Waving The Crosswalk Flag & EG Gets Out(doors)

RANT: I am giddy with delight. I just inaugurated the new crosswalk on Kenyon Ave.

Quick background here: About two months ago, a nice, shiny new pedestrian sign went up on the part of Kenyon Avenue between First and Division. Just one problem – there was no actual walkway strip to accompany it. Rather than a bridge to nowhere, we had a sign to nowhere. A town resident asked the town Council wassup? and was informed that the painting was still under way. That was back in August.

The walkway stripes were finally painted in late September. Like a fine wine, they apparently took time to develop.

The only problem is you will be taking your hands in your life to traverse it. On average, cars go about 40 mph in what is a 25 mph zone.

So now we have another death crossing in East Greenwich. Yay!

I am not disputing that we need to create ways for pedestrians to cross the busier streets. But how about also making the ones that already exist safe? This is not a new rant from me. I brought up the dangers of crossing Main Street a few months ago after a pedestrian was hit. I even suggested a cheap and easy solution (ok, full disclosure - it was my kids’ idea but I have no problem taking credit): Flags that pedestrians can wave to attract the attention of drivers who seem to be simultaneously talking on their phones, texting and blinkered. The flags are inexpensive and can even be sponsored by local stores – who, after all, benefit from their customers not getting mowed down by a Smart car.

Patch checked out Wakefield, where the flag system seems to work and agreed that it was affordable, easy to implement and effective. (The idea of waving flags seemed to affront the masculinity of some of our townspeople, judging from the comments but you know what? You don’t want to wave a flag because you think it is a reflection on how macho you are? Fine, don’t. Take your chances. Stop the cars with your teeth for all I care. But I don’t mind admitting that I am a chicken and all I want to do is be able to cross the street and get to the other side without getting hit.)

So what happened after the accident? Nothing. Zippo. Nada. Sure, there was a Greek chorus over the cars speeding on Main Street and the council did comment that they felt the flags were a potential danger and candy for would-be thieves. Apparently, we have a more violent, larcenous populace than Wakefield. Must be something in our water.

I guess we’ll just have to wait for someone else to get more seriously injured before anything concrete is actually done. But then, judging from the fact that the cart was put before the horse with the pedestrian signage on Kenyon, it makes sense that the town will also close the stable door after the horse has bolted.

RAVE: To H-E-double-hockey-sticks to all those small towns in Colorado, Idaho, North Carolina and any other place that strut around boasting that they have been named as a Best Outdoor Town to Live In by some consumer magazine survey.

The beautiful fall weather is bringing out the best in our town – every day this week, I have crossed paths with people walking, running and biking in Scalloptown Park, Frenchtown preserve and simply around town (though perhaps not crossing Main Street or Kenyon Avenue – see my rant). The bay is full of canoes, kayaks and the banks are crammed with people fishing. The skate park is full of kids doing tricks I wouldn’t want my cat to do, the knee-high soccer teams are out running circles around Academy Field and the basketball court seems to have a convention of middle-aged men re-enacting their high school hoop dreams.

A recent houseguest said she saw more people passing my house on bike and foot than she saw on her Long Island suburban town’s streets in an entire year.

So let the government shut down. Leave Dr. Seuss politics to Washington. Let’s all go outside, tilt our (SPF 50 sun-creamed) faces to the sun and be thankful for fall in small town New England.