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By Valerie Kalfrin
The Tampa Tribune
TAMPA - Dean Hansen, a security guard at the Bank of America building downtown, watches morning commuters each day break the law.
“Jaywalkers, individuals running lights… We have people that will park in the crosswalk and make pedestrians go around,” Hansen said Thursday. “We see accidents most of the time because people aren’t paying attention.”
As Hansen spoke, a white pickup truck turned right onto Tampa Street from Jackson Street using the middle lane. A few moments later, a man using a cell phone dashed across three empty lanes of Tampa Street from the middle of the block in front of the Hyatt Regency.
A day before the Shriner’s Convention brings an estimated 20,000 additional pedestrians to downtown Tampa, police conducted an awareness campaign that focused on downtown commuters, ticketing drivers and warning pedestrians about traffic laws.
“It’s your safety we’re trying to look out for,” said Sgt. Ken Orrill, astride his motorcycle at Jackson and Tampa streets.
Police reports show pedestrians were at fault in three out of the four pedestrian fatalities this year. Most pedestrian fatalities occur when people dash across the road in the middle of the block, not in a crosswalk, police said.
There were nine pedestrian fatalities recorded in Tampa last year and 49 recorded in Hillsborough County.
Between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. Thursday, Orrill and eight other officers downtown issued motorists 29 tickets for running red lights, seven for violating pedestrians” right of way by blocking the crosswalk and three for turning from the wrong lane.
They also handed out 23 warnings to pedestrians, such as the man using the cell phone. The warning, the size of a bookmark, cites Florida’s pedestrian laws on the back - walked on the sidewalk, not the roadway, obeying traffic signals - and reminds people they can be fined $48.50 for not following these laws.
It is great that the police are cracking down on vehicular and pedestrian violations. So many pedestrians SLOWLY cross the busy streets of Florida and Tampa while there is a “no walk” signal. It is amazing to me there are not more pedestrian fatalities.
It’s about time! Both pedestrians and drivers need to be made aware of the traffic rules and regulations. My husband and I were almost hit Tuesday evening as we were turning on a green light at the intersection of Hwy 60 and the Publix shopping center. A motorist traveling east on Hwy 60 flew through the red light while talking on her cell phone. No brakes , nothing. She was totally unaware what she was doing. Since living in Fl. for 32 years we continue to see drivers turning from the middle lanes onto a side street. Lastly but certainly not least pedestrians crossing Hwy 60 in the middle of the intersection not on the cross walk or even obeying the traffic light. You would think injury or death would disuade these folks but probably money speaks even louder and brings the subject to their attention.
As a pedestrian and a runner, I have had several close calls at downtown Tampa intersections. I never assume a driver sees me or is even going to stop, so I have avoided being hit (so far). One thing that I feel would dramatically cut down on vehicle/pedestrian accidents is to eliminate the “right on red” turn at several of the major intersections. And then enforce it. (I see cars turning at the “No right on red” sign at Tampa St. and Brorein all the time.) A few signs are all that is needed. This is critical if Tampa ever hopes to become “pedestrian-friendly”.
Well, this time it’s because of the shriners. I find it amazing that every once in a while the police enforce certain traffic laws. Isn’t their job to do it all the time?
I feel more towns, including small towns, should be doing the same thing. Apollo Beach is growing and I am seeing more and more people running lights, speeding etc… It’a big problem!
I’m sure the pedestrians that get ticketed are saying “You have got to be kidding!”. I grew up back when pedestrian laws were constantly cited to me and were probably upheld more. I think it’s great. Along another line that needs to be addressed with “traps” set up if necessary, is the 4 way stop situation when lights are out. I do anything I can to avoid such situations because if you do the PROPER thing you are TWICE as likely to cause an accident then if you just go with the flow. I drive for a living and am dreading all the traffic light outages I know are coming up this rainy season . Traffic laws are not inconviences folks, they’re protection devices .
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Posted by Cintra Marks, Pedestrians - Downtown Tampa on 06/29 at 04:09 PM
I work downtown and walk to and from the parking garage to my office each day. Even though there are pedestrian signs placed at crosswalks, 95% of cars pay no attention the signs. I have nearly been hit a few times, people I work with have been hit and I have witnessed people being placed into ambulances after being hit. It is my understanding that Florida has a law stating that cars must allow pedestrians to enter crosswalks (whether at a stop light or not) or they can be fined $100. There are signs posted around St. Armands circle and on Sanibel Island that have yellow flashers and notify drivers of the potential $100 fine for failing to yield to pedestrians. We need those signs in Tampa.