Woman hit while crossing Plymouth Road Wednesday still in critical condition

Susan

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 6:58 p.m.

she passed away last night..

Kyle Mattson

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 7:03 p.m.

Hi Susan- The updated story on Sharita Williams' passing can be found here: http://bit.ly/aadc-cwpr

JEAA

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 6:49 p.m.

I agree fully with Snark12 that it is disturbing that most posts blame the victim. Ann Arbor has laws that mandate that cars must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. As a frequent walker, I am constantly amazed by the obliviousness of drivers who cut me off in crosswalks. As a frequent driver, I have learned to be much more attentive to pedestrians. It's not too hard, actually.

Nicholas Urfe

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 5:36 p.m.

Wait. You say the driver was driving a "Cavalier"?

PhillyCheeseSteak

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 4:57 p.m.

Other student-pedestrians injured n accidents with cars this past year: a middle school student got hit by a car crossing Newport; a high school student got hit by a car crossing Huron Parkway; and another high school student got hit by a car when she was crossing the street to get on the school bus. The school bus had its stop sign out and all its lights were flashing.

Ron Smith

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 3:02 p.m.

Except for this sentence in the article "The driver of the Cavalier did not appear to see the woman when she was crossing the street", you could make the assumption that the car drove itself.

justcurious

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 2:10 p.m.

OK, I'm confused now. A couple of commenters on here make it sound like the authorities don't know who was driving the car or that the driver left the scene. I didn't see that in any of the articles. Do they know who hit her? One commenter said it was a young woman of about the same age according to a witness and other witnesses were encouraging her to stay at the scene. Did she?

Nicholas Urfe

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:23 p.m.

"I have hated these cross walks since their inception." If only drivers would have a little less hate. And rage. Especially toward traffic control devices, and the traffic laws. And be more willing to share the road.

Audion Man

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 2:19 p.m.

I understand that the crosswalks are an imperfect solution, but how far down do we go to accommodate the "lowest common denominator"? When will traffic lights themselves become too much of a bother? Roundabouts are a bit of solution, but drivers here whine copiously because they do require some brain activity- and geez, Facebook isn't gonna update itself...

snark12

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 2:14 p.m.

Bingo, AM. Rather fix the driver problem they want to remove the need for them to participate in the driving process.

Audion Man

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:28 p.m.

I live off of Plymouth Road, and drive on it every day. It is sort of the I-275 of Ann Arbor. My big fears when stopping at one of the crosswalks are- 1.) getting rear-ended or 2.) provoking road rage. This whole discussion amazes me. There seems to be a consensus that drivers are poorly educated on the rules of the road, distracted, self-involved and generally cannot be trusted. And the solution is to accommodate them as much possible. Really?

a2roots

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:12 p.m.

I have hated these cross walks since their inception. Actually quite surprised that more people are not injured. I just don't get why we have moved away from walking to the corner, looking both ways and crossing when traffic clears. This method actually works when you are not at a corner. Unfortunately the blinking light gives a false sense of security to the pedestrian and they often fail to look and pause to make sure cars stop. The drivers still need to see you and have adequate time to react and stop.

a2roots

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 8:40 p.m.

@nu...there is no way those lights could have been blinking for 30 seconds. Have never timed them but seriously doubt they blink total for more than 30 seconds. And yes it is a false sense of security unless you are certain the driver is aware and stopping. @foo...I am not laying blame on anyone. Not sure of the perfect solution. But there are far too many drivers in and out of Ann Arbor that have no familiarity or experience with these crosswalks. The old school in me says walk to the corner or wait but at least look both ways and cross or use these blinky light crosswalks and have some certainty that the drivers will stop before crossing. We do not need anymore tragedies.

foobar417

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 4:24 p.m.

Walking to the corner works fine in the Old West Side where the blocks are short and grid is small. It's a different story in sprawlville (newer parts of AA and beyond designed for cars). It is 0.5 miles between Plymouth/Murfin and Plymouth/Traverwood. That means it can be up to 0.5 miles out of your way for a pedestrian to cross Plymouth. Practical experience is that people will not detour that far out of their way to find a light to cross at. Likewise, drivers will revolt (and the state usually bans) putting traffic lights every 1/8th or 1/4 of a mile. What's the solution? Crosswalks, with signs, blinking lights, traffic islands, etc. Pedestrians who pay attention. Oh, and drivers who actually pay attention and understand their obligation to drive defensively.

