To the editor:
Re: “Pedestrian urges drivers to slow down,” Letters, Oct. 30.
My experiences when crossing at an intersection are similar to Lee Turner’s. Few Vancouver residents (drivers, cyclists and pedestrians) know that pedestrians have the right of way at every intersection — both marked and unmarked. Like Lee Turner, I often get yelled at when I cross at an intersection, by drivers who are ignorant of the law.
The VPD has refused to do a public education campaign on this issue. Instead, they mix it in with other messages so that it gets lost. Are we to believe that the VPD would prefer we remain ignorant of the law so that vehicle traffic is not slowed down?
And my suggestion to the city that zebra crossings be painted in all four directions at every intersection (which is successful in slowing down traffic in many cities) has been ignored. Instead, the city spends a large amount of money installing more traffic lights, which leads people to believe that they are only allowed to cross at intersections where there are lights.
Mary Sherlock,
Vancouver
