Residents said a junction where a teenager was seriously injured in a road traffic collision needs a pedestrian crossing.Oh, really?
The 14-year-old cyclist was hit by a Ford Focus at about 8am on Friday morning on Mile End Road off the A612 in Colwick.Hmmm, now, admittedly, the address is sketchy (and the picture the newspaper has assigned to the story is one of an icy canal barge, which is little help!), but it appears from Googlemaps that there already is a large Pelican crossing just at that point where the A612 leads off, and quite a few little traffic islands along Mile End Road itself…
He was taken to the Queen's Medical Centre and was said yesterday to be in a critical condition.
But maybe it happened further down, or further up the road. Give them the benefit of the doubt.
If another crossing was put in, would it resolve anything?
Mile End Road resident Rachel Kidd, 43, said: "About two years ago a man in a mobility scooter was killed on the same junction, so this isn't the first tragedy there.You mean, if a car hadn’t been coming?
"I think the junction really needs a pedestrian crossing to be honest – the speed cameras along the A612 have slowed traffic down but kids don't always think before they cross roads.
"It's such an unfortunate thing to happen. Probably on another day the young boy would have done the same thing and crossed the road perfectly fine."
George Walker, 72, of nearby First Avenue said it was an unfortunate accident, especially during rush hour.Or criminal neglicence of the part of the teenage cyclist.
He said: "I don't think the junction is that dangerous.
"Kids take chances though and try to beat the traffic so a pedestrian crossing over the junction would be a good idea.
"But at that time in the morning there is always lots of traffic on the A612 and you can't go very quickly, so what happened is unfortunate."
Retired Harold Maan, 67, who has lived on Mile End Road for five years, said other accidents had happened at the same junction.Two accidents in five years is pretty good going. I don’t think we need to waste money on another crossing that in all probability the kids won’t use anyway.
He said: "It must be at least the second accident that has happened there since I've lived here.
"But I don't think it is bad junction if you do it right – I don't think there has been a major accident involving two vehicles at the junction. But pedestrians need to be aware when they cross the road because there isn't a crossing with lights. What has happened is very sad."
Relevance of a pedestrian crossing to a cyclist?
ReplyDeleteOld thought, regurgitated: people don't use crossings. If they can cross within twenty or thirty yards of one they will do.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, the other day I say kid run across a T junction to save crossing two roads (though he only ran because a bus was approaching his rear quickly) and there was a pedestrian crossing ten yards lower down.
But by all means paint lines and put in 'controls' if it gives the council something to do.
Wish there was an edit on these posts. I meant "saw a kid" instead of the ridiculous "say kid."
ReplyDeleteSoz.
/echoes Curmudgeon
ReplyDeleteThis is what is needed. No signs, no crossing, no clutter.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2094939/Britains-longest-clutter-free-street-unveiled-make-things-SAFER.html
How spooky to read a post on this subject now ..
ReplyDeleteI've just returned from a little shopping jaunt to my local Town .. whilst driving on the inside lane of a busy 4 lane "A"road, I observed a kid of about 13-14 (complete with de-riguer iPod)wander out into the road & stand between passing traffic on the "cross-hatch" markings, close to a junction .. and less than 20 yds from a pelican crossing ..
And the cheeky little bugger had the temerity to look daggers at the traffic, which was "holding him up" ..
You just can't legislate for bone idleness or fuck-wittery ..
"Relevance of a pedestrian crossing to a cyclist?"
ReplyDeleteWell, if he wants to cross safely, wouldn't he be best off dismounting and using the crossing?
"Old thought, regurgitated: people don't use crossings. If they can cross within twenty or thirty yards of one they will do."
Yup, and it's not just the kids, as many people seem to think. My local high street is a nightmare for this.
"This is what is needed. No signs, no crossing, no clutter."
Southend has tried that, with very limited success!
"You just can't legislate for bone idleness or fuck-wittery .."
Indeed. Never stops them trying, though.
Well, if he wants to cross safely, wouldn't he be best off dismounting and using the crossing?
ReplyDeleteThis is still cyclists we're talking about? ;-)
"This is still cyclists we're talking about? ;-)"
ReplyDeleteGood point! They are at it again tomorrow, on the streets of London, demanding someone do something about all those lorries they insist on going up the inside of...
This is just the same narrow minded argument on all sides. You're point is "I have the right to travel how I want and nobody else does". If a child runs across the road to get to an island, I guess the child want to cross the road. I assume they didn't wait for your car before running out. The valid answers are: you slow for the child or the child waits for half an hour until the road is empty enough to cross without slowing a car.
ReplyDelete