I walk the streets for money. Yes, I am a letter carrier, and since moving to Vernon two years ago, I have lost count of the number of times I have almost been hit by a vehicle while in a marked crosswalk.
While the absence of sufficient driving skill is likely a factor for many of these close encounters, I would like to offer another reason why it is dangerous for pedestrians in this community.
Motorist visibility is extremely limited by the layout of many intersections.
Couple that with vegetation that is allowed to grow unconstrained, and you have citizens risking their lives when they attempt to cross the street.
Rather than being just another displeased voice in the letters section, I have two suggestions to offer.
One, bylaw enforcement resources could be used to ensure that property owners sufficiently curtail their vegetation. Two, law enforcement officers could ticket drivers when they don’t stop at the stop line before a crosswalk at an intersection.
It seems many drivers stop halfway through the crosswalk at an intersection, if they stop at all.
These two suggestions would mitigate what should not be a risky endeavor for Vernon residents — crossing the street.
Roxanne Ricard
Vernon
