Sidewalks

[phx]

Originally Posted by Mike K.

This is what the majority of Saanich neighbourhoods look like.

At best subdivisions have a sidewalk on one side of the road, otherwise you're trudging across front lawns and foot paths.

Don't be silly. Walking on the road in a residential neighbourhood is not a problem. Example

Sidewalks are nice, but expensive. They cost about as much as the road itself.

[sebberry]

Originally Posted by phx

Don't be silly. Walking on the road in a residential neighbourhood is not a problem. Example

Spin the camera around 180 degrees and you'll see that these ladies are getting construction debris in their flip-flops.

[Jill]

Originally Posted by phx

Don't be silly. Walking on the road in a residential neighbourhood is not a problem. Example

Sidewalks are nice, but expensive. They cost about as much as the road itself.

Maybe if you're an able-bodied adult walking on the road is not a problem, but if you are pushing a stroller or walking with young children, the lack of sidewalks is a pain, especially given the way many drivers roar down residential streets.

Of course, too many sidewalks or portions thereof are rendered pretty much useless by poorly placed sign poles, bus shelters, mail boxes, overgrown hedges, etc., requiring anyone who can't just turn themselves sideways to get by to get off the sidewalk and onto the street.

[Baro]

Is there a number or call or email about people's hedges growing way into the sidewalk? There's a few in my travels that are so ridiculous one has to nearly go on the road to walk past them.

[Linear Thinker]

Originally Posted by Baro

Is there a number or call or email about people's hedges growing way into the sidewalk? There's a few in my travels that are so ridiculous one has to nearly go on the road to walk past them.

Contact the appropriate municipality and ask for bylaw enforcement.

[maniac78]

Originally Posted by mc9

There are times when I would just loooooooooooooooove to be able to do this to someone.

A friend of mine from highschool is a police officer and says it's the best part of his job. That and the "courtesy" you get when you pull out your badge when stopped by another officer anywhere in Canada if you get what I'm saying.

[Sparky]

Originally Posted by Sparky

OK, the gloves are off now. Let's clarify the definition of a crosswalk. A crosswalk is defined in the BC Motor Vehicle Act and the definition relies on the existence of a sidewalk if there is no marked crosswalk.

"crosswalk" means
(a) a portion of the roadway at an intersection or elsewhere distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by signs or by lines or other markings on the surface, or
(b) the portion of a highway at an intersection that is included within the connection of the lateral lines of the sidewalks on the opposite sides of the highway, or within the extension of the lateral lines of the sidewalk on one side of the highway, measured from the curbs, or in the absence of curbs, from the edges of the roadway;

Here is the important part........what if there is no sidewalk?

You will see by reading this article quoted from drive smart BC that if there is no sidewalk.....there is no unmarked crosswalk...........driving in Saanich 45 years ago.....there were not a lot of sidewalks.

http://www.drivesmartbc.ca/rules-roa...ked-crosswalks

So I swung by the library today and looked up the definition of crosswalk in the 1960 Motor Vehicle act.




So Ms B Havin, you are correct the rules have been the same for over 50 years.

[mc9]

Originally Posted by phx

Don't be silly. Walking on the road in a residential neighbourhood is not a problem.

Yes, I love walking on soggy/ muddy grass down the narrow roads when cars are coming, and/or to avoid the senior drivers who can barely see me. I also love having to avoid pedestrians walking on the road when I am driving- I know that both of us feel totally comfortable with me having to pass them so close, flinging rocks up at their face.

I would feel much better having sidewalks for kids to walk on/play on then on the road!

[phx]

Ahh, well, you can't please everyone. Some think residential streets are needlessly wide, others think they are impossibly narrow.

[Bingo]

It is amazing to see people walking on the side of the roads without sidewalks, with their back to the traffic, instead of the opposite side facing traffic. This was a basic rule we we taught as kids, and on some narrow sidewalks I use this method as well.

