[Vision2020] With gas at $2.50 a gallon it is timetocutCrosswalknumbers

Tue Apr 12 11:50:53 PDT 2005

Dick (who I agree with 99.44 percent of the time, I had Dale crunch the 
numbers for me) writes:  "most of the pedestrians in other states do not 
walk out in front of a car and will wait until traffic clears.."  I most 
certainly will never walk out in front of a car in Moscow.  While I 
certainly appreciate a motorist on Jackson or Washington, for example, 
stopping in the lane closest to me so I can venture into the crosswalk, I'll 
decline the opportunity.  Just because motorist A in lane A stops, there is 
no guarantee that motorist B in lane B is going to even slow down.  I've 
almost been clipped, and have seen other people almost be clipped too many 
times.  It's dangerous out there.                                            

  Carl Westberg Jr.

>From: "Dick Schmidt" <dickschmidt at moscow.com>
>To: "cynthia nichols" <cynthiann0 at mac.com>
>CC: joann mack <jmack at turbonet.com>, Nancy Chaney <nchaney at moscow.com>,     
>    John Dickinison <johnd at moscow.com>, vision2020 at moscow.com,        peg 
>hamlett <peg_hamlett at msn.com>, Linda  Pall <lpall at moscow.com>
>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] With gas at $2.50 a gallon it is 
>timetocutCrosswalknumbers
>Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 11:34:17 -0700
>
>Cynthia,
>Welcome!
>
>Folks, I'm looking at the big picture here but you are only seeing across 
>the street. I'm involved in shipping material from California to Oregon, 
>Washington, Idaho and Montana. Also from Wisconsin and Minnesota to 
>Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon. Freight is a big part of the cost 
>the products I sell and every time that truck has to stop it costs money. 
>We have a government that has absolutely no energy policy and because of it 
>we need to do things on the local level to conserve energy. What will you 
>do when gas is $5.00 a gallon. I suggested we start small by eliminating 
>some crosswalks in Moscow but it seems to upset some people to think they 
>would have to walk an extra block to be able to cross a 3 lane busy state 
>highway. I would suspect that all the log and chip haulers and other 
>delivery trucks who have to travel through Moscow would appreciate not 
>having to stop so often.
>
>Just to set the record straight, Wayne Fox said that "Unless the law has 
>changed, pedestrians have the right of way at all intersections in all 50 
>states."
>They do in marked crosswalks but most of the pedestrians in other states do 
>not walk out in front of a car and will wait until traffic clears!
>
>Dick Schmidt
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "cynthia nichols" <cynthiann0 at mac.com>
>To: "Dick Schmidt" <dickschmidt at moscow.com>
>Cc: "peg hamlett" <peg_hamlett at msn.com>; <vision2020 at moscow.com>; "joann 
>mack" <jmack at turbonet.com>; "Nancy Chaney" <nchaney at moscow.com>; "Linda 
>Pall" <lpall at moscow.com>; "John Dickinison" <johnd at moscow.com>
>Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2005 10:27 AM
>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] With gas at $2.50 a gallon it is time 
>tocutCrosswalknumbers
>
>
>>Dick,
>>You said, "Pedestrians cross the road to get to the other side but they 
>>need to do a little planning before they go so they don't stop my 3,500# 
>>Taurus. If they don't hustle when they cross I will blow my horn and start 
>>moving ahead. ;-))"
>>
>>When one takes a driver's test to get an Idaho driver's license, usually 
>>he/she studies the vehicle code which states that cars must yield to 
>>pedestrians at marked and UNmarked crosswalks. It seems to me that even if 
>>the city removes crosswalks, you'd still have to stop for a person who is 
>>crossing at an intersection. A crosswalk is really just a way of helping 
>>drivers notice pedestrians. I walk all over Moscow and use the crosswalks 
>>to cross. When I first moved here 3 years ago, people graciously stopped, 
>>left lots of time for me to cross, even on the highways. It is not so easy 
>>to cross now. People who know the law and respect it still stop. I am 
>>grateful to them. But try crossing Washington at  the police station! It's 
>>not easy.  I attribute that to a greater degree of  an "I'm more important 
>>than you are (I'm in a hurry), (I need to save 4¢ gas)" attitude in recent 
>>years. Something's happened to Moscow in 3 years for some people to become 
>>so much less courteous (hmmm). When I hear people talk about drivers' 
>>disrespect of pedestrians "back east" I wonder, are they advocating that 
>>we become more like Philly? Is that what we really want? I don't.
>>
>>I hope that you and the city council come to  realize that crosswalks are 
>>NOT a problem .
>>Furthermore, if I am in a crosswalk and you don't stop your 3500# Taurus 
>>and end up hitting me, I authorize my husband to sue you for the maximum 
>>amount he can get.   ;-))   Wouldn't it be more prudent for you to brake 
>>for me?
>>
>>Cynthia Nichols
>>
>>PS-Because I walk so much, I fill up my tank only once a month or so. You 
>>might try combining your Winco trip with a few other errands and take 
>>streets other than 3rd. I've only lived here 3 years and I know lots of 
>>routes. It's a gorgeous little town and I drive slowly through pretty 
>>neighborhoods when I drive, noticing the beauty as I go.
>>
>>PPS-I am a first time contributor to this list. I have begun writing many 
>>replies but it really takes a brave person to add to this list if they 
>>have a dissident view--and I realize that this e-mail may generate a lot 
>>of vitriol. I may have to unsubscribe.
>>
>>On Apr 12, 2005, at 7:08 AM, Dick Schmidt wrote:
>>
>>>Pedestrians cross the road to get to the other side but they need to do a 
>>>little planning before they go so they don't stop my 3,500# Taurus. If 
>>>they don't hustle when they cross I will blow my horn and start moving 
>>>ahead. ;-))
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>_____________________________________________________
>List services made available by First Step Internet, serving the 
>communities of the Palouse since 1994.                 http://www.fsr.net   
>                              mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