I notice with some puzzlement and curiosity that the white stop lines, or stop bars, so recently painted on the new OTrain pathway this spring, have now been changed to an intermittent pattern.
I cannot recall if the “intersections” along the path used to have stop signs by the stop bars, but the signs certainly are “yield” signs today, accompanying the new semi-stop bars.
I wonder if this is a pathway-only feature, or if we can expect semi-stop bars where there are yield signs on motor vehicle roads. Are we overthinking and over-supplying signage that gets so complicated the meaning will escape people?
The question “Are we overthinking and over-supplying signage that gets so complicated the meaning will escape people?”, is a very good question. As a centretown resident pedestrian and a driver, I witness many drivers consider the new green painted cycle lanes as the ‘new’ stop-line; and forget about pedestrians. Seemingly, that strong white line is just for decoration, for many drivers.
And, I must ask, “why do so many drivers feel the need to speed up to a red light in a busy pedestrian area at all”? It seems that with all the signage and colour-coded efforts, it may be too complicated for many out-of-town drivers, or any driver to understand. When you need to pay attention to so much activity and not hold up traffic, there is little time to read all the signs. This last sentence is my forgiveness to any driver that have almost run me, my husband and/or neighbours over in their rush for self-importance appointments and/or shopping.
There are many manners in life to be learned; people come first, then your damn vehicle. Again, why do drivers speed up to a red light when pedestrians are crossing the street? It is intimidating, and when we are uncertain we walk more slowly; a lose-lose situation.