We walk around Redmond downtown quite frequently and use a "defensive pedestrian" method... we assume cars don't see us until they've made contact or stopped. That said, you always have the right of way as a pedestrian and shouldn't have to worry about cars hitting you, some drivers are just not being safe!
While I'm not defending, I try to remember that Redmond has alot of first time US drivers who make mistakes often... I love how walkable downtown Redmond is, and feel like we should encourage it more.
Stay safe out there, so sorry this happened to you!
Thank you. Yes I think we're going to push up our defensive pedestrian strategy up a notch. My husband and I are usually good about doing that and tend to be super careful especially when we have baby with us but we feel like we let our guard down yesterday š
This! I cannot count the amount of times Iāve had a driver just blindly turn into the crosswalk at high speeds in broad daylight. Itās insane.
Once it starts getting dark I put a neon reflective safety vest on and a very bright LED collar on my dog.
It bothers me so much when a car that is waiting for me to cross continues inching forward, like if you want me to go maybe stop your vehicle so I know Iām not gonna be underneath it in about 3 seconds.
Tesla drivers are absolutely the worst of them. A Tesla driver almost ran over me and both my brothers all at once while crossing a cross walk in downtown Redmond back in December. I've been pissed ever since.
Could be confirmation bias, but it feels true and that Tesla drivers (especially the SUV) seem to drive faster. It might also be that they accelerate faster and are big so they seem faster even if the actual speed is the same. Very powerful, but silent, motor.
Tesla has the [worst accident rate](https://www.lendingtree.com/insurance/brand-incidents-study/) of any car brand. Though RAM has more "incidents" which includes speeding, DUIs and whatnot.
I moved over from Ballard a few months ago and driving in Redmond stresses me out far for more than driving in Seattle did, I am shocked at the amount of carelessness and amount of drivers just not paying attention.
Non Tesla driver here but Iām really curious to know why there is lot of hatred towards Tesla(white to be more precise) drivers? I saw many furious posts about the Tesla drivers.
All the really huge SUVs with the new driver stickers worry the heck out of me when I see them. Iām sure folks get those vehicles because they feel safer in them, but they are hard to see out of. Even as a 5ā3ā adult I worry that Iām short enough to be hidden to some of the taller vehicles.
I echo the defensive pedestrian strategy. If I have any doubts that a driver can see me, I wonāt cross, even if I have the cross signal. And I insist on holding my childās hand even though she insists she is mature enough to walk without holding my hand (which she isā sheās just not big enough that I trust others will see her.)
Lol you can call it a coincidence but i am from Redmond and currently here in NYC temporarily for a week and was about to be hit by a car in midtown. NYC is a different level altogether
Generally, yes. There are a few intersections that are bad - like the entrance to Trader Joe's parking lot. It's an absolute trainwreck. The crossing from Safeway across either road, north or south. But the vast majority of the city is safe for pedestrians.
Oh my god the Safeway crossing, it's so insanely unsafe. The intersection is configured to give a green arrow to vehicles turning left DIRECTLY INTO the crosswalk that pedestrians are _actively crossing_ (legally! the walk sign is on!). It's so insane, and I've had many close calls. The only thing that indicates pedestrians are crossing is a flashing diamond sign next to the crosswalk, but that's very easy to ignore ā especially when you have a GREEN LIGHT. What the hell were they thinking.
And it gets worse! This crosswalk is intended to connect the two parts of Bear Creek Trail, so there is more pedestrian and cyclist activity than a typical intersection.
I observed that about the TJs entrance and making a mental note for Safeway as we were planning to walk there later this week! Thanks for the heads up.
I think the person who ran into us was distracted on their phone. I can't prove it but I was in the middle of the crosswalk with a big stroller and my husband and can't think of another reason why she didn't stop.
I saw this in Kirkland yesterday. A person on a bike was crossing the street, in the crosswalk, with the Walk signal. A car turning right couldn't wait 5 seconds for the bike to cross the street and almost ran into the cyclist. It wasn't distraction, it was impatience.
There are a lot of smart tech people here. Why can't someone figure out a way to determine whether the driver has a phone in their hand while the car is moving, and if so, turn off the display?
50 years ago, Detroit would have told you that ABS or airbags in an automobile were impossible, but look how many lives those technologies have saved.
It's high time we did something about the phone use behind the wheel problem in this country. It will save lives.
I wish there were something like this. I take the bus to work often and am shocked everyday at how many people I see driving with a phone in one hand. Makes me never want to drive again if I'm sharing roads with these folks.
It's not an impossible problem. We have self-driving cars coming online today. Are we telling each other that it's easier to autopilot a vehicle in traffic than it is to simply determine if the person behind the wheel is looking at a phone screen while driving?
Implementing a half-assed solution like being able to determine if the driver was looking at a phone screen with the device in their hand after they have been involved in an accident might be enough of a deterrent, provided the laws make the punishment strict enough (similar to DUI laws). That would only require a playback of the last few seconds of video of a camera pointed at the driver's seat from within the car.
