/ in unmarked crosswalks formed by imaginary lines extending across streets.At intersections controlled by traffic signals, pedestrians must obey the same signals as drivers traveling in the same direction. Pedestrians should not start to cross during a red or yellow signal.When crossing with a green signal, pedestrians have the right of way over all vehicles, including those turning across the paths of the pedestrians.”So essentially Lurch is bang on in that the guy shouldn’t have been running across 8 lanes of traffic at one of the busiest intersections in the city. That is jaywalking, and although no one ever seems to get in trouble for it, he is certainly risking his own life.For myself (on the other side of things, as a pedestrian), everyday that I walk with my son to his Primary class, I have to cross near Sullivan’s Pond. It is quite common (as I am there standing with my six year old at the crosswalk) for six, seven or more cars to sail right through without even looking up from whatever they are doing and slow down. Usually after that point I start walking out in an effort to get people to slow down long enough so we can cross.I realize that is not really the smartest thing to do with my son there and all, but if I didn’t make the first move these people would never stop. Then they curse me and swear at me.So now, Raoul, I bring my teeny tiny little digital camera with me every where I go. I take pictures and if time permits video of all of the drivers contravening the Motor Vehicle act. I plan on setting up a fun little website of my “favorite” offenders. At the very least it will be much easier to get law enforcement involved when I have tons of documented proof.To solve these problems people have to be aware of what the laws really are, so no one else gets killed or run overthink ultimately though, there is a reason the law states that pedestrians almost always have the right of way. My flesh and bones are a lot more destructible than your steel framed plastic shelled gas guzzling SUV hurtling down a residential street at 70 km/h…
The guy that got hit over in Dartmouth while crossing out of a crosswalk a month (probably more now) ago got a jaywalking ticket while the drive was not fined. Another driver hit someone in the cross walk by the QE the next day and got a ticket for failing to yield to a pedestrian and I think another one for something or another. I’m sure that if you really cared you can look look it up and see for yourself. I am also near 100% certain that the fine is for “failing to yield to a pedestrian” regardless of the situation. (please notice my use of quotes)Today I saw a HRM police stop at a cross walk to let the nice old lady with her groceries cross and a car going north on Barrington almost ran her down. Now, I’m just guessing that she was a nice old lady based alone on her use of a scarf to keep her head from freezing but hey what do I know she could have that lady that called the police on me and my friends 14 years ago for playing hockey in the street. What did the police do you ask? NOTHING. I was shocked, but it was awfully cold out. I guess the lesson is if your going to break the law make sure it’s below -18 so it’s too cold for the police to get out of their car.
Raoul, give me a break. It was a figure of speech. Drivers aren’t the only ones that need to exercise patience. Pedestrians do as well. You asked about about people getting tickets for jaywalking, well, Ian answered that one for you. All one has to do is read the newspaper once in a while and you’ll see how often peopled do get ticketed for jaywalking.Though some drivers may not know about a crosswalk, pedestrians shouldn’t just dart out. Remember, you’re soft tissue, cars aren’t and they always win out when the two come together. Have some patience, make eye contact and look before & while you’re crossing. Just because you’re crossing, it doesn’t mean the car(s) are going to stop. That one car may not and you’ll get splattered.
No Mike, I don’t think Ian answered my question at all. The question was; DO YOU know anybody who has received a jaywalking ticket? The answer is obviously NO or you would have answered the question.Anyhoo, my point being that jaywalking tickets seem to be nowhere near as prevalent as people getting killed by motorists. In a city of 350,000+ reading about 1 person getting a jaywalking ticket in Thursday’s paper hardly proves that the cops are busting people. Obviously the cops feel there are more important things to do than giving a ticket to someone crossing the street. Geez, according to Ian, the cops couldn’t be bothered enough to do anything for the “nice old lady” that nearly got hit on Barrington St.I believe that Ian was right by saying the fine for drivers is “failing to yield to a pedestrian”. You have to feel for the mother of the young girl that got killed on Portland St a few months back. She lost her daughter and the driver received a $337 fine. Tougher penalties (including insurance repercussions) might force drivers to realize there is more to driving than cranking up the tunes and talking on the phone. I agree that pedestrians have responsibilities too. Anybody who walks regularly in the city already knows they have to be attentive. We are not safe; even in a marked crosswalk. Drivers have far more responsibility and far more distractions. With the law, generally, siding with the pedestrian it’s not alot to ask that drivers accomodate pedestrians if the situation allows.Soooo … your Dad isn’t going to beat my Dad up? Good debate Mike.
I agree as well about the driver that killed that girl in the crosswalk. People get ticketed more for littering. Just think, I can kill a person and get away with a lesser fine than if I throw a half eaten apple onto the side of the road.I don’t know anyone personally who’s gotten a ticket for jaywalking because either they haven’t been caught or they don’t do it. Having said so, that doesn’t mean that they won’t get ticketed.Actually Raoul, my grandmother’s gonna beat your dad :Þ
Now I’ll give the a benefit to the police, maybe they were off to something much more important. Just maybe they saved the lives of 3 little children, and who are you to say that the nice old lady is more of less important than 3 little children.. (if your thinking about this one, I’ll let you in on the secret.. your not) Also the two charges (from earlier post) wereFailure to yield to 125(1), (2) 4pedestrianFailing to obey traffic 83(2),93(2), 2signs or signals or 122,132,133,yield right of way 134 The Nova Scotia Motor Vehicle Act, adopted in 1989, under Section 100 (1), identifies the duty of each motorist to drive carefully and in a prudent manner. Anyone who fails to do so will be found guilty of careless and imprudent driving. This charge can bring with it a fine of $250 and is considered a crime worth six demerit points. A motorist may also have their license immediately suspended or revoked by the Registrar. A court hearing is required to rescind the decision and for the motorist to reclaim their license. The province also holds the right to lay the charges on Nova Scotians found guilty of reckless or careless driving in other parts of the country when they return to Nova Scotia. (http://www.caa.ca/driventodistraction/what/distracted.html#ns)(http://www.gov.ns.ca/legislature/legc/statutes/motorv.htm)N100 (1) Every person driving or operating a motor vehicle on a highway or any place ordinarily accessible to the public shall drive or operate the same in a careful and prudent manner having regard to all the circumstances.I personally know of one person who received this fine for spinning their tires (I saw it with my own two eyes)and just for entertainment value114 (a) the driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall not pass until after he has given a suitable and audible signal, and … (and on and on) I tried this once, blowing my audible signal prior to passing someone… I got the finger