I am living in the Valley now but my home is actually in the 2500 block of West Broadway. It is 1.8 miles to my work - I can do it in 25 minutes at a fast clip. I have walked back and forth to work for 15 years. When I get to Maple and Ash going towards town, then I start swirling my head like I'm possessed by the devil. There are alleys! Side roads! Crosswalks! O my! And cars DO.NOT.SEE.THEM.AT.ALL. Let alone a little 120 pound pedestrian. I got to the point that I carried an umbrella with me (my idea of a big stick). If I didn't get eye contact with the driver rubber-necking UP the one way instead of DOWN the sidewalk, I would tap his car. Doesn't make them too happy but at least they notice me. I was almost hit by a car racing down an alley between two brick buildings on Monroe – not even thinking that the sidewalk just might contain a human being. I complained to the police and they did do a brief sting – but once their presence evaporated, the insanity resumed. It is open season on pedestrians year round!

The Cross Walks in this city are pretty much ignored, and cars will not stop unless you step down and proceed to cross... It is safer to cross against the light and in the middle of streets that are clear... and not impeding traffic... The tickets given down town to the street people for crossing without a light are ridiculous... cars do not give anyone who is "community of other" a break... they just treat you as if you are not there.... If the city needs "cross walk revenue" then they'd do well to ticket the errant auto's/bikes/ and motorcycles/and trucks... If a car can take a free right at a corner when it is safe, why can't i cross the street when it is safe too?? gus

Oh boy. I choose not to drive for many reasons, so I've been car-free since I arrived in Spokane a year and a half ago. I have many war stories.

When I lived in Spokane, I found it almost impossible to walk at certain times of the day. At one intersection I was almost hit by cars turning left several times on several different occasions. The traffic light was green, but I had the walk signal and thus the right of way (right of way, another phrase people here don't seem to know).

I found it almost impossible to ride my bike anywhere. It was just too dangerous to ride on the street and it's not courteous to ride on the sidewalk at speed. Both options are legal in Washington State, as long as there are no signs prohibiting the practice.

To add insult to injury, one of the bus stops I needed to use frequently was on the wrong side of the street. Lighted crosswalks were 3 blocks away in one direction and about 5 in the other. The bus stop is at an intersection, and again in Washington state it is legal to cross at any intersection, marked or not. Think drivers know this? Nope.

I tried calling the Crime Reporting Center with information on drivers who nearly hit me. They told me to call 911. Reluctantly, I called 911 for the most severe cases and I'm not even sure they wrote down the information. I feel like nobody cares.

I tried to get the crosswalks painted at least. That doesn't mean a whole lot either, but at least it's something. The city's Signs and Signals department told me they were considering making more and more intersections no-crossing zones for pedestrians. How's that going to help? Sure, people are breaking the law so let's just legitimatize their law-breaking behavior.

About a month and a half ago I moved to Cheney and it's night and day. I can walk anywhere, any time of the day or night and not have to worry about my safety or harassment from drivers. Drivers stop for me at crosswalks and I don't feel rushed to cross. I give them a friendly wave and receive one right back. I can ride my bike anywhere, and Cheney is small enough that I don't really need the bus unless I'm going grocery shopping or going to Spokane.

While the price of gas is going down little by little, the economy is still in the pits. More and more people are realizing it's possible to take the bus and walk/bike to their destinations. Hopefully as more people use alternate commute options, there will be a greater awareness of the needs of different styles of commuters. That's all I can really hope for.

I hope that more and more individuals in our community with some power and reputation, like you Mr. Smith, will consider alternate commute methods. Hopefully then we'll have some advocacy and might see some relief from taking our lives in our own hands to walk to the store.

My solution? Forget red-light cameras, let's have some spikes that pop out of the road and pop the tires of anyone who dares run a red light. And, if there's a certain (high) number of traffic infractions on a street, close the street to motorized vehicles (with the obvious exception of emergency vehicles and STA). Maybe if the laws were enforced, even at a macro level that affects an entire street, we'd see a change.

Ok, I'm stepping off my soapbox now...

As a motorcyclist (note: not a "Biker"), I cannot tell how many times I have come close to being hit by unattentive or negligent drivers. Tailgaters, SUV's/P-U trucks that speed up to pass you then suddently swerve into your lane. The Division Street Race Car Drivers. The roll n go drivers whom fail to come to a complete stop at a stoplight/sign. I have to honor these threats not knowing that they may pull out in front of me or into me.

Not quite as bad is the daffy pedestrian who just steps out into the street without looking either way. Usually sucking down a Starbucks narcotic and yapping on a cell phone waving their hands at someone to whom they are talking to, but cannot see. Mission Avenue and Sharp are notoriusly bad with G/U students whom enter the street at any point (yes those things are called crosswalks). Weren't we taught to wear light colored clothing at night?

Another gripe I have is bicyclists that do not wear helmets and do not obey the rules of the road. I guess the cops think they are invisible and dont see them. As bad are the knuckle dragging skate boarders whom believe the city sidewalks are their play ground. I wish I was a podiatrist, I'd be wealthy.

The City and SPD are more interested in the revenue from parking tickets than safety. Why dont they do a "traffic emphasis patrol" (call it a speed trap if you will) one day a week on Division/Mission ave? Chief Kirkpatrick will have more than enough money to fund a new evidence building and it will give her more time to chauffer Doug Clark as he goes trolling for lukewarm potatoe salad.

Considering I was actually hit by a car earlier this spring, I'm not the best person to ask.

"Forget red-light cameras, let's have some spikes that pop out of the road and pop the tires of anyone who dares run a red light." Ooooo, I *like* that idea!!!!! We'd probably have a rash of fender benders from people screeching to a halt at a yellow light. But after a little learning curve - this might work great!!! Of course, then the city wouldn't get any money from the cameras because nobody would dare risk getting their tires popped.

I recently was walking across Washington Street, and W 1st. W 1st has two lanes that turn left on to Washington. So I made it halfway across (the "walk" light was active), and two cars taking a "free left" barely missed me, and never even looked back. I was literally between the two moving cars, in the crosswalk, clutching my bag and hoping I wasn't going to get clipped. I felt like chasing down the cars and giving them a piece of my mind but I doubt they'd notice me then either.
Very rude.