Letter: Pedestrians have a responsibility too

Great job by the Glendale Police Department on their sting targeting drivers who don’t yield for pedestrians. One intersection, several hours and lots of revenue. I am sure they were counting on the News-Press to get the word out to rest of law-breakers in the city.

Now that the driver scofflaws have been addressed, how about the other pedestrian/traffic problem?

Nearly every time I drive down Pacific Avenue from Kenneth Road to San Fernando Road a pedestrian enters a crosswalk when the red hand has stopped flashing and is solid red. They start to cross anyway. When they get barely half way across the street, the light turns green for me. I have to wait, the person behind me starts to honk and the story repeats itself regularly.

The city has spent money installing pedestrian signals around the city. Now the signals count down, telling the pedestrians how much time they have to cross the street and they still get only halfway across.

Unlike a great many drivers in Glendale, I understand that pedestrians have the right of way. But there has to be some accountability on the pedestrians’ behalf. I also think there is a duty on behalf of the traffic enforcement people to at least show some interest in the other side of this problem.

If there is some question where the enforcement people might take a look, try the intersections of Pacific and Glenoaks and Pacific and Broadway. Just a thought.

Jim Kussman
Glendale