@jseattle ped down at 18th and Thomas. Hit and run. pic.twitter.com/y6sCxHbM1v
— Ty Graham (@tygraham) October 1, 2018
A pedestrian struck by a reported hit and run driver suffered a leg injury Monday around 4:15 PM at 18th and Thomas.
According to Seattle Police radio reports, the victim was hit in the street and moved to the curb by a passerby where they were treated for their injuries by Seattle Fire before being transported to the hospital with what was reported to be a leg fracture.
Police were looking for a red or maroon colored newer model jeep-type vehicle last seen southbound on 16th Ave.
The area where the collision took place is currently busy with construction to create pedestrian improvements along the Thomas and John corridor.
I wish this was surprising news. I see/experience the near misses all the time and can’t count the number of friends on both hands who have actual vehicle contact or near misses.
Buh? They just finished those curb bulbs at that intersection couple days ago… I was just looking at them thinking about how much more visible they make pedestrians preparing to cross the street.
is “looking for pedestrians” too hard without curb bulbs?
“is “looking for pedestrians” too hard without curb bulbs?”
You’d think not, but as someone who crosses E Thomas on foot multiple times a day, every day, I’ll take what I can get when it comes to pedestrian improvements. The painted bulbs do
seem to be making a difference… Just in the past few days, I’ve noticed that probably half the cars stop for a pedestrian standing in the curb bulb area, whereas it used to be almost none. To be fair, E Thomas a through street with no cross walks at 16th, 17th, or 18th, but still!
Drivers can definitely see us better with the bulbs… Whether they should be looking more carefully without the bulbs isn’t really worth debating… They don’t see us without the curb bulbs, so I’ll take whatever I can get!
@Ariel – there *is* a crosswalk at each and every one of those streets – for that matter at *every* intersection, regardless whether or not white lines are painted on the street…. (unless it is specifically signed no pedestrian crossing)
You are within your rights to expect that drivers should stop for you (though I don’t recommend expecting that they *will*) – white lines or not, they are required to do so by law, as long as there is enough time.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the curb bulbs are at 19th Ave E, and this accident was at 18th Ave E.
Bob, this intersection has the paint/bollard-style curb bulbs installed (see photo). 19th and select others will have concrete curb bulbs.
I wish they’re remove some parking from this stretch of road for better site lines and that drivers would slow down.
The painted bulbs aren’t as awesome as the concrete ones, but they do prevent cars from parking as close to the corner. I’ve noticed this benefit at 22nd and John.
Drivers act terribly on that Thomas/John stretch…. I see them go around the stopped bus *into* oncoming traffic all of the time… It’s a surprise that more people don’t get hit. They speed into the setting sun, gunning it, rather than slowing down, when you know they can barely see a thing. I’m one of those strange few who actually stop when I see pedestrians who are trying to cross.. I must say I fear being rear ended – and as a cyclist that is a bit more serious.
There is nothing wrong with going around a stopped bus, as long as 1) there is no oncoming traffic 2) there are no pedestrians about to cross 3) the bus driver is not signaling that he/she is about to move back into the traffic lane.
You are indeed a “strange” cyclist if you stop to let pedestrians cross, because that doesn’t happen very often. On the other hand, as I observe on my daily walk, most vehicles (not all) do stop for pedestrians.
Well 1) I am talking about *exactly* that… drivers crossing the yellow line directly into **oncoming vehicle traffic** and simply expecting that they will move over far enough (and this happens nearly every time the bus stops…as far as my observations have been) 2) you should never pass when you cannot see properly and not only is visibility is quite limited in the area, oncoming traffic is also turning a corner onto Thomas near to the bus stop and therefore may appear quickly… 3) Driver should *assume* that there may be pedestrians, that they cannot see, crossing in front of the bus, rather than speeding headlong into the unknown.
Drivers really need to simply to be slightly patient – It’s not a big or popular stop – the bus generally is not stopped there very long.
Strange… my experience as a pedestrian is that drivers *rarely* actually stop for you.. even at the stop signs, much less at the unsigned intersections on Thomas..
BTW – yes, I stop for pedestrians whilst driving as well – and have been rear ended because of it… And yes – the rear ending driver pays for that experience.
The city should remove the last parking spot near the corners of 18th and Thomas, and also on 18th and Coryell Ct (the alley between 18th and 19th), both on the north side of Thomas.
It’s super hard sometimes to see oncoming traffic coming up the hill when trying to navigate that corner turning left _or_ right, as people park big trucks right on the corners.
You spend so much time checking for traffic coming up the hill that you often neglect to check again for pedestrians coming down the hill. I’ve had near misses a couple of times as a driver and as a pedestrian.
Actually, no curbs would have mattered with this hit and run. After the lady in the red jeep struck that girl, she nearly hit me and my dog while we were crossing the street. She was going extremely fast as she skidded onto 16th ave e…… She was in a new larger red jeep with the temporary paper liscense on the back window. I wonder if the cops will look for sold jeeps in seattle? I could easily identify the lady.
People, cars, bicyclists get into wrecks every week on Thomas. I’ve tried for years to have them put in crosswalks but instead they put those bumper curbs in- ridiculous.