By Jean Dorrell (Hamilton ratepayer, pedestrian, cyclist and driver)
Introduction
Road safety is important. I’m confident that no one will dispute this. People need to be able to move around the city safely and efficiently whether walking, cycling or driving.
Courtesy crossings are great if they are positioned well. The courtesy crossing on Linden Court (between Chartwell Library and Chartwell Westfield) works well. Drivers can see any pedestrians from a distance. Pedestrians can also easily identify whether a vehicle is slowing down to stop or not.
Where common sense disappears is with roundabouts with courtesy or pedestrian crossings on them. Roundabouts are intended to improve traffic flow. Pedestrian and courtesy crossings are intended stop traffic flow for the safety of pedestrians. These are opposing intentions.
Why does Hamilton City Council (HCC) think that mixing roundabouts with pedestrian/courtesy crossings increases road safety?
Pedestrian Crossings on Roundabouts
It appears that HCC traffic planners incorrectly assume everyone is a rule-follower. On at least three occasions I have exited the Hukanui/Thomas/Borman roundabout to find families of three or more cycling across one of the roundabout pedestrian crossings.
When a child is killed cycling over a roundabout exit, it will not be helpful for Coroner’s report to state that the dead child was at fault as the law states that you should dismount and walk your bike on a pedestrian crossing.
Awareness of Courtesy Crossings and Rules
The HCC website states: “pavement decals will be placed to identify these crossings across the city” and “Most courtesy crossings are red and have a brick-like pattern.”
HCC appear to have dropped the pavement decals (which expected you to be reading the sign on the footpath and so were very challenging for anyone without great eyesight or who doesn’t look at the ground to check for signs) and many have worn away.
Crossing markings in Chartwell, Hamilton
Bryce Street outside Centre Place, Hamilton City
Many pedestrians, particularly young people, treat a courtesy crossing as a pedestrian crossing and don’t look for cars or wait to see if the car is stopping. It would increase the safety of courtesy crossings to have clear signage for pedestrians such as Whanganui District Council has.
Photo supplied by Whanganui District Council
Eye contact
NZTA states: “Courtesy crossings are intended to facilitate eye contact between pedestrians and drivers resulting in a mutually negotiated position over who goes first.”
Driving through the CBD, many pedestrians are looking at their phones when walking across the street, so eye contact is not possible.
It is also a little difficult to facilitate eye contact between driver and pedestrian when exiting a roundabout in a car.
I recently drove through the Heaphy/Grey/Te Aroha roundabout and three schoolboys appeared cycling at speed over the courtesy crossing without looking for cars. No, we did not make eye contact but luckily my brakes worked.
Stopping Safely
NZTA also states: “Courtesy crossings should provide a place where drivers can stop safely to allow pedestrians to cross.” The key word here is “safely”. Where does a driver safely stop on a roundabout, given the purpose of a roundabout is to get traffic moving on and off the roundabout without stopping.
What Is It?
I’m sure most Hamilton people have a favourite “Are you kidding me?!” road feature. Mine is the mystery bump when exiting the Wairere/Hukanui roundabout heading north on Hukanui Road.
It is not clear whether the bump is meant to be a speed bump or a courtesy crossing or both or possibly just a road planning error.
Two lanes merge on the bump and the line separating the two lanes vanishes before the bump. There is no sign to say the lanes merge. I’ve had several near misses with drivers unaware that the road changes to one lane. There is no speed bump on the other three exits of this roundabout. Why would HCC want to make someone slow down exiting a roundabout?
It could be a courtesy crossing but there are not the usual red bricks and there are pedestrian underpasses under the roundabout.
It’s a mystery, but it is a mystery that was partially paid for with my rates.
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Further reading on this issue
What are the disadvantages and negative impacts of “traffic calming”?
