THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 30, 1994 TAG: 9409290184
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: The Road Warrior
SOURCE: The Road Warrior
LENGTH: Long : 129 lines
Good news for pedestrians trying to cross at Laskin Road and Pacific Avenue - new signs will be erected to guide your way.
Engineers have signed the work order to install two triangular signs on each approach to Laskin Road that say, ``Yield to pedestrians when turning.''
In other words, if you want to make that right on red onto Laskin Road, you not only have to stop before turning, you'll also have to yield to pedestrians who are trying to cross the street (with the ``walk'' sign) in the same area.
It used to be that pedestrians were given the walk sign but had to fight with traffic turning right on red at the intersection. You may think, well, that's simple, give the pedestrians an exclusive movement (where no traffic gets the green until the pedestrian phase is over) or make it a ``no right turn on red.''
The first idea to give pedestrians their own exclusive movement wouldn't work because everyone at the intersection would be stopped, hindering traffic flow.
The second idea wouldn't work either because a lot of motorists turn right on red at that intersection and it would only serve to back people up.
Those new signs should be popping up any day now.
A note to those folks who called about Archdale - Thanks for the information that there really is an Archdale Road. As Michael, one caller aptly put it, ``. . . you'll find it somewhere around 21 C 10 on the map. It's not actually there, but that's where it is.''
Oh, now Road understands.
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Billy Early, no address given. I'm calling to ask, if you could, like, on the highways, put stuff where people sell food and the bathrooms about every three miles or so.
Thanks, Road Warrior. Bye!
RW: Billy, if Road could, Road would place a bathroom every mile! Of course, interstate rest stops are only on major interstates, like I-95, etc.
The best advice Road can give is to be sure you visit the restroom before you get in the car. If your condition is that bad, you could always plan your stops by map.
Bobby, North End. I shop at the Food Lion there on the corner of Great Neck and Shore Drive and the parking lot there needs painting real bad.
I've talked to the manager down at Food Lion and I've called the people who own the parking lot. People, what they do, is come in from Shore Drive from the North End, turn left, and make the first right turn and park right there in the middle of the road - the fire lane right in front of the store.
I was wondering if you could get it painted? No one else has been able to do anything and I can't do anything. Thanks a lot.
RW: The store manager can request that the work be done, but ultimately it's up to the property owner. And short of going out and painting lines myself, Road can't do much about that either, seeing as it's private property. Sorry.
Tony Phillips, Virginia Beach. I'm new to the area. First of all, I want to tell you that you do a good job with your column.
Maybe you can tell me, what is it with drivers down here who find it necessary to constantly speed? You know, they must be illiterate when they can't read stop signs or color blind when they can't see red lights.
All you've got to do is pull up on one of these guys or these girls at the stoplights and they have this crazed, kill look on their faces. I mean, I don't understand. Do they have to make up for their psychological inadequacies in this way or what? Would you tell me? Thanks a lot.
RW: Tony, Road's no shrink, but you could suppose that your ideas on speeders are probably right on the mark - obviously they're nuts who can afford speeding tickets.
Mary, Lynnhaven. I just have a comment. I was crossing at South Lynnhaven Road at Silina and the new pedestrian signals are great. However, they need to give the pedestrian a little more time because if you have a stroller you barely have enough time to get that stroller off the sidewalk before it starts flashing.
Not only that, the drivers don't give you any courtesy and how can you expect a regular driver to let me, a pedestrian, walk across the street when the police officer stopped at that light didn't even stop for me. It just doesn't make any sense. Thank you.
RW: Pedestrian signals are timed according to the ``average person.'' And the average person in this case should be able to walk four feet per second. Engineers are happy to adjust these timings if there are exceptional cases, like elderly pedestrians or a lot of moms with strollers, as is your case.
Engineers said they'll go out and see if they can't give you a little more time.
As for that cop, what a fine example of caring for your fellow man.
William L. Tatum, Pacific Avenue. I wonder if something could be done about the traffic signal at Mediterranean, there at 17th Street? It's entirely too long for traffic heading on Mediterranean. There's big gaps in traffic on 17th Street and you could very easily speed that up a little bit. Thank you.
RW: Something can and will be done, William. It's just about time for the resort area's traffic signals to be switched to winter mode. Every year when daylight saving time ends, around the last week in October, those lights are retimed for the less heavy, non-tourist traffic.
They're also reset when daylight saving time begins, usually the first Sunday in April. You'll see a change pretty soon. Engineers use daylight saving time as a benchmark because it's pretty consistent. It happens every year at the same time.
Andrea Thorstensen, Meadow Crest Way. I think you're really sexy. Bye, honey.
RW: Wow! Now there's a woman who knows her stuff! Thanks, Andrea.
Kari, Prince Albert Court. My big complaint right now is nobody knows how to use their signals anymore. They don't know if they're going left or right or straight or backward. I'm ready to put a sign in my back window, ``Please use your signals,'' it would make the roads so much safer, especially with the weather - in the rain, nobody knows how to drive in the rain.
If you could please tell everyone because I know a lot of people that love and read your column. Please use your signals - it would save a lot of lives and a lot of trouble.
I love your column and whoever you are, thanks for all your advice. Appreciate it.
RW: Kari, Road would LOVE to see such a sign! What a novel idea!
Let's do as Kari suggests, folks, and use our signals. MEMO: Tell the Road Warrior about your motoring problems. Get 'em off your
chest. Call on Infoline, at 640-5555. After a brief message, dial ROAD
(7623). When directed, press 1 to deliver your message, and 1 again to
sign off. Tell the Road Warrior about your motoring problems. Get 'em
off your chest. Call on Infoline, at 640-5555. After a brief message,
dial ROAD (7623). When directed, press 1 to deliver your message, and 1
again to sign off.
Or, write: The Road Warrior, Virginia Beach Beacon, 4565 Virginia
Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, Va. 23462.
Don't forget to include your name, address and neighborhood.
by CNB