Powder House Circle traffic violations

[somerfriend.livejournal.com]

I've grown increasingly alarmed at the cars running red lights at Powder House Circle.  You take your life into your own hands crossing through there.   Having a walk signal isn't enough to ensure you will survive, you have to make sure no cars are close enough to reach you if they don't decide to stop for their red light.  I shudder to think how dangerous it would be to cross if one was a senior or not able to move quickly.

I realize the design of the rotary is somewhat confusing for the driver and somewhat easy to miss the traffic light as they go around the circle, but I don't really care, one of the most basic part of driving is obeying traffic lights and not injuring people.  

So I guess I'll take this to an alderman, or resistat, or the committee on traffic or something.  Just wondering if there have been efforts in the past.  It seems to me a camera should be installed there and fines issued.  Could be a revenue generator for the city.

Comments

[somerfriend.livejournal.com]

I understand that the design of the rotary is confusing in many places. However the red light that should make cars stop to the cross walk on the western side is not confusing. In this case you are crossing under a light that is red and it is clearly wrong. Just because you don't expect a light to be there in a rotary doesn't mean it is not and that it is OK to go under it. It is in plain sight.

[ftwhiterabbit.livejournal.com]

I understand how harrowing it must seem as a pedestrian, but writing as a driver, even with the best of intentions, one can still miss those particular red lights. In addition to the STOP sign vs. traffic light variable at that rotary, when it's super busy, you also have to track multiple cars, buses, bicycles and pedestrians coming from every which direction, which can be overwhelming to even the most experienced of drivers. I've driven that rotary several times a week for five years, and IMO the worst is heading toward Boston on Broadway. It often feels like a game of chicken. You're looking for that brief opening in foot/vehicle traffic while trying to keep your head from spinning (and ignoring the jerk behind you who is honking and urging you to drive like a maniac), and then you finally get an opening and go, only to then immediately think to yourself -- "Oh, cr*p, did the light turn red while I was tracking those 12 different moving people/vehicles?!? I really hope the light hadn't turned red!! Aaaaagh!!"

I say this as someone who is SUPER careful on the road, has been driving in major cities for 10+ years, and is confident in heavy city traffic. Also, I used public transit and walked for years before I started driving, so I very much respect and understand the pedestrian viewpoint. The bottom line is, that rotary SUCKS. We all have to work together to get through it safely.

Having said all of that, I have seen people heading away from Boston on Broadway blast through that STOP sign during lighter traffic, and it horrifies me. THAT is not okay, and I would love to see those jerks get ticketed.