Description
I am a local dog walker and I am deeply concerned about my safety and the safety of others at the intersection of 6th and Haight.
On my daily walks with my senior dog, I see many drivers overshoot the stop sign on Haight to peek out for oncoming traffic, then accelerate quickly onto 6th when they have the window of opportunity. I was almost hit yesterday at 8:30am crossing Haight because the driver was looking for oncoming traffic in the opposite direction. To make matters even more scary, they did not have the patience to let us cross 6th, instead speeding off in front of us while we were in the street.
Today at 12:30pm I was walking a client’s senior dog who lives in this neighborhood. As we crossed Haight, another car did the same thing as yesterday, cutting us off while we were in the midst of crossing. As a pedestrian this is frightening; to do everything right and check all directions before crossing, just to have a car speed up from behind and nearly hit you in the street. I have seen many close calls on these small residential streets, simply because most drivers are looking out for their biggest threat first, that being another car.
I am hoping something can be done to make this intersection safer for everyone. Safer for me and my dogs, my neighbors, the kids who frequent Longfellow Park, the elderly folk, and for the drivers.
also asked...
A. Unsafe crossing
3 Comments
Alameda, CA (Verified Official)
David Howard (Registered User)
Pedestrians
o Be predictable. Use crosswalks, when available.
o Take notice of approaching vehicles and practice due care.
o Do not walk or run into the path of a vehicle. At 30 mph, a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop.
o Be visible. Make it easy for drivers to see you – wear light colors, reflective material and carry a flashlight, particularly at dawn, dusk or at night.
o Be extra careful crossing streets or entering crosswalks at night when it is harder to see, or when crossing busier streets with more lanes and higher speed limits.
Drivers
o Follow the speed limit and slow down at intersections. Be prepared to stop for pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks.
o Avoid blocking crosswalks while waiting to make a right-hand turn.
o Never drive impaired.
Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Acknowledged Transportation Planning (Verified Official)
Thank you for reporting your concerns about street safety in Alameda. Your report will help inform the City of Alameda’s work to achieve our Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries. We will use street safety reports, including yours, in combination with crash data and equity indicators to prioritize and design street safety investments. This evaluation will generally happen on an annual basis, with some exceptions for clear and pressing trends. Issues that the City deems to be immediate safety concerns will be elevated for quick action.
For more information and a list of current and planned transportation projects, see www.AlamedaCA.gov/SaferStreets