The Observation Deck

ON WARREN road, I drive south from Clifton, towards Detroit, more often than not, cars traveling west on Detroit, creep forward "to make the light" and they' get stuck in the intersection, no one can move, isn't there a law? Where is the traffic enforcement?

"The Powers That Be" like it this way.
They want to slow traffic in downtown in an attempt to have drivers notice local businesses.
If there is an accident or two at that intersection, that's just the cost of doing business.

I actually think that the traffic conditions are bad for businesses. Drivers pay more attention (as they should) to cars around them and the numerous traffic lights. This means that window displays and promotional signage goes mostly unnoticed. A business can spend a lot of money on a sign but if no one has a chance to look up at it is it really worth it?

Corey Rossen wrote:I actually think that the traffic conditions are bad for businesses. Drivers pay more attention (as they should) to cars around them and the numerous traffic lights. This means that window displays and promotional signage goes mostly unnoticed. A business can spend a lot of money on a sign but if no one has a chance to look up at it is it really worth it?

I agree. In addition, many folks (like me) avoid downtown whenever possible....which is defeats the purpose.

Isn't this kind of a BLM strategy on a municipal scale?

I am not against people who ride bikes, however, when are the police going to start ticketing them? A lot go through red lights, right turn on red, etc. I thought they had to follow the rules of the road too.

I agree Lori, I have never seen a biker pulled over, they are supposed to obey the laws. Police do not have enough time to bother with it.

james fitzgibbons wrote:I agree Lori, I have never seen a biker pulled over, they are supposed to obey the laws. Police do not have enough time to bother with it.

I have been pulled over in Lakewood on a bike for red lights.

I have also been pulled over in Lakewood for running a red light while cycling. And I know others who have, too, besides Cory.

In the past three years, my wife and I have seen 10 bike riders obey the traffic laws. I have had three close encounters with bikers who blatantly disregard the law and put their lives in jeopardy . One of those was Tom Bullock who was going home after a council meeting and he was wearing a black helmet and dark clothing.

Mr. Bullock should sponsor legislation on the equipping of bikes for nighttime riding. These should include reflective safety vests, helmets, proper lighting and most of all, all bikes should be registered. A fair license fee, in my judgment, should be at least $25 per year if bikers want to share the roadway with automobile operators.

What you are seeing, more and more often during the day, is the result of the "traffic calming" trend sweeping Cuyahoga County. If anything, this traffic calming philosophy creates more road rage if you ask me...and it's not necessarily directed towards the cars around you but to the idiots who create and approve such street striping that leads to gridlock. Detroit used to move along like nobody's business. Those were the days!

I'd like it if traffic laws were written to manage a given vehicle's potential danger to others.

For example, a 2000 pound steel box rolling down Detroit at 35 miles per hour is quite a bit more dangerous to other people than a bicycle rolling along at 15 miles per hour.

The person on the bike rolling along at 15 MPH is quite a bit more dangerous than a person walking.

People using public rights of way should be held accountable for the danger they pose to others.

But this is serious thread drift.

What began this conversation was someone pointing out that people driving cars habitually move into the Detroit Ave intersection with Warren and get stuck there after the light changes, effectively making a wall against traffic entering from Warren.

jackie f taylor wrote:ON WARREN road, I drive south from Clifton, towards Detroit, more often than not, cars traveling west on Detroit, creep forward "to make the light" and they' get stuck in the intersection, no one can move, isn't there a law? Where is the traffic enforcement?

This never happened when the X crosswalk was there.

I remember the "X" crosswalk as a child.
It's the only one of its kind that ever remember seeing.
It stuck in my mind because it looked like a Confederate flag. (Back in the 70s, the Confederate flag did not have such negative connotations...it belonged to the Dukes of Hazzard and Southern rockers).

Does anyone know how long it was there?
Where did the idea come from?
Why did they get rid of it?