One-Way Street

I think I've mentioned that Ann Arbor city council, in its wisdom, has put up pedestrian crossings around town that require vehicles to stop if a pedestrian is even approaching the crossing and are not just in the crossing.

How drivers are supposed to read minds is beyond me when at some places you can be walking on the sidewalk parallel to the road and in less than 2 seconds make a 90 degree turn and step into the crossing that there is no way to stop in time if you are a driver. I think these crossings are stupid and unsafe. If tickets start to be written on these, people will start to slam on brakes and cause rear-end accidents or--with spotty obedience--get a pedestrian killed when one car stops but others whiz through.

The problem is that they are on some streets with 40 MPH limits. Oh, at the 25 MPH limit roads they are fine. But at the higher speed roads they invite accidents. If city council really wants to protect pedestrians, put up pedestrian-triggered stop lights and a crosswalk. Or put up real traffic signals at the close intersection.

I don't expect cars to stop for me and I stand well back until traffic clears and in the middle of the street I stop at the cement platform to wait. I'm shocked if a car stops for me.

But what really got me was when I was returning from a morning run today and I'm waiting for traffic to clear at one of those crossings. As I'm waiting, a whole convoy of school buses comes by. And they all blow right by me. These, the vehicles with flashing red lights and retractable "stop" signs that require me to stop for them when I approach them in my vehicle, sailed my me. Not that I mind stopping for them when I drive. I don't want to risk hitting a child. I always stop and never try to gun it past while just the yellow flashing lights are on and it is clear the red light will soon go on. Why risk a life for 20 seconds of idling time?

But the sight of school bus drivers of all people failing to stop for pedestrians was a bit much to take considering the fines I can get for failing to stop for school bus drivers. Very annoying, to say the least.