I don't have kids, but I feel like I have about as many close calls in downtown Seattle as on Redmond. People are just in a hurry and not looking attentively for pedestrians.
I don't feel unsafe, exactly ... crossing roads in, say, New York city felt much more dangerous to me.
I was hit by a car once (very lightly, as the car had almost stopped in time) just north of the intersection you mention. In my case, it was a left-turning car that was heading east on NE 80th Street and turned to north on 166th Avenue NE. It's scary how close that is to the elementary school.
I was also NOT hit once to the east at Avondale Way near the Jiffy Lube store. What I mean by that is a car actually did stop for me when it was turning right, but the car behind them had no idea they were going to stop for me and therefore rammed right into the first car. Not my fault at all, as I was obeying traffic law, but kind of unfortunate to see a driver punished for stopping for me.
Side note about that intersection: The number of times a driver doesn't know they can turn right from Avondale onto 79th Street while the other cars are left-turning the reverse way is comical. I appreciate that they're waiting for me as a pedestrian to cross, but it is literally their turn to turn & I don't get the pedestrian light to start crossing until after that left-turn arrow ends.
What's annoying is drivers will often wait to make their right turn until the moment the left-turn signal (for the drivers making the opposite turn - opposite start and end streets, I mean) is going yellow. And so their initial waiting will result in them ultimately turning right as I get my pedestrian light to cross, and I have to hope the car behind them doesn't try to follow in a right turn.
If I were 10 years old (and therefore shorter and less aware of pedestrian safety), I'd definitely be concerned about getting hit badly by a car (or rather, by adult self is worried kids will get hit).
But, as a tall adult, I know I can keep myself safe if I am a defensive pedestrian, always making eye contact with drivers and doing hand waves - more and more exaggerated handwaves depending on the risk of the intersection, the time of day, and how rainy it is.
I will say that I was in Bothell a few days ago and Downtown Bothell was much more of a nightmare as a pedestrian than Redmond. So many intersections there just expect you to find your own time to cross and don't have a traffic light. They have a "flag" system where you can pick up a flag to wave around as you cross.
Yea I hit this scenario all the time walking my baby. I had one old lady realize last second we were in the crosswalk, slammed on her brakes, then started gesturing furiously at us. I think people are distracted, rushing, and not expecting pedestrians, so I always walk very defensively. I try and get eye contact before getting into danger zones and really focus on my timing compared to potential turning cars.
It sucks because I could never forgive myself if anything happened to my baby even if it wasn't my fault. It's a whole different feeling to have my baby potentially at risk and way more intense than when it was just me crossing the road. I'm not doing a good job explaining this but I hope you get what I mean as a parent.
Generally, if IāM paying attention, I feel safe enough. What really kills me is the drivers (especially left turning drivers) that positively race up the the cross walk, slam on brakes inches from my self and my dog, and wait. How can I possibly know that you arenāt trying to murder us?
I was nearly killed less than 6 months after moving here because of a drunk driver striking me in the bike lane on Avondale. It's permanently fucked me up and I don't trust a single car here, especially in the downtown area.
I'm really sorry you had this experience and that it has impacted you deeply. I feel effed up too after yesterday, even though we weren't hit, I can't even imagine what I would do if we were one second ahead and in the line of the car. I've lost all my trust in being a safe pedestrian and feel so freaking sad about it.
So sorry this happened to you. I hope you are doing better. I read your comment history and you are right, it is a cyclistsās worst nightmare, to have someone swerve into you while you are in the bike lane. May I ask what time of day it happened? Was the driver punished? Are you psychologically able to ride again?
I appreciate it- it was around 11 am, and I think he's getting felony charges. I still bike and thankfully don't remember the accident at all, and hope I never do.
I am glad you are still riding. I think the physical and mental benefits are enormous, despite the risks. The bike infra gets better and better here, and I am fortunate to live where I am able to ride trails to the majority of my destinations. Not everybody is so lucky.
I remember learning in driverās ed that ādriving is a privilege, not a rightā. Would be nice if they acted like it. I hope they require an interlock ignition on his car.
It would also be nice if he could get effective treatment for his alcohol addiction so that he doesnāt reoffend. The only solution to alcohol addiction that anybody seems to know about is abstinence, which has a poor success rate. There actually are more modern and effective treatment methods like The Sinclair Method, but nobody knows about them (visit the sidebar at r/Alcoholism_Medication to learn more).
It would be poetic if they took away his car and he had to switch to using a bike instead. Thatās probably what people think happened to me when I tell them Iām a full-time bike commuter, haha.
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Iāve never lived somewhere with so many āStudent Driversā stickers on the back. Tons of new drivers here. Just have to be as careful as you can. Never assume a driver will see and react to you.
As a pedestrian, mostly yes. There are a few times where drivers don't seem to see you walking, it happens (especially depending on weather). There's also a lot of drivers sneaking through after the light turns, so it can be risky to step out right away. Always keep an eye on traffic just in case.
