Mark Robinson, Fish Hoek
Brian Pitman’s letter, (“Pedestrian crossing shame, Echo, October 18), with regard to the new pedestrian crossing on Fish Hoek Main Road makes some good points but missed one major shortcoming.
The crossing warning signs to alert drivers about it are very poorly sited. While the southbound sign is usually reasonably well visible, the same cannot be said going north.
Any high vehicle, such as an SUV, 4×4, all but obliterates the sign, and if there is a truck offloading for Clicks or CNA etc then the sign is totally invisible.
Note, this is not an attack on any of the businesses mentioned or otherwise but on whoever decided where to place the sign. A driver should not be expected to be looking for such signage over the top of parked vehicles and against a multi-coloured background of shopfronts.
Regular users of Main Road by now know that there is a crossing but anyone unfamiliar with the road is very unlikely to see the sign.
I would possibly argue with Brian that as many as 20% of pedestrians crossing the road use the new facility but it is surely a boon for wheelchair users.
For the less steady on their feet the poor finish of the paving might make using the crossing more, not less, dangerous than before.
