To the community & Sheriff's Substation

Yesterday, an elderly pedestrian was hit by a car and flew off its windshield while attempting to cross South Mission at Fig Street. Unfortunately, I was not surprised by this tragedy because I know firsthand the difficulty of crossing South Mission. But I would rather cross at Mission & Fig than a block south at Mission & Elder where the elementary school crossing is because there you can’t see the southbound cars coming until they’re already flying down the hill at you.

“The Friendly Village” is not so friendly for pedestrians. Whether it’s the lack of sidewalks or the failure to yield, I’m not sure which is more to the peril of those who take to heart that leaving the car at home is healthier for yourself and the environment.

It has been a rare occasion that someone has yielded to me at an intersection, whether it’s on Mission, Main or any other street. I try stepping a foot out into the street to make my intention of crossing the street clear. I try waving my arms. When crossing South Mission, I usually have to wait a long time, and then I often end up dashing across half the street and waiting in the center turn lane, again waving my arms to no avail as the cars fly by. Even when someone has yielded to me, I still can’t cross because the cars in the lane next to the stopped car just keep flying by. I have joked to my husband that I ought to carry a portable yellow yield sign with me. Once, after waiting quite a while, I was happy to see a Sheriff’s vehicle approaching — surely it would stop for me! But no, it whizzed past me just like everyone else! Since then, several other Sheriff’s vehicles have done the exact same thing.

We can all probably recall driving along and seeing a pedestrian waiting at an intersection just a second too late and realizing that we should have stopped. But what I have experienced in Fallbrook goes beyond this and is totally inexcusable.

It is against the law to fail to yield to a pedestrian (Vehicle Code Sections 21950, 21951, & 21952). Let me also quote from the DMV’s California Driver Handbook 2005: “Pedestrians have the right of way at corners with or without traffic lights, whether or not the crosswalks are marked by painted white lines. Always stop for any pedestrian crossing at corners or other crosswalks. Do not pass a car from behind that has stopped at a crosswalk. A pedestrian you can’t see many be crossing.”

Failing to yield to pedestrians is a public safety issue. Please obey the law and remember how deadly the consequences of your actions can be. To the Sheriff’s Substation: 1. Please obey the law. 2. Please enforce the law.