Will be printed in the Daily Pennsylvania within the next few days. Hope to see you on Monday.
>Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 15:06:53 -0500 >From: Ira Winston <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >On Tuesday, January 22, I planned to meet my colleagues for lunch but I >never made it across Walnut Street. A car ran a red light and headed >towards me in the crosswalk. I almost evaded the car but, unfortunately, >the corner of the car's front bumper struck my leg. The crash broke the >two bones in my lower right leg (open tibia-fibula fracture). I was rushed >by ambulance to HUP and then to surgery where Dr. John Esterhai implanted >a permanent titanium rod in my leg. The following Friday, I was released >from HUP, walking on crutches and in good spirits, thanks to the many >people who visited with me in person, by phone and e-mail and the >excellent care I received. The driver of the car that struck me was >apprehended and placed into custody. UPPD is pursuing criminal prosecution. > >I am happy that justice is being sought but I am more interested in >working to prevent future pedestrian injuries at Penn. This is not the >first such incident at this (and many other) intersections near Penn. I >got off relatively lightly; other victims have died at the very >intersection where I was struck. It is time for the pedestrians in the >area to stake their claim of partial ownership of the streets. Right now, >drivers have few real restrictions on their movement. Even in areas with >heavy pedestrian traffic, like on our campus, the cars have sole ownership >of the streets. > >UPPD is well aware of the problems and, to their credit, has taken steps >to improve pedestrian safety. Maureen Rush, Penn's VP for Public Safety, >outlined a few of the many programs underway when she visited me at HUP: >increased enforcement, a speeding awareness trailer, and the "Live-Stop >Program" through which approximately 400 motorist were stopped and their >vehicles confiscated for driving unlicensed or unregistered vehicles in >the last two years. > >Efforts to enforce traffic laws are necessary but not sufficient. We need >to focus on prevention and this will require environmental changes >favoring pedestrians. Some traffic-calming efforts will take time and >planning, but others, such as adding traffic lights and traffic light >cycles that have pedestrian-only periods, can and should be implemented >immediately. > >To this end, and to pick up my life where it was so rudely interrupted, I >plan to return to 34th and Walnut. I will go to the Magic Carpet truck to >get a replacement for the lunch that I never ate. I will then, I hope, >walk safely across Walnut Street. If you want to show your support for >improved pedestrian safety, please join me in crossing Walnut Street at >34th Street next Monday at noon. > >>> "John Ellingsworth" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Wednesday, January 30, 2002 >>> FW: more on Walnut St injury-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 I think it has increased . . . but, being a lifetime resident of philadelphia, and having seen numerous friends hit by cars and involved in accidents, none of these things recently discussed are new. This city has the absolute minimum traffic enforcement possible. Just recently, I was driving behind a police car (16th district), when we came to a green light where we were both making a left turn (at the corner of 32nd and Spring Garden, major intersection). For some reason unknown to me, the cop stopped at the light - it was green, so I was perplexed. Then, to my astonishment, the car in the opposing traffic went through his red light and made a left turn on red! Well, I was sure this guy was in trouble, as no driver with half a brain would do that, as you would surely be pulled over and fined. Wouldn't you know that the cop did NOTHING, only moved after I flickered my lights at him, and let the violator go - I went in the same direction for a number of blocks, so I know he never went after the car. I think the officer was a student of the Philadelphia police traffic enforcement school. Philadelphia is the most pedestrian unfriendly city in this country - my theory is that one of the reasons we have such a low quality of life in general is that you aren't safe as a pedestrian in this city, and that the criminals are just driving around looking for a place to commit another crime because they know they can do it free of intervention by police. And forget notifying the police about a traffic violation - it is hard enough to get them to show up for a call to your area for anything, let alone a traffic problem! Some points of reference, although several years old, still valid: http://www.philly.com/packages/hellonwheels/HBOX10.asp http://www.philly.com/packages/hellonwheels/default.asp (really good) http://www.philly.com/packages/hellonwheels/hell05.asp Philadelphia traffic code: http://www.amlegal.com/philadelphia_pa/lpext.dll/Infobase/27f6?fn=altm ain-nf.htm&f=templates&2.0 http://www.walkable.org/ Thanks, John Ellingsworth Virtual Curriculum Project Leader AIM: jellings28 - ----- Original Message ----- From: Mayer, Ann To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2002 11:28 AM Subject: FW: drivers going the wrong way Has anyone had the same experience that I have had in West Philadelphia over the last months with numerous cars coming the WRONG way on our one way streets? This baffles me. It has been happing with increasing frequency. The cars continue driving the wrong way even after other drivers honk at them. Several times I have narrowly missed being wiped out. I have a small Saturn, and some of the offenders are in big SUVs. I have lived in the area since the 1970s and don't recall this being a major problem in the past. Ann Mayer -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGPfreeware 6.5.8 for non-commercial use <http://www.pgp.com> iQA/AwUBPFgrcwbexkNIm1OFEQLNTwCg4YSmm2Dst3dMh0uaCFlic5a156wAnR3B DZ7AmHiPTB9JFDwLOxfDaooo =EUYz -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>. Archive is at <http://www.mail-archive.com/>.
