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Pedestrian hit on Spring Street in West Roxbury; taken away in bad shape
By adamg on Tue, 10/04/2022 - 10:01pm
An elderly man was hit by a vehicle on Spring Street in front of the Star Market in West Roxbury around 9 p.m. Because of the seriousness of his injuries, the homicide unit was called in. The driver remained on scene.
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Dangerous intersection
I'm usually commuting by bike there but can confirm that crossing the entrance to that strip mall on foot is dangerous. Two lanes of exiting motorists coast over the stop line to force passing pedestrians out into traffic on Spring Street (where everyone is racing each other to the next traffic light).
It feels like the gun debate
Sometimes it seems like certain people in West Roxbury (and a lot of other places) think they have a God-given constitutional right to a 4 lane roadway with parking at every curb. Two travel lanes with a center turning lane will slow down traffic a little, make things much less confusing for everyone, and make safer room for pedestrians, buses, and bikes.
Drivers are some of the most
Drivers are some of the most entitled people in the world and can't imagine having to be slightly inconvenienced by some lowly pedestrian.
Drivers
About 90% of adult Americans drive a car. Most pedestrians are also drivers, and vice versa. Those who are both have a strong interest in arrangements that make it possible for them to use their cars without endangering pedestrians, and to be safe and unencumbered by huge inconveniences when on foot. Some people become selfish assholes when behind the wheel, but it’s not a universal condition.
it is universally enforced condition
Our road design, and traffic laws are skewed against pedestrians
I agree
with this. Design of roadways often encourages drivers to be oblivious. When smoothness of flow is considered the ultimate goal, pedestrians become an obstacle to be removed or discouraged. Too many traffic systems have been designed to a specification that didn’t encompass anything but the flow of automobile traffic.
Laws
When it comes to laws, I don’t think it’s so much laws, but enforcement. Drivers are supposed to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, but if they fail to do so, the chances that they will be penalized are miniscule.
Nope
Jaywalking for example. Written by auto industry lobbyists. Just look how hard it is to charge someone with motor vehicle homicide.
It would be nice
if we didn't have to have this same conversation every single time the question of cars and urban design is brought up, but cinnamngrl is exactly right here.
It has nothing to do with the equitable enforcement of laws. It has everything to do with the way cities have been built (and the interests involved in building them). This has precisely created the sense of entitlement in a lot of people with cars, but this was itself manufactured as an option.
These selfish brats don’t
These selfish brats don’t care about pedestrians or cyclists because their lazy asses are always behind the wheel of a vehicle so they aren’t negatively affected by the danger drivers create. It’s messed up.
Hmmmm, interesting
I am an avid cyclist and frequent pedestrian who also drives. Contrary to your statement, I do care about others when I drive. Apparently, I am a glaring exception to the rule.
Just sayin'
slow down, maybe people
That section is very busy. Bus stop on each side. Exit from shopping center with traffic turning both ways and going across. 4 Lanes of traffic and a side street. Add in cars speeding down the hill toward the light in both directions, seen many accidents and near accident there. Have never seen any enforcement, there or at baker and spring which may be worse.
The people who benefit from the 4 lanes on Centre/Spring
are primarily the people racing to and from Dedham, Needham, Westwood, etc. The people who primary suffer are the people who live in West Roxbury, who keep getting mowed down. So it's pretty nonsensical that the people who oppose the road diet are the townies living in WR.
I would agree the drivers aren't from WR....
but I think everyone avoids that stretch of road, even those from Needham, Dedham, Westwood. And also at that section of Spring St. there is zero reason for anyone from any suburb to be there. Not even a cut through at that section of road. (could be suburbanites who work in WR I guess).
Nobody goes there anymore
It's too crowded
When you come to a walk signal in the road
don’t take it.
I guess?
Wasn't meant to be 4 lanes.
Wasn't meant to be 4 lanes. It was 2 lanes and a trolley.
Nope...plenty of the a-hole
Nope...plenty of the a-hole drivers are from WR. Remember the road diet?WR thinks it's their god given right to have 6 lanes of cars in a Main Street area and ensure front door parking so they can roll out of their car into the store w/ out walking 5 feet.
Let's not forget the double parking so they can get their lunch and dinner.
I find that the worst offenders are locals
Anecdotally, I find thst the worst offenders tearing thru our neighborhood out here in the semi-boonies are the locals.
Confusing Exit
Not sure where this person was hit, but I can see how that traffic light by the exit can be confusing as the curb runs across the exit. If the sidewalk ended with a curb and a crosswalk was added, it would be much safer.
Better would be
Better would be to narrow the driveway and extend the sidewalk all the way across
Enforce No Turn on Red
At every light cycle you can usually see drivers ignoring the No Turn on Red signs. When I obey these signs, I’m often subject to impatient honking from drivers behind me who can’t wait to make a legal turn.
not possible
There aren't enough officers to enforce traffic laws. That is why it always the first response of people that refuse to acknowledge the need to change. Even if we changed the law to allow automated enforcement, we could not afford the tech to video every right turn. We need structural changes that prevent speed and control car behavior.
Make Centre/Spring St two
Make Centre/Spring St two lanes with dedicated bus/bike lanes and raised pedestrian crossings.
Do we really think being able to go 35 mph instead of the actual 25 mph speed limit is worth a dead pedestrian every 6-12 months?
If you're actually traveling a long distance and want to break the speed limit take the parkway.
I used to live across the street
It is a pretty hazardous intersection, and I had a few close calls myself. Many healing prayers for the victim and the driver.
Cars have become safer but
Cars have become safer but bigger cars are killing more and more people. We really need to address it vas a country.