living with cars on the road

[Eden]

Drivers don't mind peds as much since pedestrians are soft, squishy and not at all fast and don't damage your car too much when you run them over???

But seriously I have just as many, if not more close calls with cars walking as I have on my bike. Mostly its people turning right on red who are looking left - looking for cars- who then turn without checking to the right for pedestrians. Though also I have been nearly run over several times by cars failing to stop at stop signs when I've been crossing he street - humph just what they accuse all us bikes of doing. Something tells me I'd prefer to be hit by a bike....

I think everyone, drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike would be much safer if we eliminated right on red and/or had dedicated pedestrian only crossing times at busy intersections- like NO cars coming through intesections when peds cross and no peds when traffic is there. It would also help with the fact that it is nearly impossible to make a right hand turn downtown since when the light is green the intersections are full of walkers and when its red they are full of traffic. I can understand (but not really sympathise... I never drive downtown unless it is completelly unavoidable) that people get frustrated by not being able to get around down there.