Dear Editor:
Regarding the April 14 letter to the editor, Hit by Car Story Insensitive: I totally agree with the writer about the alleged hit and run action. If it turns out to be true, this would be a callous act and one that needs to be addressed by the law.
However, the reason I am expressing my opinion is the writer's statement that it is legal to jaywalk in many European countries. There is good reason jaywalking is illegal here. There would be tremendous mayhem on the road if everybody did their own thing. While I drive, I need to have certain signals from other drivers to avoid collisions. I cannot foresee if the other driver or pedestrian does something unexpectedly and crosses my path. This is the reason to give signals of your intentions to the other driver. If a person comes out from between two cars to cross the road, he/she must look at the traffic and signal the drivers in order to cross safely. A lot of drivers will stop for a jaywalker to let them safely cross - but don't count on it.
Just last Thursday I was waiting with a group of people at Lonsdale and 16th for the light to change green, when a young person, skateboard in hand, could not wait and decided to cross, on the pedestrian crosswalk while the light was red. Sooner or later some kid does the same and gets killed. Wearing dark clothes on a rainy night is an invitation for accidents to happen. If a pedestrian cannot make himself visible to the driver, how can the driver prevent a collision? I live in Upper Lynn Valley and in the evening a lot of walkers and joggers are out for exercise. I have noticed an interesting trend: a lot of people, as well as their dogs wear one of those flashing red bicycle lights, making them far more visible.
I invite the writer for a ride on one of those dark nights to show him what it is like out there when people in dark clothes lurch out at you from the darkness of the sidewalk and demand to cross the road in front of your car. Make sure you bring your life insurance.
Michael Stichnoth, North Vancouver