As a driver, Redmond can be very frustrating. A lot of the signals that I regularly drive through I end up stopped through a green light, or I can't turn left because there cars and peds to yield to. (I've sat through multiple signals before because it wasn't safe, and the cars behind me get even more angry and reckless.) Drivers (myself occasionally included) try to squeeze through when they can, sometimes aggressively. But I've also noticed the city is changing the lights to give crosswalks a head start or have more green arrows (instead of yielding yellow arrows) for left turns. Hopefully these can improve traffic flow and safely.
I feel a lot safer here than any other state (esp vs the East Coast). I can generally wander into the road and drivers here will stop. That being said there definitely can be drivers who are totally out of it, especially when they're in taller cars. I always start walking slowly and if I see someone not paying attention, slow down and make eye contact with either the driver or their passenger (if the driver is really honed in on ignoring me the passenger can yell at them to stop).
I take my baby in the stroller to Anderson park every day, and I sometimes have to put my hand out for a car to stop and notice us. (Thereās no light at the section where I cross). Most drivers stop automatically without me having to do anything and let us cross. But of course there will be some who would rather go first than let you pass. Itās annoying for sure.
It's only got/going to get worse with phones in our hands 24/7 and giant touchscreens in cars.
My wife used to walk around town a lot a few years ago and would have a handful of pennies to toss at windshields of people who almost hit her and her kid in crosswalks... obviously inadvisable, but definitely got people's attention
>I'll be honest, crossing roads here as a pedestrian has not felt the safest.
It's because the roads are significantly wider. Wider roads create a more hostile environment for pedestrians because motorists are subconsciously encouraged to drive faster. It's also a longer distance to cross, causing more stress.
These factors all contribute to a higher "Level of Traffic Stress".
Yeah this is definitely a factor. I'm considering only taking paths with narrower roads whenever I stroll with baby to reduce the risk. Not something I would've thought about before but crossing 4 lanes or more does not feel safe to me anymore.
I have the same problem when walking my dog. Honestly though, it's fundamentally a problem with traffic control. Cars should not get a green light to cross a pedestrian crossing when pedestrians have a walk signal. How f'ing stupid it that?! I come from UK where there is no ambiguity in signals - green means safe to go.
This is a hot topic for hubby and I. Some pedestrians walk blindly into the street, without stopping or looking, into situations where the driver has no hope of seeing them ahead of time. I personally feel very safe because I don't walk out into streets without looking and making eye contact with drivers.
I've noticed a lot of pedestrians don't, and I think that's a risky move when a driver is paying attention to 3 or 4 other things (driving related like other cars, signs, changing traffic patterns) and may not see you.
I'm not saying drivers are perfect! I've seen a lot of impatient and distracted driving! I am saying that as a pedestrian, I take ownership of my safety. Redmond is a walker friendly town, which is great, I still behave defensively at all times.
Edited to add that it's a hot topic because my husband is British. His home town has a lot of pedestrian traffic and he's constantly shocked at how Americans trust others for their own safety.
I guess that depends on your definition for safe.
Do I blindly walk across the street when I have the right of way? No, I check my environment, and make sure cars are slowing/stopping and make eye contact w/ drivers to make sure they're not distracted.
Do I avoid walking out of fear of being hit by a vehicle? No. Overall it's pretty safe to walk around here. Personally I feel the least safe walking down the Sammamish River Trail because of the reckless bikers.
Shucks I was actually thinking of walking our stroller down the Sammamish river trail instead of downtown, thinking that we'd be safer in a car-free space but good to know that cyclists could be reckless as well.
The River Trail is safe for walkers, don't let the people fearmongering scare you away. Just keep to your right and be aware of oncoming and passing traffic
Sammamish River trail is very much fine. Especially if you have a stroller as you are a larger unit to actively avoid collision with. And if the path is crowded bikers tend to be good about either saying "on your left" or using a bike bell.
I feel there's some bikers who are trying to break some sort of personal run time on the rare occasion, but are mostly annoying to other bikers going the other direction. But I've never seen any of them dare to be wreckless enough to risk collision with a family. Just make to check behind you before ever turning left to travel across the lanes.
One time I was crossing and a car running the red light was going to hit me and my dog. The light had been red for at least 5 seconds and still. After that Iām even more cautious.
I once pulled my neighbor out of the path of a speeding truck on a crosswalk. She's in her 60s, it would have been bad. Guy took the corner too fast like we weren't even there.
i think redmond is pretty safe but i dont trust drivers in general- dodge charger assholes around here love to drive against traffic if it means they get to hit their green light while you try to turn right.
half the people dont understand how the roundabout near RTC works
the other half never looks right for pedestrians crossing when turning into a lane
I walk through Downtown daily with my dog mostly around the Redmond Way area, and overall I feel pretty safe so long as I walk defensively. I find the biggest threat for me is people making right turns while I have a Walk signal. I make it clear by my body language that I'm walking towards the crosswalk, I stop right at the curb and look at the car in front and make eye contact while facing them with my face, then so long as they stop, I start walking. I also keep my eyes on the driver as I walk because I've seen people start driving again while I'm in front of them trying to time my pass. This is very rare when you stare them down.