Nicholas Urfe

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:25 p.m.

"Unfortunately the blinking light gives a false sense of security to the pedestrian and they often fail to look and pause to make sure cars stop. The drivers still need to see you and have adequate time to react and stop." Guess you didn't read the witness account where she said the crosswalk light had been flashing for 30 seconds before the driver drove through without braking. Is 30 seconds enough time for drivers to see the bright flashing lights?

Audion Man

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 12:50 p.m.

Reviewing all of these comments, one comes away with this: "It really is a damn shame that drivers are being forced to tap the brake occasionally." It's just awesome that we've outsourced driver's ed (which was never all that rigorous in the USA, to begin with). Laws about using cell phones and texting while driving are just unwarranted assaults on our L-IIIIIIBERTY- and exist so evil cops can line the city's coffers. And some of you, I suppose, think the crosswalks with their wasteful and expensive flashing lights are nearly as bad, if not worse than *GASP* public art. And let's face it, operating a motor vehicle is a RIGHT. It really is just expecting too much to expect harried parents to put down the damn phone and stop yelling at the kids to anticipate that someone might want to cross the damn street once in a while. So, yes, we need elevated pedestrian crossings everywhere. No speed limits, and would it kill you to get rid all of those pesky curves? All that turning of the steering wheel is hard.

Alaina Case

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 3:04 p.m.

Lol- I love the response right below yours from a2roots. It's almost like you coordinated.

jcj

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 12:44 p.m.

So many pedestrians are in such a hurry they can't go to the corner or wait for the crosswalk signal,BUT when they get into the road the turn into turtles!

sks

Mon, Aug 12, 2013 : 1:10 a.m.

I have to stifle a laugh for this comment. I knew this young woman who was hit, she was intelligent and had a heart of gold. Her injuries killed her, and her body was thrown 10 ft away from the crosswalk an the driver didn't stop for 30 ft. So please if you don't know all the facts, keep your single minded comments to yourself.

Nicholas Urfe

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:19 p.m.

Car driver says pressing brake pedal is a burden; calls pedestrians lazy. That's rich.

A2Dave

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 12:30 p.m.

In many countries in Europe, these kinds of marked cross-walks, with flashing lights, are also speed bumps the width of the crossing. Very effective at forcing drivers to slow down to <5 mph as they move through the crosswalk. In Spain, you even see these on rural roads with marked crosswalks.

andralisa

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 12:29 p.m.

SLOW the heck down in that area ! There is NO excuse for the driver not seeing this person - flashing lights mean SLOW Down ...I hope prison is in order here.

Elaine F. Owsley

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 11:44 a.m.

If that is the car that hit her, it should be no trouble to find the driver.

justcurious

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 2:11 p.m.

Are you saying the driver left the scene?

mw

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 11:43 a.m.

I simply refuse use these crosswalks myself as a pedestrian. The problem is that cars in the right lane (whether moving or coming to a stop) obscure pedestrians from the vision of drivers in the center lane. Yes, the combination of slowing or stopped traffic in the right lane and flashing lights *should* alert drivers to the possibility of a pedestrian stepping out from behind a car and into the left lane. But this fails too often. So I cross at either at a traffic light or outside a crosswalk when I see an opening in traffic. Crosswalks across high-speed 4-lane roads should have standard red/green/yellow traffic lights -- the flashing HAWK lights are obviously NOT as effective as real traffic lights. It think that it's pretty clear at this point at the new safety measures have (as many people have predicted) have made things more dangerous for pedestrians.

Mike

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 11:53 a.m.

You are absolutely correct on pedestrians being invisible at times to oncoming traffic because they are hidden behind another vehicle. I stay away from those areas as much as possible, it puts knots in my stomach every time I pass through there...............

chapmaja

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 5:13 a.m.

