Every corner is a crosswalk
Editor:
Recently a neighbor was nearly hit in front of his home by a speeding vehicle. Luckily, my neighbor recognized the speeding car. It was driven by one of his employees. My neighbor says he made clear to his employee that it would be unwise to continue to speed through Fincastle. That must have been an awkward conversation.
Fincastle’s residents often witness speeding cars coming off of or onto Blue Ridge Turnpike, Hancock, and 220. They are on their way to Back Street, Church Street, and Roanoke Street. Sometimes the speeders are commercial vehicles, other times it is commuters. From my front porch I can see into student’s vehicles as they shoot past my home from the BTEC dismissals. Often, they are steering with one hand or their knees while texting. If they were going slower, I could get their license plate numbers with my cell phone camera, but they are just a blur. If they were driving through each corner as if they might have to stop for a pedestrian, they would not be going that fast in front of my home.
Luckily for walkers, the General Assembly has made some changes to Virginia’s laws regarding pedestrians, effective now. These laws provide protection for walkers in your neighborhood and throughout the Commonwealth. With the schools reopening soon, being aware of these changes will be critically important to the safety of children.
Drivers must come to a full stop for pedestrians at marked crosswalks, unmarked street crossing areas in the line of a sidewalk, and all intersections on roads and streets where the maximum speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less. This effectively makes every street corner in Botetourt’s towns and subdivisions a crosswalk.
These changes will make life safer for walkers and runners. In Fincastle, we painstakingly restored the town’s old brick and flagstone sidewalks. While our streets are narrow, Main Street and Back Street now have parking lanes that are often used by walkers. I enjoy my daily walks to address a medical issue, often greeting other townsfolk and visitors from outside of our town who are also on foot. It amazes me how many people are out walking. For those of us who are able, walking is a healthy, free, carbon-neutral, and dependable mode of transport. Additionally, we have a charming town in which to do it, as do folks in Troutville, Buchanan, and Eagle Rock.
Throughout Botetourt, Virginia’s new “full stop” for pedestrians laws may take a bit of getting used to. These new laws, and more parents driving their children to school due to the pandemic, may mean it takes longer to get where you wish. Take that extra time and avoid a ticket or a tragic mistake. By treating every corner as a crosswalk, we will all be safer. Enjoy your walk!
Gretchen Notermann
Fincastle
