Dear Editor,
Being a pedestrian in central Richmond can be extremely risky — day or night. The running of stop-signs and right-turning vehicles failing-to-stop-on-red is endemic and dangerous. I’m talking about drivers in central Richmond wilfully disregarding stop signs to proceed straight at 40 km/h and attacking right turns at stops signs or red lights at 20 km/h.
On Wednesday afternoon May 16 an elderly frail person completing a stroll along the Fraser River pathway from the Olympic Oval to Aberdeen Station was nearly hit at the 3-way Stop of Cambie Road and River Road by the driver of a large, German-made SUV, which had no intention of stopping at a stop sign.
Focussing on the immediate future, here are some options:
— Repaint the stop lines/crosswalk lines.
— Install pedestrian-activated flashing amber to cross River Road at Cambie Road to increase the yield-to-pedestrian rate.
— Increase RCMP enforcement.
Peter Boldy
RICHMOND