My comment is by no means blaming the victim for what happened, but it a general comment about crosswalks everywhere. Pedestrians need to take their safety into their own hands. When you are crossing a street, even if you have a crossing signal, or are at a "protected" crossing like this was, WATCH FOR CARS. You need to take responsibility for your own safety because too many drivers aren't paying attention. When walking across a street, ALWAYS keep an eye on the direction traffic is coming from. I know personally it has saved me on more than one occasion. I recall several times when I was in college I was crossing the main road through campus, at crosswalks clearly marked stop for pedestrians. One more than one occasion I had to jump out of the way. One time I jumped and landed on the hood of the car that "hit me." The driver got out pissed at me, until the cop who was driving by stopped and started writing him a ticket. Luckily the only damage was a bruised knee for me and a big dent on his hood. He had to explain to his parents the ticket and the damaged car.

Nicholas Urfe

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 12:29 p.m.

So where is your lengthy rant about drivers who do not stop and the need to obey all traffic laws?

snark12

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 11:34 a.m.

If you're not blaming the victim, who are you blaming?

shadow wilson

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 4:30 a.m.

It takes concentration to drive.I might be stating the obvious but it is true. When you are driving watch how many people make right turns on red where it is prohibited.l The driver obviously was not concentrating on driving. Those lights are almost strobing; they are designed to catch the eye....only a driver not concentrating would not only not see the lights but hit someone. I did not like this new law however as a driver I do pay attention.It should be noted that when one presses the button to engage the light a warning voice cautions that vehicles may not stop.

Veracity

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 4:20 a.m.

Was the driver tested for drugs and alcohol?

Tom Joad

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 3:43 a.m.

Illuminated flashing cross walks are a great safety tool. Without them many drivers would simply not stop at all. I use one extensively crossing a busy road at least twice a day, and prior to its installation I would seriously have to wait for a clear opening because drivers by and large disregarded the painted crosswalk and signs. These flashing lights need to be placed on ALL crosswalks. AAPD needs to step up their enforcement of crosswalk violating drivers and once the word spreads that the police are extremely strict about ticketing drivers then word will spread and drivers will take heed. You can't blame the pedestrian. He/she needs to get across the street and drivers need to follow the law; it's as simple as that. In fact, read the Secretary of State Driver Manual and it quite clearly states that drivers must take every precaution to avoid hitting pedestrians even if they cross mid street.

foobar417

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 4:31 p.m.

Imagine: Automatic jail time for any driver who hits a pedestrian for any reason. Likely result: Drivers who drive like church mice. While I doubt as a society we would take this step, it's probably the only way to get drivers to view driving as a privilege and not a right.

grye

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 3:10 a.m.

What time of day? East bound or West bound lanes? Need better reporting info. Oops, forgot this is a .com service. Real reporters go to the scene and ask questions, take pictures, interview witnesses. Please come back local newspaper.

Feldsnoot

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:14 p.m.

Let's see, went to the previous story to look for the answers to those questions as the reporter so self-righteously wrote. What time of day? The story only says the time that paramedics were dispatched. We readers can then gather that the accident occurred a few minutes earlier than that. East bound or West bound lanes? The story says nothing about which direction the car was travelling. It says that the car came to a stop EAST of the crosswalk. Readers must then deduce that the car was traveling eastbound, in the eastbound lane. But the reporter never stated that. So us readers are forced to construct the scene in our minds and figure it out for ourselves. These sort of details are important when describing things such as, oh, accidents which may have resulted in a fatality. Seems like the original commenter's gripes were legitimate. Further, the story is poorly written and includes numerous sentences containing multiple tenses. I agree the old newspaper reporting was better.

Kyle Feldscher

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 3:24 a.m.

If you click on the link to the story from yesterday when I was on scene taking pictures, asking questions and talking to witnesses, all of those questions will be answered.

snark12

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 3:23 a.m.

Did you click the link to the previous story in the first sentence? It is a .com. Real readers know how to use the Internet.

talker

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 2:48 a.m.

