Dear Editor,
“We need your help to understand how the tragedy happened.”
This sincere appeal was printed on a yellow, letter-size paper and posted at the four corner posts of the intersection at Granville Avenue and No. 3 Road.
On Nov. 21, a fine Saturday, a senior-aged lady was struck by a black Volkswagen Golf at around 11:30 a.m.
The car that brought indelibly sad memories to some, stopped right away to assist with the investigation.
So who was at fault?
Senior pedestrians may cross the road when they see the walking sign on the opposite side of the road. Cars moving in the same direction are permitted to turn the corner when it’s clear. If the driver or the pedestrians are not mindful of each other’s movements, accidents will occur.
In addition, cars can also cross the road diagonally from the opposite side. There are times when pedestrians have to speed up their pace to avoid crashing with a fast swerving car, not to mention another car, after turning the corner, passing the backside.
It’s also assumed here that everybody is abiding by traffic regulations, but we don’t know for sure, what may account for this accident.
It’s a fact of local life that similar accidents keep happening. In the following week, there were two more such tragedies in other areas of Metro Vancouver.
Given the reality described above, is there any way to prevent such tragedies or accidents from routinely happening?
James Ling Hung
Richmond
