20 September 2016

Another pedestrian injured on Northbourne

| Leon Arundell
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The Canberra Times reports that yet another pedestrian has been injured at the intersection of Northbourne Avenue with Rudd and Bunda Streets. In 2014 a pedestrian was hit at the same intersection and another pedestrian was hit between Rudd Street and Barry Drive. In 2013 and 2014 there were ten vehicle collisions at this intersection, and another thirty-seven collisions within a block.

This intersection is adjacent to the planned light rail terminus. It is also Northbourne Avenue’s most congested intersection. Morning peak traffic banks up from this intersection for more than a kilometre, to the intersection of Northbourne Avenue with Condamine and Ipima Streets.

Until 2011 the poor design of this intersection caused completely unnecessary delays of up to two minutes, for pedestrians walking along Northbourne Avenue. Even now it can take three minutes of waiting, to spend just 45 seconds walking across the road. These delays have resulted in many pedestrians proceeding against red signals rather than waiting for green.

The speed limit at this intersection remains at 60 km/h, even though it is an area of high pedestrian activity, in the middle of Canberra’s busiest shopping area.

Living Streets Canberra asks all ACT election candidates to commit to fixing poorly designed intersections.

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Leon Arundell5:21 pm 28 Sep 16

Arthur Davies said :

…There is an urgent need for better education on road use, both for newcomers to Australia … for good old fashioned “look right look left” before crossing…

The Government has confused this issue by painting “Look ->” signs on the roadway, in places where the signs contradict road rules that require turning drivers to give way to pedestrians.

Arthur Davies3:53 pm 26 Sep 16

I don’t know if anyone collects statistics on the background of pedestrian victims, but I have noticed that many people who appear to have recently arrived from overseas seem to be disproportionately likely to step out onto the road without looking. This is very obvious on the ANU campus at the beginning of the academic year, it improves as the year goes on. These same group of people have been found to be disproportionately represented in drownings, the statistics are kept on drowning victims.

Another terrifying group are, usually younger, people who only look down at their yuppyphone while walking, usually with headphones on. They are obviously looking for a mention in the Darwin awards (look it up if you don’t know of them).

There is an urgent need for better education on road use, both for newcomers to Australia (along with water safety) & for good old fashioned “look right look left” before crossing for our own younger generation.

I realise that eventually evolution will eliminate the careless but it is so slow & the unnecessary pain & suffering in the meantime is unacceptable. Far better to think first & behave better when crossing roads (& before driving & riding a bike as well).

Leon Arundell3:46 pm 22 Sep 16

JoueurBoy said :

You can not have it both ways unless some major infrastructure is built. … To solve the problem the road should be lowered for the city section. The traffic going north and south would have unimpeded flow. The street level would be free for pedestrains and tram passengers.

JoueurBoy is right, but there’s a cheaper option that’s been waiting 50 years since traffic lights were first installed.

Walter and Marion designed Northbourne Avenue NOT to have traffic signals.
If they had designed it for traffic signals, they would have put the roads down the centre and the parkland along the sides. That would allow pedestrians to cross without having to wait again at the median. It would also increase the green time for general traffic by 10%, because the signals would not have to provide extra red time to allow crossing and right-turning vehicles to clear the intersection by crossing the wide median.

I am not sure what the OP is trying to advocate. Is it for greater attention to pedestrian safety in the area? If so, please say it clearly and I can then support it. Thanks.

The OP is complaining about the traffic backing up at the lights and then complains about pedestrains have to wait too long to cross. You can not have it both ways unless some major infrastructure is built. You would complain about the cost of that too.

To solve the problem the road should be lowered for the city section. The traffic going north and south would have unimpeded flow. The street level would be free for pedestrains and tram passengers.

Maya123 said :

Genie said :

Yesterday as I waited to cross the northbound lane at the Alinga and Northbourne Ave intersection, a gentleman on a motorised scooted crossed against the red, there was no oncoming traffic at the time. A speeding driver (there was no way they were doing 60) appeared through the London Circuit intersection and spent that entire distance with his hand on the horn.

Didn’t quite understand the drivers actions, even at the speed he was doing he was unlikely to crash into the scooter or he could of eased off the pedal and stuck to the speed limit. Instead he actually sped up !!!

I’ve had some drivers (okay, two occasions I can remember) speed up behind me so as to tail gate me when they’ve seen my blinker go on (with plenty of warning) to leave the road. Then when they didn’t manage to intimidate me into not leaving the road (strange game of theirs), they get on their horn and blast me. On at least one of those occasions with a second empty lane beside us they could have used. Some people get some weird idea about power games. Sounds the same with your example. What did that driver get from blasting the gentleman on a motorised scooter. Something is lacking in them.

The person on the scooter did a very dangerous thing. I would blast my horn too. I drive a merc and the horn is a beauty. How else is the old codger going to know my dissatisfaction?

rommeldog56 said :

Maya123 said :

I’ve had some drivers (okay, two occasions I can remember) speed up behind me so as to tail gate me when they’ve seen my blinker go on (with plenty of warning) to leave the road. Then when they didn’t manage to intimidate me into not leaving the road (strange game of theirs), they get on their horn and blast me. On at least one of those occasions with a second empty lane beside us they could have used. Some people get some weird idea about power games. Sounds the same with your example. What did that driver get from blasting the gentleman on a motorised scooter. Something is lacking in them.