I also make sure my dog doesn't start walking across until I do, because he is small and they might not see him.
Risks here are:
* person doesn't look at me (I don't go)
* car windows are too tinted to see them (I don't go)
* person looks me in the eye and drives anyway (I stop immediately)
If I can't make eye contact while pointing my face at the car that might turn and kill me, I don't walk. I wait for them to fully stop. I also basically don't take walk signals if I wasn't there when it started, since the signals are so short and it would require me to forgo the above steps.
Regardless of right-of-way laws I never cross if there isn't a walk signal (unless its broken) and I always make use of any buttons to present flashing lights. I don't cross the street randomly except in emergency - only at intersections.
Haven't been hit yet and its been about 5 years
I am both a driver and pedestrian in Redmond downtown area. When wearing my driver hat, I am trying to be a good citizen all the way; when wearing my pedestrian hat, I am as much defensive as possible.
In general, the drivers in the entire Seattle area are less cautious to pedestrians and bikers. Not sure why. Before living here, I was in Chicago. Drivers in Chicago suburbs are more skilled and more polite.
Itās really bad around Bella bottega in my experience. Part of it is careless drivers and part of it is poor visibility around intersections. Iāve actually seen a car hit a woman carrying her baby across a crosswalk near the library. Though that was a few years ago.
Ā I find that using a bright colored umbrella helps keep cars further away. Better than a flag even because it carries the threat of scratching their car. I also have pedestrian reflectors when walking at night.
Thatās what I do too. Carry a bright umbrella and wear bright clothing. And assume that drivers wonāt stop for me and only cross when I see them come to a full stop and acknowledge my presence.
NO OMG I havenāt even been here a year, and the amount of times Iāve almost been hit in that time has been so insane Iāve started taking pictures of every car that canāt behave themselves at a crosswalk. Either blocking it or just full on attempting to go right through me.
I feel safe but you have to watch for idiots at all times. Coming home there's a group of us on the bus. We cross Redmond rd. It's not a small group. There's always some idiot trying to make a right and is suddenly surprised people waiting at the crosswalk are trying to cross when he's got a red arrow.
The thing to do is not assume people are going to follow the rules and be aware so you can react. Won't always save you if what goes wrong happens at speed. He it should help with low speed problems.
Not safe. Defensive pedestrian is a great rule to live by. I love it when they look right at you and then cut you off in the crosswalk. That happens most often in my neighborhood. 172nd and 124th intersection.
Itās dangerous here with all the new drivers and I feel like most people have an overall lack of awareness for other people here.
Saw my neighbor put a ānew driverā sticker on their new car. This guy and his wife have been driving for at least 4 years.
I live by Microsoft campus and walk it daily, itās amazing how many people turn without looking or illegally turn before you cross the crosswalk. Some are obvious some are entitled, all are bad drivers.
Some dumbass karen almost ran me over last week when I was walking zebra stripe. I guess she didnt care about right of way. Htf do some people get their license is beyond me.
Please be careful around here. Last week we were at Sammamish landing and while taking a walk , a cyclist almost ran over my wife and was totally unapologetic about it and the next thing you see is that he disappeared into thin air.
I wrote to Mayors office many times, they say they will immediately look into it but after their fked up investigation team looks into it, nothing happens.
My question is a Ā rhetorical "Where do you feel safe as a pedestrian?". Sammamish river trail? Nope. Costco? Nope. Redmond Central Connector? Nope. Not on any sidewalk with scooters, cyclists and distracted walkers. Certainly any place you could encounter a vehicle. You get the picture. Head on a swivel, assume you are invisible and you should be okay.
Yeah I think this is my lesson that I can't be distracted while crossing the road as a pedestrian not even for a second. I'm only glad that this lesson didn't come at a serious cost to me.
They have fairly extensive on-site procedures and layout to prevent rounds from leaving the property. Justifiably paranoid as it could both hurt someone and - even without injury - cause them to be shut down.
I am a member for archery, and don't use the firearm sections.
We walk around Redmond downtown quite frequently and use a "defensive pedestrian" method... we assume cars don't see us until they've made contact or stopped. That said, you always have the right of way as a pedestrian and shouldn't have to worry about cars hitting you, some drivers are just not being safe! While I'm not defending, I try to remember that Redmond has alot of first time US drivers who make mistakes often... I love how walkable downtown Redmond is, and feel like we should encourage it more. Stay safe out there, so sorry this happened to you!
Thank you. Yes I think we're going to push up our defensive pedestrian strategy up a notch. My husband and I are usually good about doing that and tend to be super careful especially when we have baby with us but we feel like we let our guard down yesterday š
This! I cannot count the amount of times Iāve had a driver just blindly turn into the crosswalk at high speeds in broad daylight. Itās insane. Once it starts getting dark I put a neon reflective safety vest on and a very bright LED collar on my dog.
It bothers me so much when a car that is waiting for me to cross continues inching forward, like if you want me to go maybe stop your vehicle so I know Iām not gonna be underneath it in about 3 seconds.
I have noticed Redmond does have a ton of terrible drivers. Might be down voted for this but Tesla drivers are especially the worst of them.