Despite the flashing lights and crosswalk markings, at the moment I'll add that any time a car ahead of you slows down or stops, assume there's a reason. Was the driver who hit the pedestrian not paying attention? Driving requires attention. That means no texting and using a telephone. Pull over onto a side street or parking area and return the call. At night, it's good to wear light colored or reflective clothing accessories to avoid not being seen by motorists, but this accident occurred during daylight. Other cars stopped. Our hopes are with the patient.

EyeHeartA2

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 2:20 a.m.

Re: The HAWK v Whatever-is-on Plymouth Why again do Red LEDS cost $10K more than yellow ones? Also, a big problem is that they are on too long. You can cross and go for about 15 -20 seconds on the other side before they turn off. Perhaps if they had an "Off" button it would be helpful.

EyeHeartA2

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 8:42 p.m.

@Foobar; So I was off by 80K. WHY do red LED cost 80K more than yellow. Why can't you get the yellow LEDs changed to red?

Brad

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 6:10 p.m.

The problem with an "off" button would be the potential for turning it off on someone in the middle of the street. Not good.

foobar417

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 4:35 p.m.

Hawks cost $100k. The ones on Plymouth cost $10k or $15k. (I don't remember what the original article said.) City council voted to do the latter after the one HAWK was put in. I believe there were traffic studies cited at the time saying they were equally effective. In addition, MDOT limits the number of actual lights you can put in on some roads. So, for example, it was not legal to put in an actual traffic light at Huron/Chapin. I'm not sure if this applies to Plymouth or not. I do think it would be interesting if cities started pushing back on MDOT (via the legislature) to get more power to add traffic lights to busy roads.

EyeHeartA2

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 12:30 p.m.

@veracity: "perhaps an "off" button would be helpful" That was my point.

snark12

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 4:28 a.m.

It's also perfectly legal to proceed thru the crosswalk after the pedestrian is across even if the lights are still blinking.

Veracity

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 4:17 a.m.

Some pedestrians take more time crossing such as the elderly and those with disabilities. Also when snow and ice is on the streets pedestrians will have to cross more carefully. I drive along Plymouth Road frequently and am confronted often with flashing yellow lights at cross walks where pedestrians are crossing. The duration of the flashing lights is not excessively long. Be patient and save a life!

a2girl

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:10 a.m.

As a driver, I do not have a problem with the crossings. I am hardly a perfect driver, but really people, how difficult is it to notice the signs indicating that one is approaching a crossing and to look to see if someone is waiting to cross, let alone see the flashing lights? I do, however, have a problem with them as a pedestrian. I have used them and find that people do not initially stop. Do we need to install a red light at all of them, like the one near the Y? Perhaps that would get the attention of distracted drivers.

grye

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 3:12 a.m.

Texting possibly?

Veracity

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 2:57 a.m.

I agree with replacing the flashing yellow lights with flashing red lights. Flashing yellow lights are "caution" lights instructing motorists to slow down and prepare to stop if necessary but otherwise to proceed beyond that location. On the other hand, a "red" blinking light will mean that motorists must stop and determine that their route is clear of pedestrians before proceeding from that location. With the latter flashing "red" light replacing the flashing "yellow" light accidents such as the topic of this thread of comments will be more likely prevented.

Jaime Magiera

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:52 a.m.

Red light.

LXIX

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:04 a.m.

When the demigods over at Mount Olympus finally figure out that the laws of nature really do supersede their grand ordinances, they too become myths.

getyourstorystraightfirst

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 12:34 a.m.

I'm not surprised that this happened. The crosswalk by Vets Park park and ride, no one EVER stops. A couple days ago, a police officer drove right through the crosswalk as I and others waited to cross. Pathetic

mpope

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:07 p.m.

more than once i've seen a police car drive through a crosswalk while a pedestrian is waiting to cross.

EyeHeartA2

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 12:07 a.m.

I spoke with a witness to the crash. This person said a couple of things that I have not read yet in the reports. According to this person, the driver was a woman of roughly the same age as the victim. The driver changed lanes from behind a stopped car just prior to hitting the victim. Some additional witnesses confronted the driver and snippets of the conversation were along the lines of "you caused this", "you must stay" etc. This version of the story bodes poorly for the driver.

PhillyCheeseSteak

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:54 p.m.

