By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer
CARRBORO — Crossing the street in downtown Carrboro can be tricky, with pedestrians having to wait seemingly long periods of time before motorists will stop to allow them to cross.
That issue inspired the Carrboro Police Department’s pedestrian decoy operations May 10-14, in which officers issued 47 citations for failure to yield to a pedestrian. By educating the community, the department hopes to make getting across the street a little easier.
During the operations, plain-clothes police officers in highly visible clothing entered crosswalks on foot as other officers monitored the crosswalks for violations. The decoy pedestrians entered crosswalks when an approaching vehicle in the opposite lane reached a location on the roadway determined by the total stopping distance for a car traveling the speed limit plus 10 miles per hour. That ensured that every driver had ample time to see the pedestrian and safely come to a stop before reaching the crosswalk.
Under the law, motorists have to yield to a pedestrian once he or she has entered a crosswalk, Capt. J.G. Booker said.
The police set up operations at crosswalks near South Greensboro and Carr streets, North Greensboro and Shelton streets and Hillsborough Road and Parkview Avenue, according to Booker.
“It was more successful than we thought it would be as far as citing violators, which is a little bit discouraging, because it really puts an emphasis on how big and consistent the problem is,†he said.
However, Booker said that since the operations he had noticed more vehicles stopping for pedestrians in crosswalks, especially on the outskirts of town.
“I do think it’s helped a little bit and I think we need to do it again,†he said.
Booker pointed out that bicycles also have to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, adding that officers had issued citations to bicyclists as well as drivers of cars and motorcycles.
“Anything that applies to a vehicle … is relevant to a bicycle, because a bicycle is described in the statute as a vehicle,†he said. “They have to follow all the same rules of the road.â€
Booker said he hopes that the operations will educate the public about the law, adding, “I don’t think most people want to violate that. I just think they’re driving and they’re sort of in their own world.â€
I wish the City of Durham PD would try this.