It pays to cross the street near the neighborhood police station! On Wednesday, reader Derek snapped this pic of an officer who helped out a pedestrian:
“This afternoon while crossing at 6th and Geary I saw an elderly gentleman trying to cross the street with his walker. it looked like he was too frail to make the red light but luckily i wasn’t the only person who saw this. A police car was also crossing Geary and 6th and saw the man was having problems. So to help, they turned on their flashing blue/red lights and slowly drove alongside him as he made his way across. One of the officers got out and helped him make his way up onto the sidewalk and once they saw he was safe, continued on their way.”
We like.
Sarah B.
was he standing at the corner while the light was green the entire time and decided to cross at the last minute?
Of course he’s being nice. The station is right up ahead.
In my temporarily able-bodied state, I can cross the street at a medium walk in about 16 seconds; 12 seconds jogging to the center and 8 seconds running the whole way. When I throw my back out or have a grunchy leg, it’s a huge challenge to reach the middle in the full 22 seconds. Makes me see the familiar streetscape entirely differently.
@Cat he actually began crossing when the light had turned green.
Basically nobody ever does this without police present. Ever.
Thanks to the officer who took the time. @cat: that must be it, right? He decided to wait until the last second to cross the freeway that is Geary, just to see if he could make it with his walker.
Sorry but this doesn’t impress me. The elderly man should have waited at the safety island when he realized he couldn’t make it all the way. If he kept going, the cop should have made sure he continued crossing safely (duh) but then written him a ticket! They should start doing that on Clement, too. There are too many old folks that think since the traffic light is green, they should start walking. Nevermind that the walk signal is already at zero, nope, try they’ll head out into the intersection anyway.
Sorry but this doesn’t impress me. The elderly man should have waited at the safety island when he realized he couldn’t make it all the way. If he kept going, the cop should have made sure he continued crossing safely (duh) but then written him a ticket! They should start doing that on Clement, too. There are too many old folks that think since the traffic light is green, they should start walking. Nevermind that the walk signal is already at zero, nope, they’ll head out into the intersection anyway.
If we’re fortunate, we’ll all be old some day. I have no problem with the police officer doing this, and I hope that some day young whipper-snappers will cut me a break, too.
Good story to go with good photo, thanks to Derek. “We like” too.
It is entirety possible that the man crossing the street left as soon as the walk sign appeared. Our “Transportation Engineers” use the medium walking to time of the “average” adult in setting the signal timings. Of course someone with common sense would set the signal timings for the “outlier” which is an old man/woman with a walker. Too bad our “Transportation Engineers” don’t seem to have common sense.
These comments are ridiculous. Some of you must have rosy lives if old people crossing too slow constitutes a major problem for you.
Adub, well said. It’s totally pathetic – not only to think so meanly, but then to actually post it in a public forum! Get a life, people!
thanks po-po.
Note: even with the police car present, note that the driver of the grey honda civic (?) turning right onto 6th has crossed into the pedestrian crossing by a couple of feet. the bastard. No wonder the police had to stop and help.
Valerie – you must really be living a sad and bitter life judging by that comment of yours. I’m so sorry for you, let’s hope you never grow old and won’t end up in the same situation.
Do you have facts whether this fine man was crossing the whole way versus standing at the middle waiting to cross? Do you know his speed or crossing? Give me a break, not everyone can make it across the craziness of Geary in the allotted time frame. Hell, I’m only 26, had a knee injury from a cycling fall a few years ago and was lucky enough to be able to hobble over in time with a connection on the median every time I crossed Geary until my knee was back in full recovery.
Wow, lots newbie transplants with their six-figure telecommute jobs commenting negatively. Dudes & dudettes, get real, someday YOU too will be OLD & possibly infirm and find yourself in a similar situation. I was merely going to comment that’s what makes the Richmond great, but I have obviously forgotten the demographics have so completely altered the character of this neighborhood with the influx of self absorbed entitled white suburbanites to the Richmond. Sad.
Well said, oldrichresident. How idiotic of some of these posters who ASSUME this elderly gentleman must have started crossing the street late. I hope they develop an injury or illness that makes walking at a fast clip impossible, and that a cop drives on by while other cars speed within a couple of inches of them. What goes around, comes around.
JD. Your comments are spot on. Anyone who has actually walked on Geary Blvd crosswalks realizes that the lights are not timed appropriately. It is hard for me to believe that an additional 3-8 seconds for cross traffic/pedestrians is going to make a material difference in the traffic flow along Geary.