I'm no expert but it looks like the car was quite damaged by the impact of the victim, it makes me wonder how fast the driver was going at the time?

Sweet Life

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 5:38 a.m.

If this story is true, it puts the lie to the many comments that it was the pedestrian's fault because she should have looked before crossing. If a driver behind a stopped car suddenly changed lanes while the pedestrian was already in the street, there may have been no way for the pedestrian to avoid getting hit.

Jaime Magiera

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:54 a.m.

To be fair, I've also seen this happen with pedestrians on campus. When walking, I always stop at the cross-walk and make sure the coast is clear, or, if I'm not particularly rushed, wave the car on to go first. Often, students will intentionally walk around me and into the road. This invariably causes the car to have to stop mid-way through the intersection, jamming up the rest of traffic and screwing up the overall flow.

Jaime Magiera

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:52 a.m.

I've seen this a lot in the past couple months - cars zipping around other cars that have stopped or slowed down at crosswalks. "me me me" and "rush rush rush"

Vu Willey

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 12:28 a.m.

Oh no...

Greg

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 10:36 p.m.

Gee, another "sounds great" measure taken by our mayor and city council that doesn't work worth beans. Getting to expect that anymore.

sh1

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 10:32 p.m.

For those requesting a new type of signage or different crossing areas, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the current crossing for any driver who is looking ahead while driving.

snark12

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 10:07 p.m.

Ridiculous that all the focus here is on the mistakes made by the pedestrian or the crosswalk creators and, again, nothing to be said about the responsibilities of the driver. Had AA.com commenters been in the South in the 1960s I imagine they would have said, "It's awful that those poor people are being beaten while trying to attend school. My heart goes out to them. But if you try to integrate a white school, this is what's going to happen. What can we do?"

snark12

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 2:55 a.m.

Of course pedestrians needs to look out for their own safety. Self-preservation should come naturally. But what is unbelievable is the unwillingness of nearly all commenters to acknowledge that the driver has responsibility for situational awareness, which includes not running over someone walking across the street at a well-marked crosswalk on a sunny day. That is where the change needs to come.

jcj

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:31 a.m.

snark I for one am not casting ANY aspersions on the victim! And I clearly stated the driver was at fault here. But the unwillingness of some commenters to acknowledge that some pedestrians blindly walk into situations that put their lives as well as others at risk is simply unbelievable>

Nicholas Urfe

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 10:06 p.m.

I have to wonder whether some of these drivers who claim they cannot possibly stop also crash off bridges and into the water. Or run into trains at crossings.

M-Wolverine

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 4:08 p.m.

Hey Nic, when was the last time you had a bridge jump out in front of your moving car?

Carolyn

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:21 p.m.

My thoughts go out to the woman that was hit. Plymouth Rd is a very dangerous road to cross even with the flashing warning lights. I drive slowly and anticipate at every crosswalk as well as other places along the road where people might choose to cross. When I am a pedestrian, I never enter the road until I get a good look at the whites of the eyes of the those behind the wheel of the vehicle. Too much distracted driving and not enough willingness give away a few minutes to insure someone's safety.

DadooS

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:20 p.m.

It is difficult to believe that the people who believe the crosswalks are safe have ever used them as a pedestrian. It would be revealing for someone to do a more objective study of the relevant car/pedestrian behaviors. How often do pedestrians step into moving traffic? How long does it take for the cars to stop? How often do cars go through the crosswalk with the pedestrian present? How many cell phones present a distracting threat and who has them? The situation has the feel of a vendor overselling its product, and an unfortunate but well-intentioned government official believing the brochure.

annarboral

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 12:54 p.m.

I agree. If you want a place for pedestrians to cross safely then you install a red/green/yellow traffic light. That is something that all drivers can see and understand. Even then pedestrians have to look both ways to ensure their own safety. It's the same concept with defensive driving, that is, don't make assumptions that cars will stop just because the traffic light has changed, you first look and then proceed.

Mike

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 11:51 a.m.

Simple solution.............wait until traffic clears then cross the street. It's not possible to be hit when there are no vehicles

johnnya2

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 2:19 a.m.