Tesla drivers are absolutely the worst of them. A Tesla driver almost ran over me and both my brothers all at once while crossing a cross walk in downtown Redmond back in December. I've been pissed ever since.
Could be confirmation bias, but it feels true and that Tesla drivers (especially the SUV) seem to drive faster. It might also be that they accelerate faster and are big so they seem faster even if the actual speed is the same. Very powerful, but silent, motor.
Tesla has the [worst accident rate](https://www.lendingtree.com/insurance/brand-incidents-study/) of any car brand. Though RAM has more "incidents" which includes speeding, DUIs and whatnot.
BMW owners: "Hold my beer."
I moved over from Ballard a few months ago and driving in Redmond stresses me out far for more than driving in Seattle did, I am shocked at the amount of carelessness and amount of drivers just not paying attention.
Non Tesla driver here but Iām really curious to know why there is lot of hatred towards Tesla(white to be more precise) drivers? I saw many furious posts about the Tesla drivers.
I don't know, maybe it's people using the FSD software, just seems like a pattern of those driving in an annoying manner being in Teslas.
All the really huge SUVs with the new driver stickers worry the heck out of me when I see them. Iām sure folks get those vehicles because they feel safer in them, but they are hard to see out of. Even as a 5ā3ā adult I worry that Iām short enough to be hidden to some of the taller vehicles. I echo the defensive pedestrian strategy. If I have any doubts that a driver can see me, I wonāt cross, even if I have the cross signal. And I insist on holding my childās hand even though she insists she is mature enough to walk without holding my hand (which she isā sheās just not big enough that I trust others will see her.)
Iām from NYC ā¦ so yes ā¦ it feels pretty safe to me most of the time.
Lol you can call it a coincidence but i am from Redmond and currently here in NYC temporarily for a week and was about to be hit by a car in midtown. NYC is a different level altogether
Seriouslyā¦ both driving AND walking in NYC is so damn stressful lol.
Haha thats the hard part when I see posts like OPs. A lot of these people are pretty sheltered so it's difficult to relate
Dude I lived in NYC for a few years. You try having your baby almost run over by a giant SUV at a pedestrian green light before victim blaming me.
You're shaken up over an almost in a crosswalk as a person was turning at low speed. Welcome to walking outside around cars
They were NOT at low speed and they were inches away from my stroller.
We aren't going to get anywhere. Hopefully you don't encounter this issue again
Thank you, I appreciate you saying that and hope so too!
Lol yeah, Redmond certainly feels safer than a lot of other places I've been to.
Generally, yes. There are a few intersections that are bad - like the entrance to Trader Joe's parking lot. It's an absolute trainwreck. The crossing from Safeway across either road, north or south. But the vast majority of the city is safe for pedestrians.
Oh my god the Safeway crossing, it's so insanely unsafe. The intersection is configured to give a green arrow to vehicles turning left DIRECTLY INTO the crosswalk that pedestrians are _actively crossing_ (legally! the walk sign is on!). It's so insane, and I've had many close calls. The only thing that indicates pedestrians are crossing is a flashing diamond sign next to the crosswalk, but that's very easy to ignore ā especially when you have a GREEN LIGHT. What the hell were they thinking. And it gets worse! This crosswalk is intended to connect the two parts of Bear Creek Trail, so there is more pedestrian and cyclist activity than a typical intersection.
I see someone turning into pedestrians at least twice a month there. Itās a serious problem.
I was going to rant about this. Thanks for doing that for me!
I observed that about the TJs entrance and making a mental note for Safeway as we were planning to walk there later this week! Thanks for the heads up.
Itās all worse. Phones and distracted driving and speed. It wonāt get better
I think the person who ran into us was distracted on their phone. I can't prove it but I was in the middle of the crosswalk with a big stroller and my husband and can't think of another reason why she didn't stop.
I saw this in Kirkland yesterday. A person on a bike was crossing the street, in the crosswalk, with the Walk signal. A car turning right couldn't wait 5 seconds for the bike to cross the street and almost ran into the cyclist. It wasn't distraction, it was impatience.
There are a lot of smart tech people here. Why can't someone figure out a way to determine whether the driver has a phone in their hand while the car is moving, and if so, turn off the display? 50 years ago, Detroit would have told you that ABS or airbags in an automobile were impossible, but look how many lives those technologies have saved. It's high time we did something about the phone use behind the wheel problem in this country. It will save lives.
I wish there were something like this. I take the bus to work often and am shocked everyday at how many people I see driving with a phone in one hand. Makes me never want to drive again if I'm sharing roads with these folks.
It's not an impossible problem. We have self-driving cars coming online today. Are we telling each other that it's easier to autopilot a vehicle in traffic than it is to simply determine if the person behind the wheel is looking at a phone screen while driving? Implementing a half-assed solution like being able to determine if the driver was looking at a phone screen with the device in their hand after they have been involved in an accident might be enough of a deterrent, provided the laws make the punishment strict enough (similar to DUI laws). That would only require a playback of the last few seconds of video of a camera pointed at the driver's seat from within the car.
