Miami Beach crosswalks are unsafe for pedestrians and this is why...

[Liam Crotty]

For the record, I’m not one of those disgruntled citizens who constantly complains about life in Miami Beach. On the contrary, I’m usually the one person in a crowd who talks about how much I love living here. Miami Beach is a great city. Additionally, I think the Miami Beach Police Department does a good job. I mean, in general, I feel very safe living here. I like to look at the “Big Picture” and Miami Beach’s big picture is very good. There are, of course, exceptions and today I experienced one of the most blatant issues about living in Miami Beach: crosswalks. You see, I’m one of those naive people who think motorists should yield to pedestrians in a cross walk. But in Miami Beach, on a daily basis, I see examples where motorists don’t yield. Today was one of the worst examples of how the Miami Beach Police choose NOT to enforce this law, thus exacerbating the issue.

To read the entire post, with all the details, go here:

Miami Beach crosswalks are unsafe for pedestrians and this is why… » Liam Crotty Photography



Have you had any similar experiences? What can we do to improve the situation?

Liam Crotty is a Miami Beach photographer specializing in portraiture. To follow his work, friend him on Liam Crotty Photography | Facebook or Twitter.

[Doug]

Hi Liam, in your blog, you said it was a public safety vehicle that failed to go after the offending vehicle. I know public safety is an umbrella term which includes parking/meters, fire/rescue, ocean rescue, code enforcement, etc. Probably only the police themselves would pull them over, right? Maybe they were parking enforcement? I fully admit my knowledge of Miami Beach bureaucracy is a bit limited.

[Liam Crotty]

Hi Liam, in your blog, you said it was a public safety vehicle that failed to go after the offending vehicle. I know public safety is an umbrella term which includes parking/meters, fire/rescue, ocean rescue, code enforcement, etc. Probably only the police themselves would pull them over, right? Maybe they were parking enforcement? I fully admit my knowledge of Miami Beach bureaucracy is a bit limited.

Hey Doug,

Good point. There are many "layers" to the government and police department here. It was not a Parking Enforcement vehicle. I know what those vehicles look like. There are Public Safety officers and vehicles--they say "Public Safety" right on the vehicle. It's difficult to say what these officers are allowed to do. Does anyone know?

[Matt Meltzer]

Liam, the thing is the police here have bigger (and more lucrative) things to worry about than nabbing motorists who don't stop for crosswalks. I mean, yeah, in Gainesville they actually used to stake out crosswalks and write tickets. But here, we have bigger fish to fry.

Also, if that became commonplace behavior here, traffic would become BEYOND unbearable. Imagine sitting at Alton and 17th waiting for pedestrians to cross so people could make a right onto Alton. you'd be there 4-5 light cycles every time. Epic Fail. As I've said, Miami motorists are efficient, and get places as fast as they can. Pedestrians can deal.

And if you're gonna start enforcing this nonsense, why not start enforcing jaywalking too?

[Liam Crotty]

Here's my blog post about this photograph: http://www.liamcrotty.com/index.php/...n-south-beach/

[Doug]

As bad as it could be in South Beach, it was even worse in New Orleans. Cars turning left into a crosswalk, for example, very seldom stop there. I used to wait until the side street had a red and cross on the green, because at least I could see the cars coming on the road I was crossing. After Katrina, it seemed like everyone kicked their pedestrian aggressions up a notch.

[Matt Meltzer]

Again, though, when people stop when turning for people crossing the street it creates a trementdous traffic buildup. It's actually better for all involved in drivers DON'T stop and pedestrians just wait for an appropriate opening. Otherwise, congesiton just creates more road rage.

[Liam Crotty]

Finally the City of Miami Police are doing something about motorists not yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks! Thank you Miami Police....keep up the work. Very much appreciated...http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/3...-brickell.html

[Matt Meltzer]

I still don't get why people think this is a good tihnk. It slows traffic immeasurably. downgrading our quality of life. rtraffic on Brickell is bad enough as it is. We want MORE lights? And people to go SLOWER? AND stop for people corssing? Hey, how about just crossing with the light at the few designated intersections?

I hate Marc Sarnoff, he ruined the grove and every single time I hear about something happeneing I don't like with the CIty, he's behind it.

[coach]

Actually, a pedestrian-friendly city enhances quality of life, not degrades it. Check the research if you don't believe me. There's tons of it and it all points to less cars + more walking/biking/mass transit = higher quality of life.

They have been putting up tons more stop signs throughout my neighborhood (Flamingo Park area) and I am SO happy for it. Yeah, it takes me a few more seconds to get home, but it is so much better when I am walking around.

We definitely want more lights. We want slower speed limits. Basically, anything that discourages people from driving within the city is a good thing, particularly the residential streets.

Matt, your suggestion is to make the pedestrian go out of his or her way to find a light at the few designated intersections? How about the driver finding a new route, instead? I mean, the driver is just sitting on his or her lazy butt, why not make him or her go out of their way? Or just make them stop at a few more stop signs/lights. Why does the pedestrian have to be the one inconvenienced? I don't understand that. We should be encouraging pedestrians, not cars.

