Cloverdale has Fast Traffic Lights

With the Cloverdale Rodeo Weekend just a few days away this means increased pedestrian traffic especially following the parade on Saturday morning as people make their way back to their cars.

The busiest pedestrian crossing during the Cloverdale rodeo and fair is the corner of 60th Avenue and 176th Street and also 60th Avenue and 177B Street. It is also important to note that this area will be heavily frequented by jaywalkers, almost a physical impossibility to the huge amount of vehicle traffic on 60th, there just aren't any breaks.

There are also a lot of people who will press the pedestrian signal at 176th Street and 62nd Avenue.

Following the parade on Saturday morning the pedestrian traffic is also huge on 58th Avenue and the Cloverdale Bypass, not so much the rest of the weekend.

Nobody walks in Cloverdale so the traffic lights are pretty quick. I'm a fairly fast walker especially with a couple of dogs in a big hurry to get home. When I cross the lights on the Cloverdale Bypass at 57th, 58th, or 176th and 60th Avenue I never get to the midway point before the hand starts flashing. It seems once I cross the street and get 5 metres or so from the curb the light has changed and traffic is moving again. There are 2 lanes of traffic in each direction plus left hand turn lanes and right hand turn lanes, meaning there is about 8 lanes of road to cross.

During the Cloverdale Rodeo weekend it never ceases to amaze me how people seem to think they have a sense of entitlement when it comes to crossing the street and that the whole world should wait for them while they casually saunter across, possibly making it halfway before the light changes on them. Some of the biggest culprits are teenagers. The ones who are too lazy to lift their feet off the ground and are shuffling along feet never leaving the road. Also parents with children. You people need to move it a little faster. If the hand is flashing red when you reach the curb don't even think of crossing the street unless you're planning to do it at a run.

A lot of drivers aren't looking out for pedestrians, especially the ones making right hand turns. I've had a few near misses by drivers who choose not to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk who have the light to walk. Year round.

A couple of years ago we were coming back from the fairgrounds and crossing 176th street at 60th Avenue. There were several of us standing there waiting for the light. It changed, we got the light to walk and the signals at this intersection chirp when pedestrians have activated the walk sign. As we all step off the curb I see a car in the right hand turn lane preparing to go north down 176th Street and he ain't stopping even though pedestrians are in the crosswalk. I screamed "stop" so everyone would stop walking and not get mowed down by the car. The driver kept going but pulled over to the curb a little ahead at the bus stop. Hopefully one of his passengers in the car chewed him out and he was rattled enough to stop. There are a lot of bad drivers already in Cloverdale and the rodeo brings out bad drivers from other parts of the Lower Mainland.

So word of wise to pedestrians in Cloverdale this May long weekend. Push the button to get the walk signal. When the light changes move it across the street at a good pace and you'll be OK. Before you step off the curb, look over your left shoulder and make sure no car is planning to barge into the crosswalk.

Have a safe weekend!