Riding my bike on the Orange Line Bike
Path the other day I had a revelation.
Usually I ride up to the beg button,
hit it as I ride a tight circle and wait for the light to cycle to
the little white guy so I can cross at the crosswalk.
This day was different, as a couple was
standing in front of the button. I thought they had pressed it and
were waiting to cross. I was wrong.
They were just standing there.
So the signal goes through it's cycle
without ever giving the walk phase.
5 minutes later I can finally cross
after hitting the button.
Why the hell do I have to press the
button in the first place?
OK, at any regular intersection here in
L.A. I would not be as pissed off as I can understand that if the
signal was to go through the “walk” phase every time it cycled
drivers would have to wait the extra 25 seconds which to them is
UNEXECPTABLE!
But on the Orange Line Bike Path???
This is a place where there are major
bus stops at regular intervals which are analogous to a subway stop
here in the San Fernando Valley, so there are always people making
their ways across the intersections, not to mention IT'S A DAMN BIKE
PATH!!!
The DEFAULT should be for EVERY
intersection along the bike path to go through the walk phase
EVERYTIME.
Why should people who walk, bike, skate
etc., every other form of transportation EXCEPT automobiles have to
wait EVERYTIME to cross the intersection?
BECAUSE IN LOS ANGELES IF YOU ARE NOT
DRIVING YOU ARE A BEGGAR.
That's right, hit that button or you
will stand there for 5 minutes. OR you could take your chance on a
green light and cross when the walk signal is not lit, but I would
rather forgo the expensive fine that the LAPD enjoys handing out for
this.
The city could reprogram the signals if
they so saw fit, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for that!
Is this a part of the “Vision Zero”
plan Mr. Mayor? Making it harder for everyone except motorist to
cross the street?
A lot of people just take their chances
and cross without the walk phase, I'm sure that this makes it safer
for them?
Just another example of how the city
discriminates against non-motorized travelers.
Most people want to follow the law, but
if you go out of your way to make it hard for people to do so, on a
major transportation corridor none the less, then some will break the
law.
Live up to your promise Mr. Mayor and
help make L.A. a place where people can get out of their cars and use
public or non-motorized transportation without being penalized for
doing so.
Vision Zero? Right?
