Our streets are public property, to be safe for all users. If a pedestrian has a walk signal, a driver wanting to turn must yield to the pedestrian no matter what. The upraised hand and countdown does not mean it’s the driver’s time to make a turn. It’s still the pedestrian’s time to cross.

People walking should be ticketed if they fail to reach the other side of the crosswalk by the time the light turns red. People driving through an intersection should be ticketed if they enter the intersection when the light already has turned red.

If people walking are ticketed when they start to cross during the yellow countdown, then people driving should be ticketed for entering intersection on the yellow. Neither makes sense, but that would be equality for people driving and walking.

A person exceeding the speed limit in order to beat the yellow/red light is a danger to other road users. Speed kills. Don’t speed.

Chad Taniguchi

Emeritus director, Hawaii Bicycling League

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