The vendor has NOTHING to do with this. The DRIVER failed to obey a BASIC rule of the road. YELLOW means slow down and proceed with caution AFTER the people with the right of way have cleared.The vendor is NOT responsible for morons who do not know the rules of the road anymore than they are responsible for accidents at the corner of Hogback and Carpenter (which has CLEARLY marked intersection yet stiil has far more accident than Plymouth Road does

jcj

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:19 p.m.

NOT saying this is what happened! This is just a general heads up. No pun intended. Distracted pedestrians stumble into danger http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl0JojWH1rQ http://www.komonews.com/news/national/Distracted-pedestrians-stumble-into-danger-164263486.html?tab=video&c=y

Richard Carter

Sat, Aug 10, 2013 : 10:35 a.m.

By that logic, the person raped can Ron the life of the rapist.

jcj

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 11:27 p.m.

snark But the pedestrian CAN ruin the life of the driver.

snark12

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 10:36 p.m.

They are clearly not equally accountable because only one them can kill the other with their actions.

Anna

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:57 p.m.

I believe both types of people are equally accountable for their actions, and said actions' results.

jcj

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:28 p.m.

And I detest distracted drivers 10 fold more.

cinnabar7071

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:17 p.m.

Look both ways before crossing, even if it is your right not to.

Iceberg22

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 5:15 a.m.

perfect comment.

AA Citizen

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:05 p.m.

I agree with several other writers. These crosswalks are not safe. There are 3 in one-half mile plus 3 traffic lights. To give pedestrians the idea that they are safe just by pushing a button is not proper. The facts say that this situation needs to be corrected quickly.

pseudo

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 8:49 p.m.

my hopes and prayers for a complete recovery for the victim. and she is a victim. of what I am not sure - I wasn't there. What I do know is that there have been more pedestrian / car incidents since those crosswalks were placed. I've tried them. They aren't safe - its that simple. Injuries and damage every day (reported or not). People aren't getting used to them either. They are a poorly thought out idea based on an ideology that doesn't work and instead they turn Plymouth Road, and others like it, into a game of human frogger. no thanks. if its that important - build bridges over the roads. be safe - not stupid. And yes, that is me walking to the intersection the old-fashioned way.

pseudo

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 2:10 p.m.

Sweet Life - and yet - people are getting hit and accidents are happening at an impressive rate. Its kind of that simple. The un-signaled/controlled cross walks aren't safe - visibility isn't the same drivers in multiple lanes don't see pedestrians. flash all the lights you want if you don't see, you don't stop. I repeat, if its all that important, build a bridge or, shockers, stick to intersections where cars actually stop.

mpope

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:03 p.m.

psuedo, i don't know why other readers don't understand what you're saying. what you're saying is clear to me: pedestrian crosswalks aren't safe for pedestrians. i agree. pedestrian crosswalks aren't safe for pedestrians. pedestrians just need to know that. i too, pray for the victim's full recovery.

Sweet Life

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 5:32 a.m.

pseudo - So you are saying that drivers are trained now to only pay attention at intersections? That's not the driver's training I received and it isn't the training my kids received either. I can't believe that any driver's training course does not include a strong message about being cautious around crosswalks. And they aren't "quasi" crosswalks either. They are very real with very large overhead signs, signs on both sides of the street plus a sign in the median, large white stripes in the street, and flashing lights both on the side and above the road. So who exactly is training people to ignore all that?

pseudo

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 10:44 p.m.

No, I am saying that the drivers on the road today were trained to watch for intersections and not impromptu quasi cross walks placed randomly along a road. That is a ton of training and reinforcement to overcome. Setting it up so that pedestrians somehow think its safe begs for this kind of result and its happening a lot more than what is being reported. Is it alright - no, of course not. But it is reality. Thus I head to the intersection to be safe and not some version of Rich Kinsey's "dead right".

Robot Charles

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:10 p.m.

Are you saying that it is alright for a person to drive a vehicle who is unable to see signs and bright flashing lights that indicate a crosswalk? When I drive I do look for crosswalks. I expect others to do so too.

jpud

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 8:38 p.m.

