Pedestrians need to pay attention
YourVoice: I was driving down the street doing the posted speed limit when a young woman stepped from between two parked cars. She couldn't have seen me coming because her back was toward the on-coming traffic as she crossed in a diagonal fashion to the other side.
To add insult to injury, she was engrossed in a conversation on her cell phone.
She never stopped to look around. My heart pounded at the thought of what could have happened had I not been paying attention.
I braked, then in a very strong and frightened tone yelled, "Young lady, that was very dangerous! What if I had been drunk, crazy, or not paying attention? You could be under this car!" What is wrong with you?
She put her phone down and proceeded to curse me out.
Had she been killed everyone would have lamented, "Oh! What a tragedy!" The tragedy actually occurred when she made the tragic choice to walk into street without looking both ways.
Here is a Physics problem for you.
Complete the sentence: Newton's Law of Motion says that: For every action there is an equal and opposite _______________?
Now here is a Math problem for you.
Two Thousand Pounds of steel and metal traveling at 25 mph goes over 130 lb. woman, 1 x nothing left over.
Who wants to live with the guilt of taking some one's life?
Pedestrians should bear some accountability for their own safety.
--Vennita
We need to know that the laws are
YourVoice: This is my THIRD try. For some reason, if I am researching something on another "page" while typing a 3mail on this page, my 3mail blips and disappears. It is very frustrating. Now, for my opinion:
I watch News3 the most, but also watch 8 and 13. None of the stations actually spelled out what the laws actually are in Nevada for the driver and pedestrians. This may be for a "legal responsibility" so I will do it.
I found the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS484) Traffic Laws. I translate it to:
FOR THE DRIVERS:
1. A DRIVER must yield to a pedestrian when in a crosswalk (marked or unmarked) when any pedestrian is on the same 1/2 of the road as the pedestrian OR within an unsafe distance from the pedestrian (in other words, the driver may be in lane #1 closest to the median and a pedestrian is approaching from the other 1/2 of the road).
2. A DRIVER approaching an intersection where there are other vehicles stopped MUST stop until it is safe to continue.
For the PEDESTRIANS:
1. It is against the law to cross in the middle of the block when there are signals on both intersections. This is jaywalking and also a misdemeanor. A pedestrian MUST cross at the corner within the crosswalk (marked or unmarked) zone.
MY NOTE: I always see pedestrians get off the buses at a bus stop and cross right there when the signal is only feet away. I have had teenagers wait until it is MY turn to "go" and wait for the cars to cross the intersection and then DART in front of the cars. On the day of the "sting", I was driving East on Alexander and there was a 20ish man traveling WEST (on the East bound side) on a skateboard. And, when I honk, the pedestrians that are putting me in danger (as well as themselves), flip me off. URGHHH!!!
I think the drivers must be a lot more careful, but, I also think we should see more tickets given to the pedestrians who create a very dangerous situation for us drivers.
--Jeryl
We need to re-think right-of-way
To preface, I am NOT saying that all these pedestrians of the recent deaths were in the wrong. However, it does bring up an increasing problem. I agree with your viewer where we were taught that the pedestrian always has the right-of-way. AND, that we need to re-think that a bit.
I see ALL THE TIME, where pedestrians are less than 100 feet from a signal and they DASH across instead of walking to the light. Especially at the bus stops that are close to a light. I have witnessed teenagers standing on the curb...and when the light turns green for the cars to come AT THEM, they dash between the cars.
I see ALL THE TIME, where people come out of their apartment complex and cross (Decatur and Gowan) and they just saunter across Decatur with NO regard to cars coming at them.
I think pedestrians ought to be ticketed more in this city for crossing illegally (or dangerously). It is VERY apparent that they, too, are in the wrong. Think about what drivers that are doing the RIGHT thing....accidentally hit a pedestrian and kills them.
--Jeryl
Why is everyone in a hurry?
YourVoice: With all the latest rash of pedestrian fatalities, I really wonder why everyone that lives in this city is in such a God awful hurry? I moved here a year ago and have almost been killed twice by speeding cars and also the ones that run stop signs. That red sign that says STOP is not just a suggestion. Driving is a privilege not a right. Come on people, start leaving earlier if you are running late. You might save a life.
-- Mary
Could the cell phone laws be to blame?
YourVoice: I am just wondering if the new cell phone law that has been put into effect has something to do with all the pedestrians being hit. Has anyone checked that issue out? I drive all day long and see people looking down now as if they are trying to hide talking on their phones..... just saying
--Anonymous
We need to teach pedestrian awareness
YourVoice: Sadly, no laws or signs will keep our children safe in a cross walk.
As a child I was accompanied by an adult and told to look left and right before crossing a street.
The driver, guilty or not; once you have been hit by a car, it is too late.
Let's start out and teach pedestrian awareness. A small safety issue that all parents can teach.
-Lydia
Few people understand right-of-way
YourVoice: Right-of-way: It's a concept that has been around for centuries. It means that a traveler is entitled to the priority to proceed ahead of other travelers, depending on certain rules of the road. It does not provide entitlement to run red lights, speed when the light turns yellow, merge at will onto the freeway, or change lanes even if the space next to you is occupied by another vehicle. Right-of-way is a concept that few people in Las Vegas apparently understand. Last week, my car was totaled by a hit-and-run driver who turned into my vehicle while running a red light. I constantly hear of pedestrians hit and killed by careless drivers, and hundreds of accidents every day are caused mainly by failure to understand the concept of right-of-way. The bottom line is: we all share the road with each other. If we ignore the rules, chaos results. Just think about how nice it would be to drive on local roads if everyone was courteous and always took their common sense pill before getting into the car and starting the engine.
--Mike
Why didn't police give a ticket?
YourVoice: Why didn't the lady that hit and KILLED one of the three girls get a ticket??? Why don't we hear about that anymore? Is she connected or come from money? She drove another 200 ft. before stopping, did she think about running??? I believe people would like to know.
-- David
Why did the parents let the kids go out without an adult?
YourVoice: My thoughts and prayers go out to both the families of these little girls!
I do believe the driver should be held accountable for her actions, or lack thereof.
With the death of Alyssa Otremba still fresh on our minds, I question the fact that these little girls were out after dark, with no adult supervision! Where were their parents? Why were these girls out after dark? Why were they allowed to cross a fairly busy street, without adult supervision?
Maybe the DA should consider filing child neglect charges. As parents, we are responsible for our children; especially when they are too little to understand what a crazy world they have been brought into.
--Kathy
Put up railroad arms?
YourVoice: HI, I was wondering why they couldn't put up those railroad arms with flashing lights. The child could push a button and the arm would come down, when there was a child in the cross walk.
--Peggy
CCSD Crosswalk programs have ended
YourVoice: Your coverage of the pedestrian hazards of being hit by a car is so very true! The pedestrians never win. I'd like to point out that most of CCSD's crosswalk programs have ended, leaving our students vulnerable to the same grueling situations seen in your coverage. A reminder is that CCSD does not control the crosswalk program. This is regulated by the cities of Las Vegas, N. Las Vegas, and Henderson. We live on luck everyday hoping our students cross busy roadways safely.
-- James M. Green, CCSD Safety Manager-Risk Management Department
