While walking to her car after grocery shopping at No Frills on Nov. 7, Justine St. Martin said she felt “disgusted and angry” at the amount of people who do not stop for pedestrians.
“I was coming out of the store with my eight-month-old daughter in the grocery cart when we almost got run down by two cars who were not paying attention,” she said. “This happens a lot of time. It’s not just from distracted driving. It’s also by elderly people who do not feel like they should have to stop.”
While talking with St. Martin, ElliotLakeToday witnessed a woman nearly missing a pedestrian crossing the street. When asked why she did not stop, the woman said “pedestrians should wait for the drivers to go through.”
“I don’t wait for people,” she continued. “People cross everywhere and they don’t pay attention.”
According to the Ministry of Transportation’s website, if there is a sign instructing drivers to yield to pedestrians, then they must do so. Also, pedestrians should also yield to drivers.
“One of these days, someone is going to get his at this grocery store because no one pays attention,” said St. Martin. “We’re going to need law enforcement here soon to do something. I always see people on their cell phones nearly missing people walking, as well as employees. This is getting ridiculous.”
Employees who retrieve the grocery carts outside the store are also on the list of near misses. After speaking with St. Martin for a few moments, one of the employees retrieving grocery carts was nearly hit and stopped in the middle of the roadway to speak to the driver. The driver told the employee he did not see the employee.
“I go through this every shift and I’m almost ready to leave,” the employee said. He asked to remain anonymous. “The managers here can’t do anything about it. Too many people just don’t pay attention.”
Here are some tips and tricks from the MTO website for pedestrians to avoid being nearly hit at all crossings:
- Cross only at marked crosswalks or traffic lights. Don't cross in the middle of the block or between parked cars.
- Make sure drivers see you before you cross. If the driver is stopped, make eye contact before you step into the road.
- Wear bright or light-coloured clothing or reflective strips, especially at dusk or when it's dark.
At a traffic light:
- Cross when traffic has come to a complete stop.
- Begin to cross at the start of the green light or “Walk” signal, where provided.
- Do not start to cross if you see a flashing “Do Not Walk” symbol or the light turns yellow. If you already started to cross, complete your crossing in safety.
- Never cross on a red light.
St. Martin said she hopes her message can reach pedestrians and drivers alike.
“Put the phone down, look up and pay attention. It’s not just your lives at stake.”