Thank God! No one was injured this morning, as a car drove through a crosswalk for Brookside School, while 2 adults and approximately 4 children were walking in it!
At about 8:10 AM, I was walking on the south sidewalk along Conifer Street, approaching Oakleaf Avenue, to the west of me. Up ahead of me I saw a group of 2 adults and about 4 young children walk to the curb from Oakleaf and stop. The adults looked both ways and then started across, with some children even with them and some behind. Then, I looked to my right, to see a maroon, older car, driven by a man, coming down Conifer from the east, heading toward the crosswalk. Was he looking ahead to the crosswalk, just about 1/2 of an end of a block, ahead? NO! His head was turned in my direction!
He went past me, and then continued on through the crosswalk, as the party crossed Conifer inside the yellow lines! Thankfully, they were in the left side of the crosswalk, while very close to the car, they were still safe.
The adults were obviously shaken up, but they continued on to the Brookdside field. I am still shaken up, too, thinking what could have happened.
WE HAVE TO MAKE THE CROSSWALKS ON CONIFER STREET, LEADING TO BROOKDSIDE SCHOOL, SAFER!
The photo was taken last Saturday, showing a car, I believe illegally parking, close to the sameConifer Street crosswalk, during soccer play. (In thinking of this, please be aware that Conifer is a residential 2-lane street, with parking on the side. It is not like T.O. Blvd. where drivers ignore crosswalk laws, I guess because the street is so wide.)
Mary // Sep 14, 2012 at 11:52 AM
I can’t stress how important it is to LOOK BOTH WAYS! before steping into the street in or out of a cross walk. If you see a car moving, STOP. Wait till the car passes or comes to a full and complete stop before steping in front of it. People just don’t stop when a car is coming. So many people have pushed baby strollers in front of my car, asuming I will stop for them, which I do, but it makes me furious that they would put their child at risk. They know they have the right of way and asume the driver will see them and stop for them because of it. This is not always true and it is not a safe practice to teach children. Don’t step infront of a moving vehicle. You don’t want to find out what happens. I’m glad everyone was safe and made it across the street, unharmed.
Editor // Sep 14, 2012 at 4:04 PM
I agree with Mary’s comment, but I must stress that I think that the party crossing the street did everything right! The cars going around the bend on Conifer, heading toward Kanan, come very fast, and the walkers may not have seen this car till it was too close.
Mary Mendenhall // Sep 14, 2012 at 9:15 PM
The other day I was driving down a street that I am frequently on. Very few cars are on this road. While at the stop sign a car approached. I waited and then proceeded. AH there was a car behind the first car. My mind said no car because my experience told me so. Luckily I stopped in time. I/We need to be in the moment more often and less will go awry.