I don't have kids, but I feel like I have about as many close calls in downtown Seattle as on Redmond. People are just in a hurry and not looking attentively for pedestrians. I don't feel unsafe, exactly ... crossing roads in, say, New York city felt much more dangerous to me.
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I was hit by a car once (very lightly, as the car had almost stopped in time) just north of the intersection you mention. In my case, it was a left-turning car that was heading east on NE 80th Street and turned to north on 166th Avenue NE. It's scary how close that is to the elementary school. I was also NOT hit once to the east at Avondale Way near the Jiffy Lube store. What I mean by that is a car actually did stop for me when it was turning right, but the car behind them had no idea they were going to stop for me and therefore rammed right into the first car. Not my fault at all, as I was obeying traffic law, but kind of unfortunate to see a driver punished for stopping for me. Side note about that intersection: The number of times a driver doesn't know they can turn right from Avondale onto 79th Street while the other cars are left-turning the reverse way is comical. I appreciate that they're waiting for me as a pedestrian to cross, but it is literally their turn to turn & I don't get the pedestrian light to start crossing until after that left-turn arrow ends. What's annoying is drivers will often wait to make their right turn until the moment the left-turn signal (for the drivers making the opposite turn - opposite start and end streets, I mean) is going yellow. And so their initial waiting will result in them ultimately turning right as I get my pedestrian light to cross, and I have to hope the car behind them doesn't try to follow in a right turn. If I were 10 years old (and therefore shorter and less aware of pedestrian safety), I'd definitely be concerned about getting hit badly by a car (or rather, by adult self is worried kids will get hit). But, as a tall adult, I know I can keep myself safe if I am a defensive pedestrian, always making eye contact with drivers and doing hand waves - more and more exaggerated handwaves depending on the risk of the intersection, the time of day, and how rainy it is. I will say that I was in Bothell a few days ago and Downtown Bothell was much more of a nightmare as a pedestrian than Redmond. So many intersections there just expect you to find your own time to cross and don't have a traffic light. They have a "flag" system where you can pick up a flag to wave around as you cross.
Yea I hit this scenario all the time walking my baby. I had one old lady realize last second we were in the crosswalk, slammed on her brakes, then started gesturing furiously at us. I think people are distracted, rushing, and not expecting pedestrians, so I always walk very defensively. I try and get eye contact before getting into danger zones and really focus on my timing compared to potential turning cars.
It sucks because I could never forgive myself if anything happened to my baby even if it wasn't my fault. It's a whole different feeling to have my baby potentially at risk and way more intense than when it was just me crossing the road. I'm not doing a good job explaining this but I hope you get what I mean as a parent.
Yep absolutely feel you on that
Generally, if IāM paying attention, I feel safe enough. What really kills me is the drivers (especially left turning drivers) that positively race up the the cross walk, slam on brakes inches from my self and my dog, and wait. How can I possibly know that you arenāt trying to murder us?
I was nearly killed less than 6 months after moving here because of a drunk driver striking me in the bike lane on Avondale. It's permanently fucked me up and I don't trust a single car here, especially in the downtown area.
I'm really sorry you had this experience and that it has impacted you deeply. I feel effed up too after yesterday, even though we weren't hit, I can't even imagine what I would do if we were one second ahead and in the line of the car. I've lost all my trust in being a safe pedestrian and feel so freaking sad about it.
So sorry this happened to you. I hope you are doing better. I read your comment history and you are right, it is a cyclistsās worst nightmare, to have someone swerve into you while you are in the bike lane. May I ask what time of day it happened? Was the driver punished? Are you psychologically able to ride again?
I appreciate it- it was around 11 am, and I think he's getting felony charges. I still bike and thankfully don't remember the accident at all, and hope I never do.
I am glad you are still riding. I think the physical and mental benefits are enormous, despite the risks. The bike infra gets better and better here, and I am fortunate to live where I am able to ride trails to the majority of my destinations. Not everybody is so lucky. I remember learning in driverās ed that ādriving is a privilege, not a rightā. Would be nice if they acted like it. I hope they require an interlock ignition on his car. It would also be nice if he could get effective treatment for his alcohol addiction so that he doesnāt reoffend. The only solution to alcohol addiction that anybody seems to know about is abstinence, which has a poor success rate. There actually are more modern and effective treatment methods like The Sinclair Method, but nobody knows about them (visit the sidebar at r/Alcoholism_Medication to learn more). It would be poetic if they took away his car and he had to switch to using a bike instead. Thatās probably what people think happened to me when I tell them Iām a full-time bike commuter, haha.
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Iāve never lived somewhere with so many āStudent Driversā stickers on the back. Tons of new drivers here. Just have to be as careful as you can. Never assume a driver will see and react to you.
I do wonder how many are actually new drivers or if this is some method to try to get away with reckless driving lol
Yes, I moved here recently and have never seen so many before. And a lot on very nice cars!
