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Letter: This Coquitlam crosswalk ignored by dangerous drivers

Resident nearly got hit in a crosswalk on Austin
crosswalk
Glacier Media file photo

The Editor:

Do drivers really think they don’t need to heed the pedestrian walk signal?

I know the light at Austin and Hickey is a short one for the Hickey drivers. The light lasts a little longer when a pedestrian like myself hits the button.

I usually try to hurry across the crosswalk so the vehicle doesn’t have to wait for me. But really? This morning, I almost got hit when a vehicle not at the stop light yet tries to either catch the light or beat me across the crosswalk. 

I luckily was able to run out of the way. He stopped. I stopped, thinking he was gonna yell at me, but he rolled down the window for an apologetic wave. My heart was racing and neglected looking for a licence plate.

However, this was not the first time. Vehicles waiting at the stoplight seeing you across the street still try to go in front of you on the crosswalk. 

Either we need to make this light last longer, which I know won’t happen, or perhaps orange flags at either end of the crosswalk so that drivers will actually wait for the pedestrian to finish crossing, and if they don’t, I’ll have something to throw at them.

Christine Johannink, Coquitlam