Tag Archives: driving

Getting Around, Health and Safety, Opinion

Walking with Tica: Andy Rooney edition

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Photo by Dru Bloomfield (CC).
(For all you youngsters out there, Andy Rooney is a commentator on 60 Minutes.)

Hey Beacon Hill drivers: what’s the rush? I’ve been walking these streets for six years, enjoying the peaceful community, friendly neighbors, and quiet streets. Something changed lately… the streets are not as quiet.  Maybe the construction traffic for Sound Transit slowed traffic on McClellan, and now people are back to their Speed Racer habits.  It’s not just arterials, though.  Folks are flying down side streets, too.  My older dog and increasing belly are slow—is there some reason we should hurry?

Is your kid late enough to school that you need to rush a pregnant woman crossing 23rd? Did you forget to Tivo your soap opera, making it necessary to drive 40mph down 20th, narrowly avoiding parked cars and cats dashing across the street?  Is there any reason you absolutely must turn right on red as that senior citizen loaded with groceries is making his way across Beacon?

Unless you have flashing lights to go on top of your car or are driving someone to the hospital—SLOW DOWN!  Per SDOT: In Seattle, the speed limit on residential streets is 25 mph and 30 mph on arterial streets unless otherwise posted. Drivers are expected to know and obey the speed limit.

Pedestrians (and our pooches, strollers, toddlers) have right of way. Stop, look, and wait for pedestrians at intersections. Perhaps you could use that 20 seconds to meditate… or maybe you could hang up your cell phone, put down your sandwich, and remember that you’re in a metal cage capable of killing someone.

Other Andy Rooney editions that probably won’t be posted in the blog:

Why do teenagers text while crossing the road?

Is it too much to ask for people to pick up after their dogs?

You darn kids get off my lawn!

Getting Around, Health and Safety, Weather

Be careful in the cold

Frost coated vegetables in a North Beacon vegetable garden a few days ago. Photo by Jason.
Frost coated vegetables in a North Beacon vegetable garden a few days ago. Photo by Jason.
There is not too much frost on the streets at the moment. According to local weather guru Cliff Mass, the dew point for the last couple of days has been so low that frost cannot form. If that changes, however, frost on the roads can lead to very dangerous black ice. Mass says, “Never forget, roadway icing is the number one weather killer in our area. More than floods, more than windstorms.” On Friday, black ice contributed to a vehicle collision in Mid-Beacon Hill that caused the death of an elderly woman.

There are a few places on Beacon Hill that can be slick even in frostless conditions such as we have today: for example, on South Massachusetts Street just east of 17th Avenue South, where there is what seems to be a permanent water leak wetting the road. Later this week, the precipitation will return, and there could be ice—or even snow—to contend with. Please be careful when navigating the streets and sidewalks of our hilly neighborhood.

360 days ago, the snow began to fall. Beacon Avenue looked like this the next morning. Photo by Ali R.
360 days ago, the snow began to fall. Beacon Avenue looked like this the next morning. Photo by Ali R.

Thanks to JvA for the reminder.

Getting Around, Help Wanted

A wish for wheels that work: can you help?

The snow is melting, but it’s not gone yet, and things could still get worse before it’s gone. While we’re still in this mess, the folks at the Rainier Valley Post are helping organize a network of Southeast Seattle neighbors with reliable snow-friendly vehicles to help people with critical travel needs. They have volunteers in several areas, but still need people with chains or 4WD in Brighton/Othello, Rainier Beach, and Beacon Hill. We hope they won’t be needed for long, but wet snow is very slick, so lots of people are still stuck at home. If you can help, please do.

Beacon Bits, Getting Around

Beacon Bits: Buses, speeding tickets, cheap(er) gas

Will bus service changes cause some SE Seattle folks to be passed by? Photo from the Seattle Municipal Archives.
Will bus service changes cause some SE Seattle folks to be passed by? Photo from the Seattle Municipal Archives.
Beacon Bits are collections of useful or interesting links or other tidbits that we’ll post periodically.