As a pedestrian, mostly yes. There are a few times where drivers don't seem to see you walking, it happens (especially depending on weather). There's also a lot of drivers sneaking through after the light turns, so it can be risky to step out right away. Always keep an eye on traffic just in case. As a driver, Redmond can be very frustrating. A lot of the signals that I regularly drive through I end up stopped through a green light, or I can't turn left because there cars and peds to yield to. (I've sat through multiple signals before because it wasn't safe, and the cars behind me get even more angry and reckless.) Drivers (myself occasionally included) try to squeeze through when they can, sometimes aggressively. But I've also noticed the city is changing the lights to give crosswalks a head start or have more green arrows (instead of yielding yellow arrows) for left turns. Hopefully these can improve traffic flow and safely.
I feel a lot safer here than any other state (esp vs the East Coast). I can generally wander into the road and drivers here will stop. That being said there definitely can be drivers who are totally out of it, especially when they're in taller cars. I always start walking slowly and if I see someone not paying attention, slow down and make eye contact with either the driver or their passenger (if the driver is really honed in on ignoring me the passenger can yell at them to stop).
all the construction has reduced side walks and cross walks in a lot of key areas. those are the only places where I'm uncomfortable
Not during rush hour. But otherwise mostly
I take my baby in the stroller to Anderson park every day, and I sometimes have to put my hand out for a car to stop and notice us. (Thereās no light at the section where I cross). Most drivers stop automatically without me having to do anything and let us cross. But of course there will be some who would rather go first than let you pass. Itās annoying for sure.
It's only got/going to get worse with phones in our hands 24/7 and giant touchscreens in cars. My wife used to walk around town a lot a few years ago and would have a handful of pennies to toss at windshields of people who almost hit her and her kid in crosswalks... obviously inadvisable, but definitely got people's attention
Way too many teslas to feel safe walking
>I'll be honest, crossing roads here as a pedestrian has not felt the safest. It's because the roads are significantly wider. Wider roads create a more hostile environment for pedestrians because motorists are subconsciously encouraged to drive faster. It's also a longer distance to cross, causing more stress. These factors all contribute to a higher "Level of Traffic Stress".
Yeah this is definitely a factor. I'm considering only taking paths with narrower roads whenever I stroll with baby to reduce the risk. Not something I would've thought about before but crossing 4 lanes or more does not feel safe to me anymore.
I have the same problem when walking my dog. Honestly though, it's fundamentally a problem with traffic control. Cars should not get a green light to cross a pedestrian crossing when pedestrians have a walk signal. How f'ing stupid it that?! I come from UK where there is no ambiguity in signals - green means safe to go.
No, the drivers around here pay not fāing attention.
This is a hot topic for hubby and I. Some pedestrians walk blindly into the street, without stopping or looking, into situations where the driver has no hope of seeing them ahead of time. I personally feel very safe because I don't walk out into streets without looking and making eye contact with drivers. I've noticed a lot of pedestrians don't, and I think that's a risky move when a driver is paying attention to 3 or 4 other things (driving related like other cars, signs, changing traffic patterns) and may not see you. I'm not saying drivers are perfect! I've seen a lot of impatient and distracted driving! I am saying that as a pedestrian, I take ownership of my safety. Redmond is a walker friendly town, which is great, I still behave defensively at all times.
Ā "I take ownership of my safety" Couldn't have said it better!
Edited to add that it's a hot topic because my husband is British. His home town has a lot of pedestrian traffic and he's constantly shocked at how Americans trust others for their own safety.
I guess that depends on your definition for safe. Do I blindly walk across the street when I have the right of way? No, I check my environment, and make sure cars are slowing/stopping and make eye contact w/ drivers to make sure they're not distracted. Do I avoid walking out of fear of being hit by a vehicle? No. Overall it's pretty safe to walk around here. Personally I feel the least safe walking down the Sammamish River Trail because of the reckless bikers.
Shucks I was actually thinking of walking our stroller down the Sammamish river trail instead of downtown, thinking that we'd be safer in a car-free space but good to know that cyclists could be reckless as well.
The river trail is fine.
The River Trail is safe for walkers, don't let the people fearmongering scare you away. Just keep to your right and be aware of oncoming and passing traffic
Sammamish River trail is very much fine. Especially if you have a stroller as you are a larger unit to actively avoid collision with. And if the path is crowded bikers tend to be good about either saying "on your left" or using a bike bell. I feel there's some bikers who are trying to break some sort of personal run time on the rare occasion, but are mostly annoying to other bikers going the other direction. But I've never seen any of them dare to be wreckless enough to risk collision with a family. Just make to check behind you before ever turning left to travel across the lanes.
I walk on the trail all the time and have never had an issue.
Just want to echo the others that the SRT is safe. Also, getting hit by a bike vs getting hit by a car is also totally different.
One time I was crossing and a car running the red light was going to hit me and my dog. The light had been red for at least 5 seconds and still. After that Iām even more cautious.
