Several times (just about every day) while driving on Yokosuka I find myself slamming on the brakes to avoid hitting someone with my car. There are clearly marked crosswalks all over the base at almost every intersection which most people use. This is great for limiting the number of potential accidents from people crossing in unexpected parts of the road. These crosswalks are there night and day doing their part to keep us safe while crossing the road however the crosswalk is just a painted line on the road. The person using the crosswalk needs to apply a little gray matter, common sense and courtesy towards the bigger, tougher, stronger vehicles traveling down the road. Although you do have the right of way, you do not have the right to be (I was going to say stupid but…) careless and dangerous not only to yourself but to drivers trying to avoid hitting you.

What ever happened to stop and look both ways to make sure the road is clear so you can cross safely? People on Yokosuka and military bases in general believe (in my honest opinion) that as long as they are in the crosswalk they have a free pass to walk into the street at anytime weather it is safe or not.

The solution to this is not to beat up the drivers telling them they should drive more safely and reduce the speed limit so if we do hit someone they won’t be hurt. The obvious answer is to try to re-educate the public to do the basics that they were taught so many years ago. Stop, look both ways to make sure it’s safe to cross then cross the street. When you go back to the states and walk into the road without checking to make sure it’s safe, you’ll be dead.

Wow!  And here all this time I thought I was alone on this thought process.  I find myself rolling down my window and yelling like I was in NYC all the time due to ignorance.

 

GREAT POST!!!

Richard,

Appreciate you mentioning this. It raises a lot of attention towards those onbase that walk.

Pedestrian's need to have some common sense!

We were all taught to look both ways and for some reason people as adults have forgotten these simple rules.

Has anyone witnessed the way Japanese children wait to cross a street? Well, in the morning if you watch them, you can actually see them at a cross walk out in town, and they will wait patiently raising 1 of their hands, until a driver stops. This is a very smart way to teach children. I'm not saying adults need to raise their hands, but atleast have the common sense, to wait before you walk into a busy road of traffic.

The base installed a few years back the alert lights for pedestrians crossing the busy roads. This in itself has already saved lives in my opinion. I know a few years ago, there were a few cases where sailors were hit by drivers, I believe near the Fleet Rec centers busy cross walks.

Thanks for posting to raise awareness for the walking community onbase... Hope it saves a life!

For just a second I think I have the amazing special power of invisibility when driving on base because of those who crosswalk without even seeing my car.

I completely agree with you on this one.

I couldn't agree more!

Though I also have to add that people driving also need to look out for the walkers. I am a frequent walker & there have been a couple of times where the drivers aren't paying attention & darn near run us over. So it goes both ways. People in general just need to learn how to pay attention & be curtious!

Debra, your right drivers do have to pay more attention. Its a good thing the max speed onbase is 40.

This week in Yokosuka's Report video they did a story about crosswalks.  Hopefully this video can reach a larger audience.  Wonder how the base got the idea... 

  Yokosuka Report 08/12/2009

Great to see the video. Looks like the message is getting out there. Still doesnt stop stupid people from walking with their heads down.