Ten years ago, when I moved here, the Co-op was just going up across the railway line. I had had a small input into the planning process (working at Devon County Council) and we had decided a zebra crossing was not possible between our side of the road, and the co-op side of the road, because the speed of the traffic and the sight-lines on the, then, dual carriageway were not sufficient. Nowadays, only one side of the dual carriageway is used (for two way traffic), but the layout still encourages drivers to accelerate up the hill and around the bend (a long lazy bit of road avoiding the town centre)
So for 10 years, walking to the Co-op has involved padding to the edge of the road across the muddy bit of grass verge, avoiding the barrier, taking your life in your hands crossing, and then slipping through the mud on the verge opposite. The desire line for all pedestrians took them by this route, rather than several hundred yards further by the subway.
Now the County have installed a new zebra crossing (if it had been done 10 years ago, the Co-op would have had to pay for it). This is great: you can reach the shop without slipping or getting muddy (and it is great for getting the shopping home in the trolley without upending it bumping down the kerb).
The challenge, though, is getting cars to stop at the crossing. Legally, if you step on to the crossing, vehicles must stop for you (unlike in France, where a crossing is only there so the ambulances know where to stop to pick up the pedestrians). So I gingerly step out in front of the traffic hoping they will stop. Mostly they do (squeal of brakes). But every now and then, someone will speed past (in an attempt to break the land speed record), usually their ear glued to a mobile. Just tonight I witnessed the man in front of me being nearly sliced down by a car which screeched to a halt. He was 3/4 of the way across! If I was more agile, they would have the imprint of my size 9s on the side of their car. *goes to try crossing more frequently
5 comments:
I hate people who don't stop for crossing and some of them even look directly at you, ignorant bastards... and I hate it when people stop on them when in a traffic jam, grrr :[]
Sounds like someone will get killed there somewhen soon :(
This happens to me every day! Can't you get some traffic lights installed as well?
Argh! NOOOOOO!!! The last thing that stretch of road needs is one more sodding traffic light.
Ahem... sorry, Andre. Not my intention to bite. *smiles sweetly*
But seriously, that road is a complete mess all the way through. I do understand the need for a crossing by the Co-op, and I get equally angered by drivers who can't be arsed to stop at a zebra crossing. It's their fault we get lumbered with those stupid pelican crossings that hold up the road. However, why can't this council get its act together and sort the road out properly? Get rid of those traffic lights at the bottom of Exeter Rd and put in a roundabout? Make the crossing opposite the garage back into a zebra crossing again? Grockles will be back any day, and then no one will be able to drive through Teignmouth at all for months. Something sensible needs to be done there. It gets worse every year.
I hate it when cars don’t stop for crossings. Over here vehicles have to stop and pedestrians don’t even have to step onto the crossing. Just considering crossing is enough to make a vehicle stop (they have to, it’s the law). Lingering near a crossing and making cars stop, could be a nice game when you are bored ;)
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