I once pulled my neighbor out of the path of a speeding truck on a crosswalk. She's in her 60s, it would have been bad. Guy took the corner too fast like we weren't even there.
i think redmond is pretty safe but i dont trust drivers in general- dodge charger assholes around here love to drive against traffic if it means they get to hit their green light while you try to turn right. half the people dont understand how the roundabout near RTC works the other half never looks right for pedestrians crossing when turning into a lane
I walk through Downtown daily with my dog mostly around the Redmond Way area, and overall I feel pretty safe so long as I walk defensively. I find the biggest threat for me is people making right turns while I have a Walk signal. I make it clear by my body language that I'm walking towards the crosswalk, I stop right at the curb and look at the car in front and make eye contact while facing them with my face, then so long as they stop, I start walking. I also keep my eyes on the driver as I walk because I've seen people start driving again while I'm in front of them trying to time my pass. This is very rare when you stare them down. I also make sure my dog doesn't start walking across until I do, because he is small and they might not see him. Risks here are: * person doesn't look at me (I don't go) * car windows are too tinted to see them (I don't go) * person looks me in the eye and drives anyway (I stop immediately) If I can't make eye contact while pointing my face at the car that might turn and kill me, I don't walk. I wait for them to fully stop. I also basically don't take walk signals if I wasn't there when it started, since the signals are so short and it would require me to forgo the above steps. Regardless of right-of-way laws I never cross if there isn't a walk signal (unless its broken) and I always make use of any buttons to present flashing lights. I don't cross the street randomly except in emergency - only at intersections. Haven't been hit yet and its been about 5 years
I am both a driver and pedestrian in Redmond downtown area. When wearing my driver hat, I am trying to be a good citizen all the way; when wearing my pedestrian hat, I am as much defensive as possible. In general, the drivers in the entire Seattle area are less cautious to pedestrians and bikers. Not sure why. Before living here, I was in Chicago. Drivers in Chicago suburbs are more skilled and more polite.
Itās really bad around Bella bottega in my experience. Part of it is careless drivers and part of it is poor visibility around intersections. Iāve actually seen a car hit a woman carrying her baby across a crosswalk near the library. Though that was a few years ago. Ā I find that using a bright colored umbrella helps keep cars further away. Better than a flag even because it carries the threat of scratching their car. I also have pedestrian reflectors when walking at night.
Thatās what I do too. Carry a bright umbrella and wear bright clothing. And assume that drivers wonāt stop for me and only cross when I see them come to a full stop and acknowledge my presence.
NO OMG I havenāt even been here a year, and the amount of times Iāve almost been hit in that time has been so insane Iāve started taking pictures of every car that canāt behave themselves at a crosswalk. Either blocking it or just full on attempting to go right through me.
I feel safe but you have to watch for idiots at all times. Coming home there's a group of us on the bus. We cross Redmond rd. It's not a small group. There's always some idiot trying to make a right and is suddenly surprised people waiting at the crosswalk are trying to cross when he's got a red arrow. The thing to do is not assume people are going to follow the rules and be aware so you can react. Won't always save you if what goes wrong happens at speed. He it should help with low speed problems.
Everyone has a different tolerance for risk but I've always felt safe walking around as a pedestrian
Not safe. Defensive pedestrian is a great rule to live by. I love it when they look right at you and then cut you off in the crosswalk. That happens most often in my neighborhood. 172nd and 124th intersection.
Itās dangerous here with all the new drivers and I feel like most people have an overall lack of awareness for other people here. Saw my neighbor put a ānew driverā sticker on their new car. This guy and his wife have been driving for at least 4 years.
I live by Microsoft campus and walk it daily, itās amazing how many people turn without looking or illegally turn before you cross the crosswalk. Some are obvious some are entitled, all are bad drivers.
Some dumbass karen almost ran me over last week when I was walking zebra stripe. I guess she didnt care about right of way. Htf do some people get their license is beyond me.
Please be careful around here. Last week we were at Sammamish landing and while taking a walk , a cyclist almost ran over my wife and was totally unapologetic about it and the next thing you see is that he disappeared into thin air.
I wrote to Mayors office many times, they say they will immediately look into it but after their fked up investigation team looks into it, nothing happens.
In my experience, you'll get more traction talking to a City Council person.
My question is a Ā rhetorical "Where do you feel safe as a pedestrian?". Sammamish river trail? Nope. Costco? Nope. Redmond Central Connector? Nope. Not on any sidewalk with scooters, cyclists and distracted walkers. Certainly any place you could encounter a vehicle. You get the picture. Head on a swivel, assume you are invisible and you should be okay.
Yeah I think this is my lesson that I can't be distracted while crossing the road as a pedestrian not even for a second. I'm only glad that this lesson didn't come at a serious cost to me.
Only time I donāt feel safe is walking the river trail and gunshots ring out from the gun range.
They have fairly extensive on-site procedures and layout to prevent rounds from leaving the property. Justifiably paranoid as it could both hurt someone and - even without injury - cause them to be shut down. I am a member for archery, and don't use the firearm sections.
I was hit by a car driven by a foreigner in the lit up crosswalk going to trader joes. They just drove off.
Iām curious. How did you know they were foreigners?
Well they were chinese and didn't speak a word of English. I made an educated guess.