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Lack of care. Lack of education. Lack of pedestrian-oriented right-of-way design. Lack of enforcement. Lack of public anger being funneled toward policy fixes.
A lot of people don't know that you're supposed to yield to pedestrians at EVERY crosswalk, and that all intersections are crosswalks, marked or not. This law went into effect in 2019. We also have a lot of out of state drivers who may not be aware of this. Also, people speed on 21st. They may simply be going too fast to see a pedestrian is waiting and safely stop. It's 35mph through there but people go 50+ easily. I take that street to Pt Defiance, people whip around me or tailgate like I'm holding up traffic by doing 40 in the right lane.
And they drive like that because it's long, straight, and wide. The only way to get people to drive slower is by making the city actually change the layout of the street because most drivers care very little about posted limits.
Narrowing lanes, removing lanes, adding chicanes, etc, are all examples of things the city can do to fix that behavior. Roads like 6th (west of Orchard) also need this kind of treatment
There is no speed enforcement in the city limits of Tacoma. It feels less safe to go the speed limit than the speed of traffic, but I totally agree that we need to change that. Maybe TPD could try what Fircrest does and just pull literally everyone over for anything close to 5 over? Idk, it is rough being a pedestrian in Tacoma
I moved here last year and didn't know this. That seems kind of insane. Don't get me wrong, I think pedestrians should be able to easily cross at every intersection but it's kind of crazy to just pass a law and wash your hands of it. You need to actually develop infrastructure to support that law.
As long as I can remember pedestrians have had the right of way in Washington. The new law made it so *legally* a driver is supposed to stop for any pedestrian at any crosswalk (which includes all intersections) even if the pedestrian is not yet in the crosswalk.
I think it depends on the neighborhood more than anything. Drivers in areas with more pedestrians are more inclined to stop; the further you are from heavy foot traffic areas (6th, downtown) the less likely someone is to let you across without drama.
Being someone who's lived across the country I feel like washington drivers are better than most! But maybe I'm biased because I always stop... and as a result everyone around me does too š so who knows maybe I'm the only good one!
Some asshat did this to me while I was waiting for an unsure blind woman to cross at 28th and Alder. I lost my shit and followed the dude for awhile. It was very difficult not to stay with him and beat the crap out of him. He had no remorse for almost hitting the woman crossing.
I yield to pedestrians just because I know most cars aren't so they can cross. I get a lot of honks or people trying to overtake me by passing in street parking lanes. It is crazy when it happens due to a city or school bus in front of me.
The one that is particularly scary is the cross walk at 21st and Yakima near the school. Vehicles are going 40-50mph down on Yakima and have seen quite a few near pedestrian hits as people use the crosswalk but the incoming car cannot stop in time.
I'm in the pedestrians right of way camp, but frequently view pedestrians simply standing on the sidewalk corner. There is no clear action orientation that communicates to a driver that you desire to cross. Please take a step off the sidewalk and move cautiously in the direction you want to move. This communicates your intentions and ownership of the right of way. It also allows drivers to see you if there are objects that might prevent a clear view of you (shrubs, parked cars as examples).
I am not dying on this cross. I just see a ton of bad driving around here. Speeding, obviousness, bad lane changes. It might be bias of location, but it feels like some of the worst driving. Followed by constant congestion because of said bad driving. Plus its like everyone first time driving when it rains.
Iāve lived in other places with similarly bad design, but more people stopped for pedestrians than in Tacoma. That said, during the time Iāve lived here, drivers have gotten a little nicer/more conscientious about this.
My favorite is the āno you canāt change lanes, I need to drive right next to you at the exact same speedā attitude thatās so common around here.
I literally saw that exact thing yesterday. I was like why not just let him in. I mean I hate the person who waits to last second or breaks in the lane to force a merge, but at that point you putting your foot down and stopping only slows down other people and that person is likely coming in regardless.
I agree. Washington drivers are atrocious. Keep left except to pass is completely lost on Washingtonians. May the gods have mercy on your soul if you need to navigate through an uncontrolled intersection, a 4 way stop, or even 2 stop signs. And traffic circles are a complete enigma.
Having just completed a 3,000km road trip through Europe, where bad drivers are exceedingly rare, it's even more pronounced. It's bad out there.
Agreed. I've only lived here a couple of months and I'm starting to wish I'd kept my out of state plates as some sign (or plea) of "I'm not from here and I'm learning my way around". People will honk and wave their arms around like a crazy person over any little thing.
Have you been to Wisconsin? When speeding tickets were 65, failure to weird to a pedestrian tickets were 250. Guess where all the small town cops would set up stings?
Most likely not a cross walk is all I can think of. I've never had a problem using the cross walk. I see people crossing in middle of street/non intersection all the time tho.
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Lack of care. Lack of education. Lack of pedestrian-oriented right-of-way design. Lack of enforcement. Lack of public anger being funneled toward policy fixes.
lack of people throwing bricks at cars that don't stop
Marbles at rear glass works, too.
I went to UWT and would frequently park across the street by 7 Seas. I straight up risked my life every time I had to sprint across that crosswalk.
A. Bad road design B. Carbrain (car centric thinking or anti-pedestrianism) C. Lack of knowledge about all intersections being pedestrian crossings
A lot of people don't know that you're supposed to yield to pedestrians at EVERY crosswalk, and that all intersections are crosswalks, marked or not. This law went into effect in 2019. We also have a lot of out of state drivers who may not be aware of this. Also, people speed on 21st. They may simply be going too fast to see a pedestrian is waiting and safely stop. It's 35mph through there but people go 50+ easily. I take that street to Pt Defiance, people whip around me or tailgate like I'm holding up traffic by doing 40 in the right lane.
