This incident reminds me that I was wondering yesterday morning why the ped crossing lights, to allow one to cross from north to south at the east side of the John Nolen/Williamson intersection (same maneuver you were talking about below) do not work when a train is crossing. The train tracks do not enter this part of the intersection, and if that green light would turn red once or twice during the "train crossing cycle", the pedestrian and cyclist pile-ups that happen on both the north and south sides of Williamson Street (in front of Machinery Row on the south and in front of the Gateway garden on the north) could be relieved.
It might also reduce the temptation for illegal maveuvers like the one you describe below. (BTW, the reason I say the ped crossing lights don't work when a train is crossing is because I've hit the ped button before, and nothing's happened until the regular light cycle resumes after the train is done crossing.) ---- Ken Livesey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > On the way to work this AM I witnessed the near death of one commuter. Now I > have been involved in several crashes all of which have been caused by my > error (usually due to sand or other loose road material) but none involving > an auto which this lucky rider had just avoided. > > The near crash was at Williamson and John Nolen along the East side of the > intersection. This AM there was a long train blocking all traffic except > traffic heading west on Williamson turning left onto John Nolen and traffic > heading east on John Nolen turning right onto Williamson. I was waiting for > the train to pass on Williamson facing West looking towards the capital on > the far right side of the street. There were four or five other riders > waiting for the train to pass as well. Cars were backed up for at least a > block in the far two right lanes on Williamson but traffic was flowing freely > on the far left lane turning left onto John Nolen. > > Anyway I had been waiting for the train to pass for at least two minutes when > a rider coming off the bike path on East Wilson enters the intersection > crossing from my right heading towards the lake path at Machinery Row. I have > no idea what this rider was thinking as he did not slow down or even look for > oncoming traffic. I suspect he assumed all traffic would be stopped for the > train but that's just a guess. Now as the rider it would have been difficult > to see any approaching autos in the left third lane due to the stalled > traffic in the first two lanes but he proceeded across the intersection > traveling at maybe 10 mph. As you can guess there is an auto heading down > the far left lane on Williamson turning left onto John Nolen when this rider > crosses the auto's path. The auto driver slam on his breaks siding sideways > into the intersection some how avoiding the rider and the stalled traffic to > his right. I have to give the auto driver credit for his attentiveness as he > would not have had much of a window to avoid the rider due to the stalled > traffic. > > The train was a long one and I another minute or two to digest what nearly > happened. One of the auto waiting for the train to pass had his window down > and said "man he did not even look". He then looked at me and said "that's > the luckiest guy on earth". I did not answer but watched the rider proceed > down the lake path like nothing had even happened. > > > > > _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
