Our children had to learn to be a bit aggressive in Chicago or you could be waiting forever to get into traffic. They enjoyed driving in Hawaii.
Well times and driver etiquette has been slowly eroding. Could it be because we've got more cars on the road? The congestion is horrible on Oahu.This poll was in the Star Advertiser recently.
Here's part of an article from last month that was in the Star Advertiser:
"Hawaii again ranked first among senior pedestrian deaths, this time in a study released by the state Health Department using statistics provided by the federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System studying a four-year data period from 2005-2009.
That study showed Hawaii had 69 seniors killed from 2005-2009, or 28 for every 100,000 people age 60 and older. Second highest was California, with 978 deaths, or 18.1 deaths per 100,000."
They've shown road videos of a senior citizen crossing in a sidewalk getting run over by a bus! For goodness sakes!
When we're in the crosswalk on the way to the Farmers Market, only about 10% of the time will people stop for us. AND it's the law here! If a pedestrian is in the crosswalk, you have to stop or risk a $97.00 fine. During the winter, I have a flashlight that I flash in front of me when I cross the street to make sure they see us. Even then, there are some drivers that don't slow down fast enough.
This is a warning for anybody coming to Hawaii. Look both ways before you cross and keep looking as you cross. Then, make sure you're ready to sprint in case some terrible driver is still illegally talking on a cellphone or worse... texting! But then that's gist for another post.
According to Hawaii Civil Beat, the (American Community Survey) Census showed that Hawaii-born residents increased only 2,443....in 10-years!. The vast majority of new residents are from outside the islands. You can draw your own conclusion on its effect on the sad state of politeness in our state.
ReplyDeleteAlso, modern cars are more quieter (inside) nowadays, and drivers don't realize how fast they're driving, that is, until they have to hit the brakes for an emergency stop. At nights, the new type street lamps are dark, and I myself find it difficult to see anybody, old or young, crossing a street at nights. Reflective arm bands make pedestrian more visible. So does wearing those blinking lights that are used on bicycles that you can clip on to your sleeves.
My tiny town is a summer tourist town. We locals are very courteous, especially to pedestrians but the tourists aren't familiar with the cross walk allowences and it is everyone for themselves. Fortunately, no one has been hurt that I know of.
ReplyDeleteour small town is quite safe as well, but one never knows,, I love hearing about where you live,, my only knowledge of Hawaii before,,, other than books was the tv show Hawaii 5 O,, thats the truth,, it looks like heaven to me for sure and the people are just beautiful, I will remember to look both ways if I ever make it to your town,,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the warning! I don't think I'll be getting to Hawaii any time soon, but you never know for sure. People here in Washington state are always stopping for pedestrians, even those crossing illegally (jaywalking).
ReplyDeleteIt seems like people here, young and old, take it way too much for granted that cars will stop for pedestians in cross walks. Even when there are blinking lights I see cars that just don't stop.
ReplyDeletetraffic here is terrible too, the roads are so crowded.
ReplyDeleteSounds like San Francisco. I bet all those senior pedestrian deaths for California took place in SF. It's very dangerous for pedestrians. I always wait at the sidewalk to make sure everyone has stopped before stepping from the curb. Even then, I've had people try to make illegal right hand turns when pedestrians are in the cross walk. And when driving, I've been honked at by the driver behind me when I don't turn if there is someone in the crosswalk. Or, if the light has turned green, and there are still people in the crosswalk, drivers have honked. Guess they expect me to run over the pedestrians and add to that fatality statistic.
ReplyDeleteI remember studying for my driving test many, many years ago, and it was the law in British Columbia that a driver stop whenever a pedestrian is a crosswalk, and stay stopped until the pedestrian has reached the opposite sidewalk.
ReplyDeleteI asked the driving instructor about that, and he said, "The pedestrian might decide to turn around and go back the other way." So I have never taken crosswalks lightly when I'm driving.
When I'm walking, however, I am very cautious. I will walk an extra block or two (and you know how much I don't like walking) to reach a controlled crosswalk where drivers have to wait for the light to change.
— K
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel
it sounds like it's safer to drive than walk...lol!
ReplyDeleteWell that is scary! I guess we were lucky last February when we went to Hawaii. Thanks for warning us for next time.
ReplyDeleteI thought that it was good at your side.Less i talk about traffic in India the better.
ReplyDeleteKay I think its the same here too. the cities are unbearable to drive in. Everyone seems so aggressive and road rules go out the window. I choose not to drive much and would rather walk or catch public transport. Yes, the only up side is all the running is doing our health more good than sitting in a car getting stressed....
ReplyDeleteThere used to be a saying, "what happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?" Such is the quandary facing honolulu urbanites. Everyone wants to come to hawaii, no one wants to pay the costs associated with it. People are going to have to wake up and start doing things in a sensible manner eventually (read, when the death toll gets high enough). The number of cars and density of traffic here is only surpassed by the number and density of their drivers. They keep looking for more ways to snatch more real estate, then pave that over, to make more roads and parking lots, despite the fact they can no longer afford to even maintain the existing roads. The answers are simple and having been staring everyone in the face all along, but NO ONE wants to face the facts. They will have to start programs to reduce the numbers of cars on the road. Ditto for drivers. At some point drivers will have to be requalified and the standards for a minimal set of skills need to be raised to DISqualify drivers. The ability to parallel park should NEVER be the gauge by which you assess the skill of a driver in a 3000 lb vehicle at 60mph when striking a 150 lb person walking 2mph.
ReplyDeleteCar dealers will have to be approached and told they can no longer import new cars unless and if they are willing to EXPORT old cars, say 1.5 or 2.0 cars out of state for every new car they import. Adjust every few years (the ratio) as needed and as we evaluate traffic concerns. That will net a decrease in cars on the road, at a tax on new cars. Every kid will squeal "foul!" as it will quickly put the price of a new car out of the reach of everyone but the super rich. So what? You have a choice; your silly entitlements, your RIGHT to certain luxuries, or your RIGHT to sit in traffic or lose people you love to the mounting traffic toll of pedestrain vs auto accidents. The entitlement mindset of americans must cease.
walt
Yes, all these tourists and military are locked into their sound proofed cars screaming thoughtlessly down the roads. Here too. It's summer and I stay home as much as I can. Why not let Ronnie Bennett know about this article for her saturday blog.
ReplyDelete