On Wed, 13 May 2009 13:59:32 -0700 (PDT), Squashme
wrote:



http://tinyurl.com/q9tu6c

Toby Young:-
"My five-year-old daughter's best friend was run over last week. It
happened on the pelican crossing on Uxbridge Road, opposite St
Stephen's Primary School in Shepherd's Bush.

Miguel waited until he saw a green man, crossed to the island in the
middle of the road, then carried on walking, not realising that the
green man had started flashing. He was hit by a Ford Focus travelling
at 30mph.

Luckily, he wasn't badly hurt, but it is only a matter of time before
a child is killed at this crossing. Miguel is the third child from St
Stephen's to be hit there this year.

In each case, the cause has been the same: a child has started to
cross, only to be marooned in the middle of the road when the green
man has started to flash. Like all pelican crossings, it simply
doesn't give you enough time, thanks to the Mayor's decision to reduce
the length of time all traffic lights in London stay red in the hope
of reducing congestion. Linford Christie might be able to make it but
a child doesn't stand a chance."

Third class citizens. Endanger and delay the peds so that the over-
privileged and important motorists (and the cyclists who do bother to
stop) don't get too frustrated.


Sounds to me like he had crossed to the island on one green light -
and then crossed the second carriageway - probably even on a red (for
him)

How old was the child? - perhaps 5 - the same as his friend.

Should he have been crossing a main road on his own at that age?

I blame the parents. - he should have been taught how to cross the
road.

Odd that a child was hit on a pelican crossing by a car doing thirty
and the only paper it made was the Evening Standard.


--

"Primary position" the middle of a traffic lane. To take the "primary position" : to ride a bike in the middle of the lane in order to obstruct other road vehicles from overtaking.

A term invented by and used by psycholists and not recognised in the Highway Code.

Highway Code Rule 168 : "Never obstruct drivers who wish to pass."