[Critique Group 1] Marcia's July submission

[Marcia Wick]

In Defense of Pedestrians

Marcia J. Wick

July 2023

Word Count:  645

 

 

These days, the buzz is all about electric vehicles, bicycles, and scooters
powered by rechargeable batteries. Operators may feel warm and fuzzy about
doing their part to save our planet from climate change, but what about the
safety of non-motorists and PEDESTRIANS like me? 

 

Navigating the walkways with my four-legged guide dog for the blind, my
access to public transit, recreation, employment, and commerce is frequently
compromised by the electric vehicles silently humming by.

 

Consider the driver waiting to turn right on red, their attention tuned to
the left for oncoming traffic, their vehicle's electric engine idling at a
whisper, while I stand at the corner trying to gauge when it's safe to cross
the street. Does the driver see me? Probably not. Can I hear the EV? Likely
not. Which one of us has the right-of-way? The 4,000-pound electric vehicle
will win the bet every time.

 

Pedestrian traffic fatalities have reached their highest level in 40 years,
according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. The greater body
weight of SUV's and EV's combined with dangerous/distracted driving and
roadways designed for speed contribute to the rising death rate.

 

At the other end of the spectrum, E-scooters are lightweight, but the
Consumer Product Safety Commission warns that these quiet and quick mobility
devices may be difficult to detect. I'm not opposed to alternative modes of
transportation, but the use of E-scooters shouldn't trump my access to
pedestrian walkways. At least six times in six weeks, my guide dog and I
have encountered E-scooters abandoned haphazardly, blocking sidewalks and
driveways, posing a dangerous tripping hazard. 

 

Currently, the scooter sharing company Lime is authorized to operate in
Colorado Springs under a pilot program.  According to the city's website,
e-scooters must be parked upright, out of the way of pedestrian and vehicle
traffic, but how is that policy enforced?

 

Unfortunately, retrieval of illegally parked E-scooters relies on a
reporting system that requires days for complaints to be processed.
Violations resulting in injuries have already resulted in E-scooters being
banned in some larger cities. If you believe E-scooters have a home in our
community, please keep them off the sidewalks.

 

Cyclists and skateboarders also pose a risk to pedestrians. Skateboarders on
crowded downtown sidewalks should dismount rather than dodge pedestrians
like they're competing on an obstacle course. It's the policy, but
compliance relies on personal responsibility.

 

Multi-use trails are common in our city. Trekking with my guide dog on the
trails, I encounter bicycles approaching from ahead and behind, from the
left and the right. Often, I am startled by a silent cyclist whizzing by,
sometimes with only inches to spare, my hair lifted by their tail wind. It's
dangerous, not to mention rude. 

 

How about some trail etiquette? The National Park Service advises hikers and
cyclists to "treat others the way you would want to be treated." When
approaching fellow trail travelers, calmly announce your presence and
intentions, "Passing on your right," for example.

 

Some cyclists have told me they're wary of distracting me and my guide dog
by calling attention to themselves. They have surprised children on
bicycles, resulting in an accident. Fair Enough, but I am not a child and my
guide dog is trained to move me out of harm's way. We prefer an audible
alert to help keep us oriented. 

 

While we're on the subject, neighbors, we'd be grateful if you'd trim your
low-hanging or overgrown branches that impede pedestrian walkways. Often, my
guide dog steers me into the street because the sidewalks are impassable.
Even worse, people in wheelchairs could tip if forced off the sidewalk.

 

Although I can't drive, ambling the sidewalks and trails with my guide dog
qualifies as the best part of my day. However, a fall or collision at my age
could prove to be a game-changer. Please, be considerate of non-motorists
who navigate the walkways in our fine city.

 

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