[Langford Rat]

True that, Bingo. It's more than a basic rule...its a reg in the Motor Vehicle Act:

182. (2) If there is no sidewalk, a pedestrian walking along or on a highway must walk only on the extreme left side of the roadway or the shoulder of the highway, facing traffic approaching from the opposite direction.

...that's why I always taught my dogs to heel to my left side (keeping myself between them and the traffic)

[G-Man]

^ And so people can be ticketed?

[LJ]

Originally Posted by Bingo

It is amazing to see people walking on the side of the roads without sidewalks, with their back to the traffic, instead of the opposite side facing traffic. This was a basic rule we we taught as kids, and on some narrow sidewalks I use this method as well.

How about the people that walk/run on the side of the road when there are sidewalks? I don't give them a lot of clearance when I go by.

[Langford Rat]

Failure to use a sidewalk (when there is one) and failure to walk on left side of road (when there isn't a sidewalk) are both ticketable offences and the fine is 109 bucks. Let's just hope the cops excersize a little more discretion than these Texas cowboys http://galvestondailynews.com/story/263034/

[mc9]

Perhaps we need a traffic rules thread, or if we have one I need to be pointed to it.

When a pedestrian is crossing the street, either at a crosswalk or from a corner, at what moment can a motor vehicle that had stopped for the pedestrian start to move through the intersection again?

I had a former cop tell me, in the former city I lived it, that it was legal for you to start moving back through the intersection if the pedestrian was halfway across.

I see most people here generally will start moving again after the pedestrians are halfway through the crosswalk. Should each side legally wait till the pedestrian is FULLY across?

Does any of that make sense. I am finding it hard to explain

[Mike K.]

I've been told that you have to wait for the pedestrian to cross to the other side before you can start moving again.

[Langford Rat]

I'm almost positive it's OK to proceed as soon as he is halfway across. You have to yield to a pedestrian when he is is on the side of the road that you are travelling on (or approaching the side you are travelling on). In fact, if I'm travelling down a two-way street and a pedestrian begins to cross from the left side he has the right of way over vehicles travelling in my opposite direction but not over me (untill he gets halfway or close enough to halfway that I would put him in danger by not yielding).

[LJ]

^I don't think that is correct. If a crosswalk is occupied you must stop. Once the pedestrian has crossed your lane of traffic you may proceed.

[jklymak]

http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bcl...eside/96318_05, Sec 179.

[ZGsta]

What the heck is going on with Foul Bay? They're putting a (completely unnecessary) sidewalk in and it's taking them months and months to move a couple blocks.

[JohnN]

Colwood moves on updating ‘strip’

Goldstream News Gazette
February 07, 2012 8:53 AM

Colwood is moving ahead with beautifying its section of Island Highway, otherwise known as the Colwood strip.

The City plans to issue a tender this week for a sidewalk on the west side of Island Highway, from Great Canadian Casino to Wale Road. The plan includes building bike lanes on both sides of the road.

Colwood is matching a $395,000 provincial grant with accumulated development fees to fund the project. The City is eager to connect sidewalks to work already done by West Shore Parks and Recreation and View Royal.

“There are challenges with that design. There is a gas main in the way,” said Colwood engineer Michael Baxter. “But we expect to go to tender early (this) week.”

Colwood also wants to create a crosswalk across Island Highway near the recreation centre entrance. Baxter said that is a tricky project, but the City wants to create better pedestrian safety in that area. “The crosswalk design is not finished yet,” he said. “The challenge is building a cross walk that doesn’t interfere with (vehicle) access.”

READ MORE:
http://www.goldstreamgazette.com/news/138797174.html

[thant pix]

[quote=JohnN;177838]Colwood moves on updating ‘strip’

Goldstream News Gazette
February 07, 2012 8:53 AM

Colwood is moving ahead with beautifying its section of Island Highway, otherwise known as the Colwood strip.



Congratulations Colwood (and View Royal) for completing necessary sidewalks on 'the strip'.