Pedestrian killed today on Main at James

[coalminecanary]

don't know the details but if it's true, this is sad, pointless, avoidable, sickening...etc
http://hammerboard.ca/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=325

[thistleclub]

From the Spec.com:

Fatal crash closes downtown streets

Hamilton police have closed portions of downtown after a fatal accident.

Witnesses say a young woman stepped out onto James Street near Main Street shortly after 12:30 p.m. and was hit by a truck.

Main Street remains closed between Bay and Hughson. James Street is closed between King and Jackson.

The coroner has been called to the scene. The Collision Reconstruction Unit is also investigating.

[Jon Dalton]

Someone got hit at the exact same place two weekends ago

[markk]

I walked by the scene on my way to the bank this afternoon (TCU on James St). It was a very sad sight, and perhaps a very somber reminder that freeways just don't belong in urban environments.

[markbarbera]

Sad to see. The accident looks to have occurred on James Street just north of Main, so I don't think the freeway extrapolation is really fair in this case.

[Millstone]

Does anybody have any details on this accident? Roads don't just kill people by themselves.

[ryan_mcgreal]

At a vehicle speed of 32 km/h, the fatality rate for pedestrians hit is five percent.

At 48 km/h, the fatality rate is 50 percent.

At 64 km/h, the fatality rate is over 90 percent.

Just saying.

[go_leafs_go02]

I'll wait to give my statement on this, because we don't know how it happened.

If she stepped out trying to run and catch something like a bus, we shouldn't be blaming the city. If it is the woman's fault, then yeah, don't blame high speed limits.

However, if a truck ran a red light and stuck her, that's a completely different ballgame. Just this could happen anywhere, at any place, at any time really. Speed obviously is a factor, but if it happened on James St. that's a different argument compared to Main.

My condolences rest with the family however.

[Millstone]

There's kind of a bump at James that needs to be smoothed out. The synchronized lights do promote racing to the next light also.

So what is the course of action here? Desync all the lights, driver education, higher enforcement, more "LED eyes" like SW King & Dundurn?

[adam]

When a motorist comes off the highway in many cities, there are visual cues that set off bells in their head saying "you are no longer on a highway"

Unfortunately, Main and King are just as wide (or wider) than the 403 and this transition never happens.

[raisethehammer]

Originally Posted by go_leafs_go02

I'll wait to give my statement on this, because we don't know how it happened.

If she stepped out trying to run and catch something like a bus, we shouldn't be blaming the city. If it is the woman's fault, then yeah, don't blame high speed limits.

However, if a truck ran a red light and stuck her, that's a completely different ballgame. Just this could happen anywhere, at any place, at any time really. Speed obviously is a factor, but if it happened on James St. that's a different argument compared to Main.

My condolences rest with the family however.

I won't wait:
FREEWAYS DON'T BELONG IN DOWNTOWN NEIGHBOURHOODS.
I don't care what colour the light was or who stepped out or ran which light.
She was killed INSTANTLY and it was a gross scene according to police. That's what happens when someone tries to run across the QEW.
This is the heart of the city, James and Main. One block from the Gore. Pedestrians shouldn't have to navigate downtown sidewalks as though they are walking along the side of the 401.
As Ryan McGreal states above, the rate of death lowers drastically as the speed is decreased.
I'd like to know what speed is necessary to cause instant death and a bloody, gross scene that needs to be covered up instantly in order to not traumatize passersby.

[Millstone]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

I don't care what colour the light was or who stepped out or ran which light.

Then nobody in their right mind should care about your opinion. To hell with the "facts", raisethehammer's here to jump on the cars-are-bad bandwagon!

[raisethehammer]

no, I'm here to jump on the 'speeding cars aided by synchronized lights through the heart of downtown are bad' bandwagon.
Read the post before wasting our time.

[hmagazine]

Originally Posted by Millstone

Then nobody in their right mind should care about your opinion. To hell with the "facts", raisethehammer's here to jump on the cars-are-bad bandwagon!

[FairHamilton]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

gross scene that needs to be covered up instantly in order to not traumatize passersby.

They are usually covered no matter the circumstance and condition of the victim out of respect to the departed.

[raisethehammer]

Originally Posted by FairHamilton

They are usually covered no matter the circumstance and condition of the victim out of respect to the departed.

very true, but when do you recall the police using such strong language to depict a worse-than-usual scene? They don't throw around words like that everyday.
IMO that SHOULD NOT be able to happen downtown because nobody should be going fast enough to cause such horrific damage.
You'll recall over in your neighbourhood someone was sliced in half by a car on King St. These are urban, downtown, neighbourhood (supposedly, shopping) streets. And people are being sliced in half????
Sounds like an autobahn.

[crhayes]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

very true, but when do you recall the police using such strong language to depict a worse-than-usual scene? They don't throw around words like that everyday.
IMO that SHOULD NOT be able to happen downtown because nobody should be going fast enough to cause such horrific damage.
You'll recall over in your neighbourhood someone was sliced in half by a car on King St. These are urban, downtown, neighbourhood (supposedly, shopping) streets. And people are being sliced in half????
Sounds like an autobahn.

Well I have to agree that people shouldn't be driving that fast (and how it's caused by 5 lanes one-way and synchronized lights). Driving through downtown Toronto is not like here - it's at a snails pace.

[adam]

Originally Posted by Millstone

There's kind of a bump at James that needs to be smoothed out. The synchronized lights do promote racing to the next light also.

So what is the course of action here? Desync all the lights, driver education, higher enforcement, more "LED eyes" like SW King & Dundurn?

1. definite demarcations coming off the highway onto King, Main, Aberdeen
2. no more than 3 lanes on a 1 way street
3. narrower lanes while maintaining minimum allowable width
4. police pulling cars over that speed through the downtown (I don't think i've EVER seen a car pulled over for speeding in the downtown)
5. encourage carpooling
6. Light Rail

[raisethehammer]

Haha! Fat chance of seeing #4 happen. Cops are the worst. They just blow down Main St like they own the place.
No chance that #5 will happen either. Why would people carpool when they are currently encouraged by city hall to put the pedal to the metal in their single occupancy vehicle?

[adam]

I see you're playing the devil's advocate...

They probably won't allow a cycling lane but what about lobbying for a carpool/cycling lane? it would be just as good as a private cycling lane given the majority of single-occupancy vehicles.