Did you happen to get stuck with a ticket on Stone Way today? If not, call yourself lucky (or careful), as numerous vehicles were pulled over this afternoon after not immediately stopping for undercover cops casually crossing the crosswalk between 41st and 40th Street.
The Seattle Police Department Pedestrian Sting Operation was granted by the city council after complaints from neighboring businesses/neighbors. There was a large police presence, including motorcycle officers hiding in a small condo driveway waiting to ticket vehicles.
As a frequent pedestrian in that cross-walk, I support this! Can they go to cross walk on 44thish and Fremont Way next?
I meant Fremont Ave N – the crosswalk near Marketplace Foods
Gah. *Marketime Foods.
it annoys me that they keep doing this only at that particular crosswalk. we’ve asked and asked for them to work on others, like the really difficult crosswalk (some say the busiest in wallingford) on 45th at Burke. i have actually gone into the street to stop cars when they blow right past moms w/ strollers, elderly w/ walkers, etc. most of us who work on this block have been narrowly missed by some asshole. and they’re not even always distracted by cellphones, they’re just not paying attention!
Fine with me that they chose this crosswalk. People are gathering too much speed by that location, and I have seen cars ignore this crossing when people are in it. As I recall, that is where the boy was killed in the recent past?
Re 45th and Burke, the lifesaving factor of that crosswalk is that usually the cars are moving slowly. It can be a problem, for all cars are driving too close to each other.
Sometimes it is a dilemma, whether to stop because someone is waiting to enter the crosswalk, and risk getting rear ended right into the crosswalk, or continue to go. I generally wait until the light is red at Wallingford/45th, but there is no reason for someone to have to do that. Not everyone is familiar with the area, and should be able to count on the cars stopping. But the pedestrian needs to look both ways and find a reasonable and safe time to cross, rather than walking willy nilly into the crosswalk without looking both ways.
This is brilliant! I’ve almost been run over numerous times at that crosswalk.
sorry mike. i didn’t know it was you.
I actually had some a-hole honk at me for stopping at the Chevron station crosswalk while I allowed someone to cross. Of course he promptly received a one-finger salute. Anyway, that’s another spot that could use a sting operation.
Love it! I just wish they would do this at more crosswalks. I was really annoyed when the first did the Stone Way “road diet” but realized that the left turn lane is a pretty handy place to stand while you wait for the 10 or 12 on-coming cars that don’t stop for me.
Needless to say, this is likely one of the police activities that will be eliminated in upcoming budget cuts.
Janey, I hope not. As one who not only is a frequent pedestrian but doesn’t even own a car, I support anything that highlights the rights of walkers!
I saw them today, they were very active. One of the cops had pulled over a lady in a BMW and she was not happy. As a person who jogs that route daily, I think this is a good idea and it really helps secure the roads.
I recommend more stings as a way of dealiing with some of our city’s budgetary problems. What better way than have lawbreakers help out?
I’d like to see more crosswalks and 4-way stops on 40th in lower Wallingford. 40th is a very busy street, steady stream of fast-moving cars, limited viability due to hills and parked cars…treacherous for pedestrians and cars turning onto 40th.
I drive 40th home everyday and it’s pretty much a clusterfuck everyday at rush hour. I do stop for any pedestrians I see though.
I support all such sting operations. They can follow up with one at the very clearly marked crosswalk on Greenlake Way and Keystone Place. Cars still whiz past when a pedestrian is clearly in the crosswalk holding an orange flag! But if you yell at them really loudly, at least it will ruin their day.
Good for pedestrians, good for budget, good for training new officers, good for oblivious drivers to wake up.
I saw they went after a bicyclist that didn’t stop for pedestrian cop. Any idea if the fine is the same for bicyclists?
I like Nan’s statement.
Just out of curiosity, I wonder if any of the cited drivers were also caught using a cell phone while driving??