[Blackford Oakes]

The enmedded video looks like 14th St.

Brickell and 8th is probably worse. It also happens to be how I get off and on Brickell Key. I wait the pedestrains out and flip a bird if the peeps behind me honk....even if my wife got's me running behind schedule.

[Matt Meltzer]

Because the reality is people aren't finding other options. People will drive here, we're never going to have good mass transit, and ouside maybe South Beach and a few other areas nobody's going to walk either. Sooooo, IMO the main focus should be ease of traffic flow. Make it more pleasant because we have more drivers than pedestrians.

I mean, I bike more than almost anyone on this site, and I still beleive we need less lights, stop signs, and corsswalks. In a small city, sure, pedestrian friendlineess works. But not in sprawl.

Blackie, I"m pretty sure I've laid on the horn at you once or twice. Stopping for pedestrians can sometimes mean people get stuck at a light 2-3 cycles. It seems kind of inconsiderate to the drivers behind you.

[Blackford Oakes]

Matt - At least you live another day to tell us about it. What about the pedestrians ?

[Matt Meltzer]

They can wait. Or find another route. That's the ponit, like pedestrians can pretty mcuh cross anywhere or find any route they please. Cars are more limited.Remember, I'm a pedestrian too, and I still think, yeah. let the cars go as fast as they need to. Like talking on the cell phone while driving, I"m willing to be inconvenienced at times so I can be convenienced at others.

[Catt]

drivers are not more important than pedestrians, and their rights do not eclipse the rights of a walker to be able to cross the street safely. it's not incumbent upon a pedestrian to jump through all kinds of hoops, or go out of their way to 'figure out' a way to simply cross the street safely - that's why there are painted walkways, and 'walk' signals.

Drivers need to utilize the basic manners they were taught at age 5 - wait their damn turn and have some courtesy for others. AND have the sense to exercise 2 minutes of basic self-control. If they are so selfish and impatient that they fly off the handle and get all road-ragey cause they might have to wait through a signal cycle during times of heavy traffic, well too bad for them - they have issues.

Pedestrians have right-of-way when the signal indicates it. Drivers can't just mow them down or force them to have to jump out of the way, just cause the traffic is heavy at that moment and the driver is too impatient to wait a couple minutes to be safe on the road. Too bad, so sad....they have to suck it up, share the road, and wait their turn. I drive this way, and i could not care less about the a-hole behind me who starts leaning on the horn .003 seconds after the light turns green - if walkers are crossing in front of me, they cross before I turn, and everyone behind me can kiss my courteous behind.

[kimosabe]

The enmedded video looks like 14th St.

Brickell and 8th is probably worse. It also happens to be how I get off and on Brickell Key. I wait the pedestrains out and flip a bird if the peeps behind me honk....even if my wife got's me running behind schedule.

Just place a traffic officer there.I'm sure we pay enough taxes to get more man power for obvious safety reasons.

[Matt Meltzer]

You're not courteous, Catt. That's my point, You are courteous to the pedestrians, but rude to the drivers.

As I've said, I think traffic really is the #1 deterrent to quality of life in a city that is car dependent. Like Miami. Anything I can do to help it move faster I will. People just don't seem to understand that. One thing I do like about Miami, though, is drivers tend to understand that. Why traffic laws are so flagrantly violated. A lot of them create more traffic, so it is much more efficient to drive that way. This is an argument I know I'm not going to win, but if everyone was so damn concerned about the stupid walkers Miamians would drive differently. Why I think I'm actually in the majority here. Just not on the forums.

[Catt]

and my point is that it's NOT 'rude' to drivers; it is simply requiring them to wait their turn, something that everyone learned when they were 5.

I understand what you are saying, I just do not agree that catering 'only' to those who are driving, is always the priority.

Drivers who feel that everyone must always defer to THEM, are the rude ones. There are other people who also have to be considered, and respected.... namely, walkers. People who think walkers are "stupid", and/or feel that people who do not own a car, are 'less than', and must detour or otherwise skirt around trying to find some way they can cross a street without getting hit -- now that, is what's rude.

Allowing walkers to walk when they have the signal - and therefore the right of way - for 60 damn seconds, is merely adhering to the right of way laws. Drivers are the rude ones by being so impatient that they consider only their own wants, and disregard other people who also have to use the roads, even if not in a car.

[Doug]

I'm hearing contradictory statements: ticketed drivers say the police decoys literally jumped in front of their cars and they had no choice but to keep going in order to avoid being rear ended by the car behind them, while the police and many pedestrians feel that traffic is blatantly disregarding the crosswalk rules. The videos posted above certainly show that the latter point of view has validity, though I don't believe these videos are from an actual sting. I wonder if it would be possible for the police to videotape each violation they ticket (maybe from above?) so it doesn't just turn into a story of "he said, she said."

[Matt Meltzer]

That's what we need, Doug. More police surveilence cameras.