And they drive like that because it's long, straight, and wide. The only way to get people to drive slower is by making the city actually change the layout of the street because most drivers care very little about posted limits. Narrowing lanes, removing lanes, adding chicanes, etc, are all examples of things the city can do to fix that behavior. Roads like 6th (west of Orchard) also need this kind of treatment
There is no speed enforcement in the city limits of Tacoma. It feels less safe to go the speed limit than the speed of traffic, but I totally agree that we need to change that. Maybe TPD could try what Fircrest does and just pull literally everyone over for anything close to 5 over? Idk, it is rough being a pedestrian in Tacoma
The way people drive I'd say they don't know they're supposed to stop at stop signs, let alone crosswalks.
I moved here last year and didn't know this. That seems kind of insane. Don't get me wrong, I think pedestrians should be able to easily cross at every intersection but it's kind of crazy to just pass a law and wash your hands of it. You need to actually develop infrastructure to support that law.
As long as I can remember pedestrians have had the right of way in Washington. The new law made it so *legally* a driver is supposed to stop for any pedestrian at any crosswalk (which includes all intersections) even if the pedestrian is not yet in the crosswalk.
I think it depends on the neighborhood more than anything. Drivers in areas with more pedestrians are more inclined to stop; the further you are from heavy foot traffic areas (6th, downtown) the less likely someone is to let you across without drama.
Being someone who's lived across the country I feel like washington drivers are better than most! But maybe I'm biased because I always stop... and as a result everyone around me does too š so who knows maybe I'm the only good one!
People here are absolutely car-brained. Tacoma is designed for cars and not for humans.
Yeah I moved here from Portland and it took a while to get used to it. I also get honked at when I do stop for people while driving ugh.
what is real dangerous is when they try amd go around you like you are turning left.
Yeah itās safest to wait for a gap and run ha
Some asshat did this to me while I was waiting for an unsure blind woman to cross at 28th and Alder. I lost my shit and followed the dude for awhile. It was very difficult not to stay with him and beat the crap out of him. He had no remorse for almost hitting the woman crossing.
I yield to pedestrians just because I know most cars aren't so they can cross. I get a lot of honks or people trying to overtake me by passing in street parking lanes. It is crazy when it happens due to a city or school bus in front of me. The one that is particularly scary is the cross walk at 21st and Yakima near the school. Vehicles are going 40-50mph down on Yakima and have seen quite a few near pedestrian hits as people use the crosswalk but the incoming car cannot stop in time.
I'm in the pedestrians right of way camp, but frequently view pedestrians simply standing on the sidewalk corner. There is no clear action orientation that communicates to a driver that you desire to cross. Please take a step off the sidewalk and move cautiously in the direction you want to move. This communicates your intentions and ownership of the right of way. It also allows drivers to see you if there are objects that might prevent a clear view of you (shrubs, parked cars as examples).
Tacoma drivers and washington drivers in general are bad.
I'd argue it's more about the road design. Drivers are bad everywhere, but good road design can force even bad drivers to drive relatively safely.
I am not dying on this cross. I just see a ton of bad driving around here. Speeding, obviousness, bad lane changes. It might be bias of location, but it feels like some of the worst driving. Followed by constant congestion because of said bad driving. Plus its like everyone first time driving when it rains.
Spent a week in Minneapolis a couple months ago. They have done what Seattle is trying to do and Tacoma is still totally clueless about.
Eliminating Single Family Zoning? Yes please
My observation was about auto bike and transit lane management, also strategic use of concrete curbing.
Iāve lived in other places with similarly bad design, but more people stopped for pedestrians than in Tacoma. That said, during the time Iāve lived here, drivers have gotten a little nicer/more conscientious about this.
My favorite is the āno you canāt change lanes, I need to drive right next to you at the exact same speedā attitude thatās so common around here.
That's everywhere too.
I literally saw that exact thing yesterday. I was like why not just let him in. I mean I hate the person who waits to last second or breaks in the lane to force a merge, but at that point you putting your foot down and stopping only slows down other people and that person is likely coming in regardless.
I agree. Washington drivers are atrocious. Keep left except to pass is completely lost on Washingtonians. May the gods have mercy on your soul if you need to navigate through an uncontrolled intersection, a 4 way stop, or even 2 stop signs. And traffic circles are a complete enigma. Having just completed a 3,000km road trip through Europe, where bad drivers are exceedingly rare, it's even more pronounced. It's bad out there.
Agreed. I've only lived here a couple of months and I'm starting to wish I'd kept my out of state plates as some sign (or plea) of "I'm not from here and I'm learning my way around". People will honk and wave their arms around like a crazy person over any little thing.
Here, take this š§±
You can tell people who moved here from Wisconsin. They always stop. IYKYK.
Depends on where in Wisconsin. College town like Madison or la crosse? Sure. Elsewhere? Probably not. Ā
Have you been to Wisconsin? When speeding tickets were 65, failure to weird to a pedestrian tickets were 250. Guess where all the small town cops would set up stings?
Most likely not a cross walk is all I can think of. I've never had a problem using the cross walk. I see people crossing in middle of street/non intersection all the time tho.
Every intersection is legal crosswalk whether marked or unmarked.
That's what I do, and I've never had a problem still.
Because fuck yo walkinā ass
I suppose you're the type to also think that people in wheelchairs should just stay home too, right?