Brian Pittman, Fish Hoek
At the outset, may I congratulate the False Bay Echo on 65 years of reporting and, to boot, a most enjoyable luncheon held recently at the Foodbarn.
Although a resident in Fish Hoek for only a short while, I have come to realise the real camaraderie of people staying in the deep south.
A few weeks ago, an article in the Echo (“Hazardous sidewalk,” September 13) expressed concern that the new pedestrian crossing in the Main Road was unnecessary and had done away with parking bays.
At the time I viewed this article in a very dim light, until I examined the crossing on Saturday morning October 13.
I spent some 15 minutes observing
the pedestrian/
traffic activity at the crossing and was surprised to notice the following:
* Motorists were extremely observant of the crossing, and, in all instances, stopped to allow pedestrians the right of way.
* Only 20% of people wishing to cross the Main Road actually used the pedestrian crossing – in simple terms, one in every five pedestrians actually crossed when motorists stopped, and the other 80% crossed the Main Road at any other point but the pedestrian crossing.
In view of the above, one would obviously have to agree that we have to get the public to realise what pedestrian crossings are intended for.
I recall the days when one could be fined for “jaywalking” but, as is the case with so many municipal regulations, this seems to have gone by the board.
I was about to leave, having completed my observations, when
I happened to notice the crossing’s brickwork paving that had obliterated four Main Road parking bays.
For heaven’s sake, my one-year-old granddaughter could have done a better
job of it in her sand
pit.
It is barely three months since the crossing and paving were laid and the paving is already falling to pieces.
Not only does it look completely unprofessional but it could cause severe injury to somebody tripping.
