"The death of 28-year-old Frank Ryder as he was walking along the shoulder of Kahekili Highway on Thursday morning was the 17th pedestrian traffic fatality on Oahu this year.
Ryder was also the fifth Oahu pedestrian to be killed by a car in six weeks and the eighth since mid-July. There were 10 pedestrian fatalities recorded in all of 2009, and 14 in 2008."
It appears Mr. Ryder was walking on the shoulder of the road. We've also had an awful lot of people who died walking in crosswalks... IN CROSSWALKS! Why?
Driver inattentiveness? Cellphone usage? We're not supposed to use cellphones while driving in Hawaii, but I've seen people not following that rule a lot.
I've noticed that they show actors on Hawaii 5-0 not wearing seat belts and talking on cellphones while driving. They're also taking their eyes off the road ranting at each other for long periods while behind the wheel.
Yes, I know it's all acting.
However, I've seen real people driving very distractedly. It scares me to hear Art tell me of people being very discourteous while he's out jogging.
A couple of nights ago, I heard of another pedestrian death in a crosswalk in Honolulu. This time it was an older woman.
I'd like to warn all tourists coming to Hawaii. Be careful when crossing the street. It's not exactly safe.
POSTSCRIPT: My brother (who works for the police department) reminded me that police officers are allowed to use cellphones while driving in the line of duty.
We used to go to Tokyo and if we took a taxi then we always got a kamikaze-like driver. In those days, the traffic in Tokyo wasn't like now but lots of people walking and riding bikes and few stop signs or traffic lights and they drove without ever stopping. Just blew their horn and went peddle to the metal. Sometimes people were hit or knocked down and he would drive on and never stop.
ReplyDeletehardly a week goes by, huh? Today's cars are so much more sound proof and smoother riding than model T's which deludes drivers that they'll react calmly to an unexpected situation. To begin with, they're going too fast. When you went 40mph in an older car, it felt like 40mph. Today, people drive 40mph in a 25mph zone without giving it a second thought. Well, you can't drive too much slower when everybody else around you is doing 40 in the comfort of their own sound proof chambers. The speed limit on Ala Wai Blvd. is a posted 35mph, but I swear people are frequently doing 50. It's never gonna happen, but if everybody drove 25mph in town, fatalities would be few and far between.
ReplyDeleteAt night, the bulbs in today's non-incandescent street lamps, more energy efficient, but you barely make out somebody in a crosswalk even if you're vigilant because the light's so low for some reason or another. If an area is bright, that's more due to the surrounding businesses and ambient light level. I really recommend people who take morning/evening strolls for exercise to wear a reflector strap around their arms or clip on a bicycle flasher. At the very least, the city "should" install brighter street lamps at crosswalks and intersections. But another thing that's probably not gonna happen.
That's bad news, especially to a jogger.
ReplyDeleteWe also have way too many accidents. I often wonder how many drivers are under the influence of drugs or alcohol or even medicines.
Well, you be careful, eh? Be a defensive pedestrian.
that's true everywhere and scary on icy snow packed highways this time of year with so many trucks on the road. safer to stay at home...
ReplyDeleteWell, we shall have to be very careful when we're pedestrians in Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, I agree with Lin, about icy snowy roads and highways. Unfortunately, pedestrians are still jaywalking - they don't realize they can stop faster than a vehicle can on snow and ice. One walked in front of my car just yesterday. Fortunately, I drive very slowly in winter conditions, but if I had braked on ice instead of snow, I'd probably be in jail right now for killing the young man who walked right out in front of me.
-- K
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel
Yes, it is terrible! I happen to be a terrible driver, and am amazed that I have not gotten into an accident, yet. This is one reason why I avoid driving at night. My night vision is very poor.
ReplyDeleteAnywhere there is urban crowding and people in a hurry you will get pedestrian deaths. But we've had a few here, too, mostly people walking along the highway shoulder.
ReplyDeleteThe drivers in my province are pretty bad too. Sometimes,they drive straight through a crosswalk,only seconds after my daughter has left it. *shudder*
ReplyDeleteIt pays for all of us to be watchful everywhere we go I guess!
tell Art to be careful out there while he's running. It's scary.
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't this surprise me? Because after spending some years as a pedestrian due to finacial problems, I saw my life flash before me more than once. And now as a driver again, I feel the same way. It's a 'me' thing -- get your asker/vehicle out of my way because I am better than you. Our society has lost its manners.
ReplyDeleteIt's a very scary situation. You have to be paying attention whether you are the driver of the car or the pedestrian. It's a good post and a heads up for everyone!
ReplyDeleteWe have a problem in SC as well. I live in a tourist town with many people who have to walk to work. BUT we do not have adequate sidewalks! In the city there is but not in the county. The highway my sub-development is off of does not have sidewalks and at night it scares me when I see walkers and people riding bicycles. I say a quick prayer for them to get home safely.
ReplyDeleteThis is what I noticed in Oahu, the roads are too crowded and drivers are always frustrated. Plus, many of the roads don't have safe places for people to walk!
ReplyDeleteAnd do you know how many times -- mostly in Waikiki -- pedestrians just held up their hands and stepped off the curb in front of me trusting that I'd stop? Somebody ought to tell those folks that their hands really can't stop a two ton car!
The next thing I noticed is how many people walk after dark without dressing in light clothing, carrying reflectors, or doing anything else to make certain they can be easily seen.
Road safety needs to be improved and there needs to be some kind of pedestrian education. I can easily see that driver inattention, walker negligence and poor roads all came together to create these statistics.
Kay -- I just looked up the pedestrian fatality stats on other cities and guess what, Oahu really isn't doing too badly. Many big cities have as many pedestrian deaths in one year as Oahu had in traffic fatalities this year.
ReplyDeleteIn a way this makes it worse though, because there is obviously a whole culture of neglect. Now, what can be done to combat it?
Looks like Hawaii is just as bad as NZ, alcohol here is the big problem
ReplyDeleteIt is also the case here in the Netherlands. Careless drivers are almost daily causing accidents. We have foot and cycle paths, which is good but crossing the street is always dangerous on highways.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the warning.
And don't get me started on texting.... that is totally scary when you hear about accidents being caused because people - generally the younger ones - are texting someone. It's bad enough seeing cars going across the line and to find someone talking on the cell phone. I'm glad your brother mentioned about police being able to use cellphones when they are on duty, but I do think that TV shows send out powerful, wrong messages, especially again to our younger people.
ReplyDeletePolice can talk & drive?
ReplyDeleteRather flies in the face of all the Russian propaganda about how "driving whilst talking means one is totally unable to concentrate properly & may cause a prang".