September 3, 2009 — There is a sign which reads, “STATE LAW: Yield to Pedestrian” on Fawcett Place at Milbank and Mason (near the old Griffin Ford). I take partial credit for that sign.
About a year ago, I was crossing that intersection, as I do regularly, and as happens regularly a car failed to yield. There happened to be a worker from the Town of Greenwich “Lines and Signs” Department refreshing the markings on the macadam. He saw me almost get hit by a car coming from the rotary. I asked him about getting a sign and the next morning it was there. I don’t know who he was – but I give thanks for him often! THAT is responsive local government
My experience tells me the sign hasn’t curtailed significantly the number of violators. But it does grant me a bit of righteousness to add to my indignation when I holler at drivers whizzing by me in the crosswalk.
Well today, some of those drivers got there comeuppance. (See the GPD Press Release which follows.)
Thank you, Lt. Berry, Sgt. Reynolds, Community Impact Officers and the Greenwich Police – and thank you “Lines and Signs” guy!
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GPD PRESS RELEASE
On Thursday September 3, 2009, the Greenwich Police Department Traffic Enforcement Unit along with the Community Impact Section conducted a Pedestrian Safety Operation on Mason Street at the intersection of Fawcett Place and Milbank Avenue. The focus of the enforcement effort was motorists failing to yield to pedestrians trying to cross the street in the two clearly marked crosswalks. In addition, those motorists using a cell phone while driving were also stopped.
The enforcement operation consists of a plainclothes police officer acting as a pedestrian trying to cross the street, in the clearly marked crosswalk, and then observing which cars stop and which do not. Uniformed officers, in radio contact with the plainclothes officer, pull over those motorists that do not stop down the street. The effort was a result of numerous complaints received by the Police Department concerning the problems encountered at that location by pedestrians trying to cross Mason St by utilizing the crosswalk.
The results of this morning’s effort are as follows: (3) Stop sign violations (7) Cell phone violations (18) Failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. 28 total citations issued.
These, and other efforts will continue as the Department strives to respond to the public in attempting to make the Town of Greenwich safer for pedestrians and motorists. As of this date, motor vehicle collisions are down almost 10% for 2009 as opposed to the same time period in 2008.
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AUTHOR’S NOTE: State Law requires motorists to stop once a pedestrian has placed his or her foot into a marked cross-walk, no matter which direction the motorist is driving. So, if the pedestrian is in the right lane and you are driving in the left, you must stop until the pedestrian leaves the cross-walk completely.