Whether it be on a push bike (as u have previously posted) or in a car, you seem to have the darnedest trouble with other vehicles.

Just saying……

Maybe it’s just that I remember them. In this example, as I stated, only two that I do remember. Incidents would have happened to you too, but perhaps you then forget them. They happen to everyone.

Maya123 said :

I’ve had some drivers (okay, two occasions I can remember) speed up behind me so as to tail gate me when they’ve seen my blinker go on (with plenty of warning) to leave the road. Then when they didn’t manage to intimidate me into not leaving the road (strange game of theirs), they get on their horn and blast me. On at least one of those occasions with a second empty lane beside us they could have used. Some people get some weird idea about power games. Sounds the same with your example. What did that driver get from blasting the gentleman on a motorised scooter. Something is lacking in them.

Whether it be on a push bike (as u have previously posted) or in a car, you seem to have the darnedest trouble with other vehicles.

Just saying……

Genie said :

Yesterday as I waited to cross the northbound lane at the Alinga and Northbourne Ave intersection, a gentleman on a motorised scooted crossed against the red, there was no oncoming traffic at the time. A speeding driver (there was no way they were doing 60) appeared through the London Circuit intersection and spent that entire distance with his hand on the horn.

Didn’t quite understand the drivers actions, even at the speed he was doing he was unlikely to crash into the scooter or he could of eased off the pedal and stuck to the speed limit. Instead he actually sped up !!!

I’ve had some drivers (okay, two occasions I can remember) speed up behind me so as to tail gate me when they’ve seen my blinker go on (with plenty of warning) to leave the road. Then when they didn’t manage to intimidate me into not leaving the road (strange game of theirs), they get on their horn and blast me. On at least one of those occasions with a second empty lane beside us they could have used. Some people get some weird idea about power games. Sounds the same with your example. What did that driver get from blasting the gentleman on a motorised scooter. Something is lacking in them.

How you get run over on Northbourne Avenue I will never know. Don’t people look before crossing 3 lanes of traffic.

The traffic lights are holding everyone in the ACT not only pedestrians. Most sets of traffic lights timing in Canberra stop you at every set of traffic lights even if the lights are 200m apart.

unless the driver of the car swerved or lost control and ran him down, it’s more than likely the pedestrian was on the road. Who had the green light?

if the driver of the car did, don’t go blaming ‘the system’ for the stupid people amongst us. if the ped was an organ donor in the making then so be it. bet he/she was being a phone zombie at the time.

Yesterday as I waited to cross the northbound lane at the Alinga and Northbourne Ave intersection, a gentleman on a motorised scooted crossed against the red, there was no oncoming traffic at the time. A speeding driver (there was no way they were doing 60) appeared through the London Circuit intersection and spent that entire distance with his hand on the horn.

Didn’t quite understand the drivers actions, even at the speed he was doing he was unlikely to crash into the scooter or he could of eased off the pedal and stuck to the speed limit. Instead he actually sped up !!!

Pokemon go?

Canberra needs a northbourne fly over or walk under for pedestrians.

Added. Lights too, for walking at night on those dark roads/paths. A red flashing light on the back please, as I saw one pedestrian using. Thank you for that. Saves the fright of spotting the unlit, often darkly dressed pedestrian at the last moment. Didn’t they listen to their parents, who said not to wear dark clothes at night…or were their parents neglectful here.

(Not making fun of the tragedy of the pedestrian being hit. I wish them well and hope they recover fully.)

Rollersk8r said :

It’s about time pedestrians paid rego, carried ID, had personal insurance – and wore a licence plate on their backs. You want to use the road then you pay for it!!

🙂

It’s about time pedestrians paid rego, carried ID, had personal insurance – and wore a licence plate on their backs. You want to use the road then you pay for it!!

rommeldog56 said :

I wonder if the pedestrian was crossing against a red person light and that beeping warning sound. I also wonder if they had headphones on so hearing might have have been reduced.

Will be interesting to see the impact of increased pedestrian use of that intersection as Trams disgorge their passengers and they head into Civic or to catch connecting buses. No doubt, additional time will be allowed for pedestrians to cross at the intersections, so adding to vehicle congestion.

It is pretty much inevitable that the speed limit will be decreased to 50 or 40 kph there too.

More likely it will become Shared Zone 2.0

Think of the vibrancy it will add.

I wonder if the pedestrian was crossing against a red person light and that beeping warning sound. I also wonder if they had headphones on so hearing might have have been reduced.

Will be interesting to see the impact of increased pedestrian use of that intersection as Trams disgorge their passengers and they head into Civic or to catch connecting buses. No doubt, additional time will be allowed for pedestrians to cross at the intersections, so adding to vehicle congestion.

It is pretty much inevitable that the speed limit will be decreased to 50 or 40 kph there too.

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