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August 20, 2008
Here's an idea
060508crosswalk, originally uploaded by Dan4th.
So, as you know, I was off in merry old New England the past week or so, and I had occasion to walk around Boston. One of the things I noticed was how cars were fanatical about stopping for pedestrians in crosswalks.
I am certain everyone does not comply with the law, but as you can plainly see from the picture above, there are often signs in crosswalks that say you better stop for them. It was amazing: I'd be walking down the sidewalk, make a slight turn like I was going to cross the street, and every car - including, gasp, taxis - would slow down to let me go.
This should be of interest to Chicagoans like myself, because I read a few months ago about how the Chicago Police Department is cracking down on motorists who don't yield to pedestrians. I was not aware, but it is in fact a law in Chicago that drivers must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.
Ever since I learned that fun fact, I have been foolishly playing games of chicken with cars on such abandoned thoroughfares as Division Street to see if they will actually yield to me. The answer, no. You will probably hear about me getting run over by a car one of these days.
I am not sure what Boston, and in fact, all of Massachusetts does to get drivers to yield to pedestrians, but I think the signs in the crosswalk help. If Chicago is serious about getting drivers to obey the law, they might benefit from putting up signs in crosswalks. They can't be that expensive. (However, I seriously doubt the city will continue to enforce the crosswalk law. It's the Chicago way: make a show of it for a few days, then forget about it.)
entry no. 1197
Posted at August 20, 2008 09:30 AM