RSS FeedPedestrian Safety in Penn Quarter: Part 1 of 2
I moved to Penn Quarter on January 15, 2006. I remember because it was the same day that I watched a woman get struck by a car while she was walking home from the 8th Street CVS.
A man in a black Audi was pulling out of the Lansburgh parking garage when he slammed into her at almost 25mph. Luckily, she wasn’t seriously injured. And I learned an important lesson about being vigilant while walking around Downtown D.C.
In the Metro area, one in four fatal car accidents involves a pedestrian or a bicyclist. And our neighborhood is no exception.
Earlier this year, two women were struck and killed by a Metro bus while crossing Pennsylvania Avenue. But despite this tragic incident, pedestrians in Penn Quarter continue to endanger their lives by committing five common but deadly sins.
1. Jaywalking—crossing the street at any place other than a corner, or crosswalk–For those of you who like your traffic violations with a side of personal endangerment (yes, jaywalking is a crime), consider this: less than 20% of pedestrian fatalities occur in a crosswalk. That means 8 out of 10 pedestrians killed on our nation’s roads are jaywalking.
So, unless you like gambling with your life, walk the extra 50ft to the corner the next time you cross the street. If nothing else, you’ll burn a few extra calories.
(DOJ employees who like to play Interactive Frogger on D Street while scurrying to the Au Bon Pain, I.am.talking.to.you.)
2. Playing Beat the Clock — crossing against the light–We’ve all done it. You’re standing at the corner and the light seems to be taking forever. Then the traffic clears for a second, and you decide to make a break for it.
After all, why wait? You’re an important person with important places to be, you can’t possibly be expected to pause for 30 whole seconds!
But crossing against the light is only fine and dandy until the important person in the SUV, who also has important places to be, decides to make a speedy right hand turn and transform you into blood spatter on the pavement.
So the next time you don’t feel like waiting for the light, ask yourself this question: Isn’t my life worth more than a few seconds of my time?
3. Pre-Occupied Pedestrian Syndrome–crossing the street while talking on your cell phone/typing on your Blackberry/fiddling with your IPod–If I had a dollar for every time that I’ve seen someone walk out of the Gallery Place Metro straight into traffic because he/she was distracted by some gizmo, I could pay off my mortgage.
Blackberries, cell phones and IPods are awesome products. But if your eyes are looking down at the keyboard and your ears are so full of Paolo Nutini that you don’t know what’s going on around you, then how are you supposed to see the crazed DC cabbie who just ran the yellow light and is now headed straight for you?
Being in another world while navigating DC’s streets is hazardous to your health. So, turn the IPod on low, put the Blackberry in your pocket, and tell your Best Friend that you’re going to have to call him back because walking in D.C. is a full contact sport.
4. Curb Enthusiasm—waiting for the light to change while standing in the street instead of on the curb–Let me make one thing perfectly clear: Unless your name is Kenny Lofton and you’re trying to steal second base, you do not need a three foot head start when crossing the street.
How many times have you seen a car/bus barely avoid the person who decided to wait for the light to change while standing in the parking lane, instead of on the curb?
And when you witnessed this near miss altercation, was your first thought: What a moron? You bet it was.
Don’t be that moron. Stay on your side of the curb.
5. Walking While Intoxicated—self-explanatory–It’s Friday night and you’re headed home after a few drinks at your favorite haunt. Sure, you had a little trouble traversing that steep staircase at Clyde’s/Zengo/Rocket Bar/Matchbox and if you needed to drive home, you’d definitely call a cab but you live just a few blocks away so it’s all good.
No. No, it’s not. According to the CDC, alcohol is a factor in 14% of all pedestrian fatalities. And if you have ever seen the crowd after a Capitals game try to navigate the intersection at 7th and F Street, then you know that nighttime, alcohol, city traffic and being alone on foot don’t mix.
If you’re too loaded to drive, then you might also be in no shape to walk home alone. You should consider asking someone sober to accompany you. There are enough cabs and Metro stops in this neighborhood to ensure that your less inebriated guardian won’t be too inconvenienced by his/her good deed.
The most common excuse that I hear for the aforementioned unsafe behaviors is “pedestrians always have the right of way.” But in a city where some drivers don’t even stop for an ambulance/fire truck, what makes you think that they will stop for you or even see you? And if you get killed in a traffic accident, the fact that you had “the right of way” will be little comfort to your loved ones.
So, be vigilant out there fellow Penn Quarter residents, because a battle between a 2,000lb vehicle and a 150lb person is not a fair fight.
This has been a public safety announcement; check back on Monday for part 2 of this series when we’ll list the most dangerous intersections/locations in Penn Quarter. If you have suggestions, leave them in the comments.
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Comments
Agreed… 5th and Mass is a mess that needs re-striping of pedestrian cross-walks along with better stop lights.
From my experience, it’s usually the driver’s fault in close call situations with pedestrians, and pedestrians largely jaywalk because it provides a fair chance to see potential hazards instead of assuming a driver will yield right of way. Driver’s routinely ignore pedestrian crossings, fail to yield, and largely disregard “legal” right of way to those on foot.
I listen to the little man in my head, not the little flashing man in the crosswalk light.
When crossing Penn Ave, I make sure I have eye-contact with drivers who are making a left turn before I dive out into the street.
Anon-If someone is standing in the street instead of on the curb, how is that accident the driver’s fault?