Empathy to both involved, foremost the person who was hit but also the driver whose life has also been changed forever. We need better crossings such as pedestrian bridges and red lights to stop traffic to decrease the likelihood of this happening again. We should not continue the current system. One preventable tragedy is one too many.

Mike

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 11:50 a.m.

We built a million dollar bike bridge across US23 and I still have to dodge bicycles in the round abouts................

Veracity

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 2:36 a.m.

foobar417 - Your comment is reasonable and practical so I do not know why you generated a negative vote (which I eliminated).

a2cents

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 10:26 p.m.

Please outlaw motorized vehicles.

Craig Lounsbury

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:40 p.m.

foobar, I agree with part one of your comment. But part two "A much simpler solution is for drivers to realize ...." is problematic. If it was simple to get drivers to realize things we wouldn't have accidents.

foobar417

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 8:54 p.m.

Pedestrian bridges are ridiculously expensive (think $1million +), take up a huge footprint (when they fit) because the ramps have to be ADA-compliant, and are largely unused. Traffic lights are incredibly expensive as well. A much simpler solution is for drivers to realize they have the potential to kill people and drive accordingly. That does not relieve the onus on pedestrians to be cautious as well, but when you get your driver's license you are taught to drive *defensively*. If you cross a mid-block crossing and haven't checked for pedestrians in enough time to come to a complete stop before the crosswalk, then you are not driving defensively.

a2citizen

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 7:59 p.m.

Interesting that children do not seem to get hit by cars in oz.

a2citizen

Sat, Aug 10, 2013 : 1:12 a.m.

3 of 16,500 students ? x2 crossings per day.

Rod Johnson

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 2:33 p.m.

But they do get kidnapped by flying monkeys. Every place has its hazards.

PhillyCheeseSteak

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:38 p.m.

In the past year a middle school student got hit by a car crossing Newport, a high school student got hit by a car crossing Huron Parkway, and another high school student got hit by a car when she was crossing the street to get on the school bus. The school bus had its stop sign out and all its lights were flashing.

a2citizen

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 12:31 a.m.

Anna, Welcome to Ann Arbor. To quote Garrison Kellor, Ann Arbor is "a city where people discuss socialism, but only in the fanciest restaurants.".

EyeHeartA2

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 12:16 a.m.

Ann Arbor A2 A Squared Ace Deuce The Deuce Tree Town Moscow on the Huron The Peoples Republic of Ann Arbor Oz Like that.

Anna

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:54 p.m.

Ah. I thought he was referring to Oz as in Dorothy, Tin Man, and the gang.

EyeHeartA2

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:18 p.m.

I think he is saying the children are recent graduates of safety town: Stop Look & Listen Before you cross the street. Sometimes you really do learn everything you need to know in Kindergarten.

Anna

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 8:23 p.m.

...What?

leezee

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 7:49 p.m.

I certainly hope she recovers quickly. Perhaps during freshman orientation, it should be stressed that many people driving on Ann Arbor streets are from others areas and may not be familiar with crosswalk etiquette. Pedestrians should make sure the road is clear or that all the cars have completely stopped before entering. I was driving on Plymouth Road a week or so ago and stopped at a flashing crosswalk while cars in the other lane just went right through. At the next red light, I gave one of the drivers what-for since her window was down.

Steve Hendel

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 3:48 p.m.

It's not etiquette, it's the law

PhillyCheeseSteak

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:35 p.m.

It's not just etiquette...it's the law!

sh1

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 10:31 p.m.

From what out-of-town place do you need to be to not understand the big white stripes across the road, the flashing lights, and the pedestrian crossing signs?

a2cents

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 10:25 p.m.

by college age I would expect...

jcj

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:27 p.m.

agreed cinnabar But better late than never.

cinnabar7071

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:23 p.m.

I wouldn't wait for freshman orientation to teach that or you might not make it that far. I tought my son about 3 y/o that rule.

jcj

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:07 p.m.

I would hope at orientation they would stress how walking across the street while on the phone or texting is not safe. There is NO INDICATION that is what happened here.

Mike

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 7:41 p.m.