That pedestrian crosswalk is also used by the kids who live in Wallingford and walk to the B.F. Day School by way of the 41st St./Aurora pedestrian overpass. It is also used for Hamilton students who either walk to school from home or walk to school from their Metro stop at Stone and 40th. A boy had been struck by a car 6 years ago when a motorist hit him, which left him in a coma for 10 days. The motorist was driving 35 mph and actually passed two cars that had stopped to let the boy cross. I’ve never anyone do that on 45th St. at Burke, but I have seen it happen on Stone Way.
i sure hope this program isn’t too adversely affected by budget cuts. since so many drivers don’t seem to pay attention, perhaps we need stings like this once in a while.
to clarify my original post, i do not understand why they have done the sting at that crosswalk (Stone/41st) at least 8 times in the last 1.5 years – YES it was/is a danger and the Stone Way road diet happened partly due to that crosswalk – and NOT at any others here. it has been a good thing that they do it at all, and have done it repeatedly there, but the crosswalk at 45th and Burke is a big, big problem too (as are others, like at 50th where kids have been hit in recent months). several of us businesses near Burke see near-accidents quite often, esp in summer, and cars seem to go fast from the light at Wallingford Ave to get through Meridian. this is why i (successfully) fought last year the proposed bus bulb on the south side in front of Wallingford Center – more cars would’ve been held up and blasted through that crosswalk. (this was during advisory board meetings last year re the big bus route changes from Ballard to the U-District)
a head honcho from SDOT once told me if it was up to him all crosswalks would be removed in seattle. what a dope! they need to be BETTER marked, actually. there are several in seattle that have different features, like lights on the ground, or a push button w/ light on the side of the street. we need to call on the city to make the crosswalks better than most are now, like the few that are “tests” that are lit up.
Also watch out for unmarked crosswalks. Corner to corner and 10 feet back. Just because there are no white lines doesn’t mean there’s no crosswalk.
Good show, SPD!
Three things.
1) When walking, make eye contact with the driver. Do not assume they see you even if they seem to slow down a bit.
2) If they do stop, peek around that car as you cross so you don’t get hit by the dork going around that car.
3) if you are driving and do stop at a crosswalk and happen to be waiting to turn left or right, I recommend you leave OFF your turn signal until the walker is across safely so the guy behind you doesn’t think you are ONLY waiting to turn and decide to whip around you and hit the pedestrian.
This happens all the time on 40th, and when it’s dark and raining, it’s a recipe for a pedestrian to get killed.
BTW: I’m thrilled SPD did this. I was getting very close to putting a watermelon in a stroller and heading out to scare the hell out of some drivers.
“I was getting very close to putting a watermelon in a stroller and heading out to scare the hell out of some drivers.”
WIN!
It’s about time! Years ago a friend of my son’s was struck in this same marked sidewalk, He sustained a traumatic brain injury and likely will never fully recover. Now how about setting up some stings at unmarked crosswalks (especially on 40th and 45th). A friend’s son was attempting to cross 40th on his way home from school and counted 36 cars failing to yield right of way to him before one finally did!
It is really important that the pedestrian make eye contact with drivers to get them to stop.
There are many times when as a driver I am unsure if a person is waiting as inhanging around or seriously wants to cross a street. Aklso looking at a cellphone ofr texting whiel waiting for cars to stop makes me unsure again if the person is ready to cross the street.
Am I supposed to stop and wait to see what a a texting standing no eye contact person wants to do when I am driving?
Kara: “a head honcho from SDOT once told me if it was up to him all crosswalks would be removed in seattle”. There is genuine controversy about the overall safety of marked crosswalks. Some feel that they condition drivers to ONLY yield to pedestrians there, rather than being alert to crossing foot traffic elsewhere (i.e. at unmarked crosswalks). Even in the Wallyhood forums, not everyone is aware that such a thing as an “unmarked crosswalk” exists in Washington state.
Basically it’s the same argument that the roads would be safer if we removed most signage, like they do in the UK, for example, which ostensibly requires that you drive slower and more carefully to avoid hazards.