And the poster wasn’t trying to discount that drivers also need to be more careful, she was just trying to point out some things that pedestrians can do (or stop doing) to protect themselves. I mean it doesn’t take a genius to know that crossing against the light in morning traffic isn’t such a bright idea, but we all do it so often that we forget.
I’ve had a couple of close calls since moving here and while a few of them were a result of a driver who wasn’t paying attention (damn lost tourists), some of them were my fault.
And PQGirl that 4way stop at the I Street Synagogue is a freaking nightmare.
Half the time I am making contact, waving my arms like a crazy person and finally screaming when the cars ignore all of the above. Help us please!!!!!
You can do what I did when crossing H Street while walking on 6th on my way to the Metro. The driver (from Maryland) was making a left turn onto H from 6th towards 7th street while I was crossing. He came so close to hitting me that I was able to kick as hard as I could with my steel toe shoes that it made more than a nice dent in the side of his Malibu. I guess we both got what we wanted in the end. I know it wasnt right but it felt damn good to do that kind of damage… maybe next time he will yield to pedestrians.
gp has it right..eye contact… that is the key..not only will you get across the street safely..you’ll be amazed how many times you’ll show up under missed connections..on craigs list..
xoxo
“Anon-If someone is standing in the street instead of on the curb, how is that accident the driver’s fault?”
Don’t know — that situation never comes up.
The one I face on a daily basis is being nearly run over head on or someone nearly clipping my heels making a turn. I try to establish eye contact too.
If I opt to jaywalk, I’m damn sure the coast is clear.
great post!
2 cardinal rules for the DC pedestrian: Cabs wont stop for you and Buses cannot stop. Indeed Cabs will often step on the gas if you are in their path. And we have all heard about recent bus vs. pedestrian fatalities.
Ooching – stepping out into the street while you are waiting to cross. I think that one was made up by the Post traffic guy.
I too have gotten a jaywalking ticket (for crossing against the light). I am better about it now.
Even worse than 5th & Mass is 5th & I (right after I breaks off from Mass). At least Mass has pedestrian crossing signals. 5th & I has none and the light turns to flashing yellow which means pedestrians still have the right-of-way but every driver thinks flashing yellow is the same as green.
3rd & H next to the 395 overpass is a death trap. It’s an incredibly short crossing signal & cars are still coming across H 5 seconds after the light turns red.
As I travel through the downtown area I see a toxic mix of bad drivers and bad pedestrians. Be careful out there!
Moreover, the intersection of 8th & D Streets is a morning nightmare for this driver as the trucks and other big-box vehicles seem to be so strategically parked — illegally — that one has to be extremely viligant to ensure that a pedestrian has not stepped off the curb and entered the crosswalk. (sorry for the run-on sentence) I admit I’ve had a few close calls … my apologies if it was one of you.
As pedestrians, we all have responsibilities, as well as the drivers.
As everyone has already stated, we have all done our share of jaywalking.
What really bothers me is to be in the middle of the crosswalk, with the yellow pedestrian sign in the middle of the street, and some cabbie or limo is still trying to run me over. Sometimes it is impossible to make eyecontact, because the drivers are chatting on the cell phones (a common occurence in the area of the courthouses.
I was recently in a city (can’t remember which one), but the pedestrian crossings at little blinkly lights that were little speed bumps…certainly something to be considered in this city. It might wake up some of these drivers.
The cabbies here are a huge threat, as it appears that they are out to get pedestrians. I have had more close calls with cabbies, while crossing with the light. If they are making a left onto Pennslvania, beware, as I have felt their cars at my heels. I now cross where I only have to deal with the people making right hand turns.
Thanks for the intersections.
As for people leading off the curb, the only place I ever see this is at 7th and H. It seems that in the morning and on the weekends when the crowds get big, people decide to stand in the street. Which is decidedly not a good idea.
What do you guys think about pedestrians crossing (on the green) in front of or behind cars who are stuck in gridlock (e.g. in the crosswalk or maybe actually in the intersection). Essentially leaving the driver in limbo, but legally the pedestrians are in the right of way.
I’ve done this a couple of times, but got totally chewed out by another pedestrian in Dupont Circle for doing this. I’ll let the traffic clear up if I can, but sometimes when its time to take my turn I want to take my turn.
Great post, but I hope that part 2 of 2 is the “5 deadly sins of drivers”…they are just as bad, especially commuters from MD and VA.
Keep your eye on the Mount Vernon Neighborhood Association’s web site (www.mvsna.org). They have just completed a study of dangerous intersections in the area with many overlapping the PQ area. Time for DDoT to pay attention to this rapidly changing area.
I had some convo with Mayor Fenty several months ago about pediestrian safety in our neighborhood. In particular I was concerned with the corners of 3rd and Mass and 2nd and Mass. DOT is doing some investigating to the traffic and red light violations and pedestrian safety at those two corners. I know they were taping the corner of 2nd and Mass last week and will be drafting a report and recommendations shortly. I’ll forward the board a copy when I get it from DOT.
to #18
It’s called “blocking the box” — it’s illegal and enforced strictly in NYC. Blocking the box will cost an offending driver a ticket and points. Don’t encourage such behavior by waiving these people through.
Is that what blocking the box means? I see those darn signs in Farragut North and I have always wondered what they mean.
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This is a great reminder about pedestrian safety. Now — if we can only get dangerous intersections like 9th and Mass. Ave., 7th and Mass. Ave, 5th and Mass. Ave fixed we could happily walk in the downtown.