I'm surprised this doesn't happen more often. There have been times I have seen people walk off the curb expecting the cars to stop and not even check to see if they do. Or they are on their cell phone or texting someone and not paying attention at all. Drivers can easily be distracted also by other vehicles ot things happening around them. The law has make this a very dangerous situation because in the past you only crossed the road once traffic had cleared. I hope she has a quick recovery.........

Matt Cooper

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 5:39 p.m.

Couple facts that people seem to be completely forgetting: 1. When the lights are flashing at such a stop, the driver is required BY LAW to stop and wait for the lights to go off and then make sure the intersection/crosswalk is clear before proceeding. 2. It is the drivers responsibility to be in control of his/her vehicle AT ALL TIMES, and likewise to be aware of his/her surroundings AT ALL TIMES.

snark12

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 3:21 a.m.

Tano, I see plenty of people saying it's likely that someone will get hit trying to cross the street, even with a sign and a flashing light, and so it's their responsibility to not get hit. And that's an absurd position to take. The pedestrian has the right to cross the street at a crosswalk. Yes, they should look both ways to avoid getting run over. Should we also expect them to run? Should they blow a loud foghorn before stepping off the sidewalk? Should they carry a big sign? What more do you want from them? At what point can we talk about the driver's responsibility? That is my point. This is where the conversation should begin. In what other parts of your life does the blame fall on you if you are injured while exercising a right?

Tano

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 2:54 a.m.

I have not seen anyone here defending the driver. I do see people trying to argue that pedestrians should have no responsibility for their own lives once a flashing light, backed by the law, gives them the right to cross. That is a highly irresponsible message to be putting out - to the extent people actually are persuaded by your arguments, they will be more likely to get themselves killed. But the usual suspects will show up the next day to insist that they were in the right. And a lot of good that will do.

snark12

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 2:43 a.m.

johnnya2's got it right.

johnnya2

Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 2:13 a.m.

I wonder how many of you take this same advice when going through a green light on the road. Do you stop and look both ways before you do in case some moron does not understand that they need to STOP. The stopping at a crosswalk is not an optional thing. IT IS THE LAW. I do not care if you do not like the law, or agree with it. if the woman dies this will be negligent homicide. I would think a DRIVER may want to take precautions when driving to avoid having felony convictions on their record, but you idiots keep telling us what the VICTIM shoudl do, Why not tell the world what we all know the DRIVER should be doing.

MG

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:37 p.m.

Mike is spot on. It is the car's fault no doubt, but the system is set up for failure.

Craig Lounsbury

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:36 p.m.

the car wasn't hypothetical it was real.

mars

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:31 p.m.

cinnabar and jcj, If all of the cars that you can see have come to a stop, it's reasonable to start crossing. That particular crosswalk is at a point in the road where you don't have perfect visibility in both directions. There's no way to magically know that there is another car coming, even if you look before you start to cross.

cinnabar7071

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:20 p.m.

mars a person should wait as long as it takes to cross safely, or they can take their changes. I know which has worked best for me.

jcj

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:05 p.m.

mars Let me first say the driver was clearly at fault in this accident. But for you to say... How long is a pedestrian expected to just stand there and and wait on a hypothetical car that she doesn't even know is coming? I always look, and know what cars are coming BEFORE I cross, it does not matter if I am crossing a dirt road in the middle of nowhere or at the corner of Main and Liberty with the walk sign. I certainly hope the women has a complete recovery.

mars

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 8:43 p.m.

in this case, the pedestrian had already waited 30 seconds, and the other cars at the crosswalk had come to a stop. How long is a pedestrian expected to just stand there and and wait on a hypothetical car that she doesn't even know is coming?

Nicholas Urfe

Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 7:50 p.m.

Thanks for chiming in with a first comment that includes a bunch of completely unrelated "blame the victim" scenarios that attempt to shift the blame to the critically injured victim. Even though it is perfectly clear from the article that none of those strawmen apply. A car is a heavy vehicle, and the operator of that heavy vehicle assumes tremendous responsibility for it's safe operation. That includes when pedestrians are crossing at multiply-labeled crosswalks, in good daytime visibility, with flashing lights above and to the sides of the crossing.

Woman hit while crossing Plymouth Road Wednesday still in critical condition

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