”
With having school start up again, it concerns me that some
motorists are confused on the difference between a pedestrian
‘yellow crosswalk’ and a ‘white crosswalk.’
What’s the difference?
“With having school start up again, it concerns me that some motorists are confused on the difference between a pedestrian ‘yellow crosswalk’ and a ‘white crosswalk.’ Far as the pedestrian entering the crosswalk, at what point does the driver have to yield to the pedestrian? My understanding is that yellow crosswalk indicates a safe route to school, therefore whenever a pedestrian enters the crosswalk from the curb line, the driver must stop and wait even if the street is 100 feet wide. Furthermore, on a white crosswalk, I understand that drivers only have to yield when the pedestrian is on the side of the vehicle travel way. Regardless, I stop and wait for the pedestrian, but sometimes I can read a book while I wait for someone in a white crosswalk to cross the street.”
Red Phone:
Interesting take, good caller. Though a little mistaken. Although, according to the DMV driver handbook, some crosswalks near schools are painted yellow, there is no difference.
“To us, a crosswalk is a crosswalk is a crosswalk,” said Gilroy Police Department Sgt. Kurt Svardal. “Doesn’t matter if it’s white or yellow. A pedestrian in a crosswalk has to be yielded to. If they’re headed toward your car, you have a duty to yield to them.”
That goes for whether or not the pedestrian is entering the crosswalk on your side of the street – the pedestrian has the right of way. So caller, unfortunately if the road is 100 feet wide, you need to stop, wait and read. However, once a pedestrian has crossed your side of the street, you are not obligated to continue to yield.
Stoplight in Progress
“I was just calling to find out when the light at Sunrise and Santa Teresa was going to be turned on, as it’s very difficult to make a left turn out of Sunrise. Especially in the mornings. Thank you.”
Red Phone:
Don Dey, transportation engineer for Gilroy, said that is a developer installed traffic signal and that the developer is waiting to get power to the intersection from PG&E. Unfortunately, Red Phone did further checking and the timeline is unknown.
No place like home?
“My husband and I went to Home Depot on Sunday afternoon and the only checkstand open was the self check. We were buying tile so I asked one of the two employees at the self serve how we could scan tile. He said we must go back to the tile aisle and get the number off the tag on the shelf. So I walked all the way back and couldn’t find the tag. In the meantime, the second employee tells my husband to enter the code number on the back of the tile, so when I arrived back at the self checkstand, my husband is checking out. I set the box of tile down and I’m upset. I turn around to find the two employees laughing. They found the entire event amusing. I went and spoke to the manager and his solution was to refund my $10 for the tile. No apology. That involved standing five deep in the refund line. All I can say is thank goodness Gilroy has Lowe’s, Orchard Supply and Ace, where a customer is not treated like an inconvenience or a joke. Thank you.”
Red Phone: The Home Depot manager was unavailable for comment, but the Red Phone has a solution. Do what the Red Phone did more than 20 years ago when Sears employees were unhelpful and rude. Boycott. The Red Phone has not been back to Sears since, and with the various shopping options you mentioned available in Gilroy, try them. Remember, you are the customer and the customer always comes first. If enough people boycott when they receive poor service, maybe retailers will get the message.
