Three Steps to Safer Street Crossing in Grand Junction

The buzzword in Grand Junction lately seems to be the crosswalks. To put it simply, people are scared to cross the street in Grand Junction, and I can’t say that I blame them.

I can tell you right now that the biggest problem is drivers not paying attention, or in too big of a hurry.

Drivers see that red hand flashing and assume that the pedestrian won’t cross. Shea calls that, “opportunistic logic”, it’s sort of like selective hearing, but in this case it’s selective thinking.

People in Grand Junction feel that there is simply not enough time to cross the bigger streets, like the light at 12th and Patterson, safely. There have been a few pedestrian deaths recently, and they all happened while crossing the street.

The important thing to keep in mind is, street light timing is held up by federal regulations, meaning the time you have to cross the street is federally regulated.

However, the City of Grand Junction has noted that if residents that regularly cross the streets still feel that there is not enough time, they will investigate the scenario and are prepared to make exceptions.

The city was also quoted as saying that with many of the complaints they have received, the issue came down more to cars not yielding, or pedestrians afraid that the cars would not yield, so they did not cross.

Like I said before, the problem comes down to inconsiderate drivers. This has always been a problem in Grand Junction, and not just for pedestrians.

Motorcyclists, other drivers, pedestrians, are all put in danger by inconsiderate drivers. In fact, in my opinion, this city has some of the most inconsiderate driving that I’ve probably ever seen, and I’ve lived in a lot of different places.

Dave’s 3 Step Solution:

• Give yourself more time to get where you’re going
• Drive with fewer distractions
• Drive defensively

If drivers will give themselves more time, they are less likely to “rush” pedestrians and more likely to be a considerate driver.

If they are less distracted, (I know you love us, but turn your radio down a bit, don’t text and drive, don’t focus on other things, focus on the road, you’re driving!).

A defensive driver is always looking for someone else to mess up, this gives extra grace on the roadways and ensures anyone in your pathway is safe.