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Friday, October 7, 2011

Red means stop. No, really, it does. It's not a suggestion

from ash.XXXXXXXXXXX@gmail.com
to cj@thiscrazytrain.com
date Fri, Oct 7, 2011 at 9:26 AM
subject Friday Morning Fun

Dear CJ:
I know this isn't entirely related to the GO train but I do commute to work every day and I'd like to tell you my story about my morning walk to work from Union Station today.

According to the Ontario Driver's Handbook:
RED LIGHT

"A red light means you must stop.......wait until the light changes to green and the intersection is clear before moving through it. Unless a sign tells you not to, you may turn right on a red light only after coming to a complete stop and waiting until the way is clear". i.e. WAITING UNTIL THE ROAD IS CLEAR OF PEDESTRIANS!

Today at 8:15 a.m., I'd just arrived at Union Station after my commute in from Ajax. I have to walk from Union to the King and Spadina area every morning and take the same route every day. This route takes me along Station Street and through the intersection at Lower Simcoe and Front Street.

At morning rush hour, this intersection is extremely busy, congested with cars and people alike. I, along with many other people, am waiting for the walk sign to cross Front Street. The light turns green and the walk sign illuminates. I'm at the front of the pack so I step off the curb and walk about 5 steps and then from out of no where this car comes barreling around the corner and the driver doesn't stop as required by law. It's a good thing I have really good peripheral vision otherwise, I would have been really up close and personal with the front end of this douchebag's car.

I'm not sure if non-GO commuters ever read your blog but for the love of God, obey the traffic laws before you kill somebody! I would have been really upset had I missed out on Turkey Weekend.

Yours truly
MyHeartIsStillPounding
Since most of GO-ers drive to and from stations, your email holds a lot of merit.

4 comments:

D.F. said...

tell that to all the idiotic pedestrians who walk through red lights and ignore traffic at Front & Bay. that intersection should be a scramble intersection. no one pays attention to the signs and lights anyway!

Jen said...

That is because the pedestrian lights don't work! And where is the crub? They need to finish that corner soon.

But then again, I was one of those weird ones that will wait for the lights to change before crossing the street.

D.F. said...

Ive never noticed a problem with the lights not working. I wait for the light to turn green before I walk across.

wtf is a crub?

Jen said...

Curb. My bad. The brain shut down a little bit before that.

I was talking about the pedestrian crossing lights at the intersection. They are not working and in fact are covered in garbage bags. I know I have been stuck crossing that section on a yellow/red light because it changes in the middle of the intersection and the "delightful" people in front refuse to haul buttocks any faster.