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| The Hawk |
There is a
new crosswalk signal light set being installed in Phoenix – and I have seen
them in some other places as well. The greatest risk for pedestrians crossing roadways
is the high number of inattentive, impaired, impatient and distracted
drivers. As a pedestrian, a person can’t ever assume that because
some vehicles have stopped for them, and they are visible to other approaching
vehicles, that they are safe crossing
a roadway. You have to keep your eyes moving and your brain
connected the entire time.
But traffic
engineers have come up with a couple of new ideas to grab the attention of
drivers as they approach crosswalks. First we have a new light set that
consists of a solar power unit, with a floodlight to illuminate the pedestrian
as they wait to cross, and a yellow strobe light set that flashes to grab the
motorist’s eye. I don’t know how many have been installed – but they
are apparently very effective in getting motorists to yield to the pedestrians
where they have been.
The second
is a bit more common, and is called “the Hawk.” It was invented by a traffic engineer in Tucson, Arizona a few years back. It is a three-light set that uses the standard colors of traffic signals to stop the vehicles
approaching crosswalks. The problem is, almost no one knows what to do when they approach one –
and given that the lights aren’t in the usual configuration we see at
intersections, many drivers cannot seem to figure them out.
All you
really need to know is what each of the three light sequences and colors mean
in general.
The Hawk
has three lights – two red and one yellow. When a pedestrian presses
the crosswalk button, a flashing yellow signal light illuminates for the
approaching traffic, which then goes solid yellow after a couple of
seconds. After the yellow sequence, which gives approaching motorists the
opportunity to bring their vehicles to a safe stop at the crosswalk, an all-red
phase begins and the pedestrian can enter the crosswalk.
All
vehicles must remain stopped while the red lights are illuminated steadily. After the pedestrian has had a sufficient amount of time to
cross the street, the red lights begin to alternately flash (like at a railroad crossing). At this
point, if your half of the roadway’s crosswalk is clear of pedestrians, you
treat these flashing red lights as you would most other flashing red signal lights
– you stop, you yield, and then you may proceed if it is safe to do so. That’s
all there is to it.
People get
so confused by this signal set that Phoenix’ traffic engineering department is
putting signs up that inform drivers what to do. Of
course, no one reads the signs either. No surprise there. But
if you forget what to do – just look for those signs.
My
instructions are only for Arizona – I don’t know if other states are
implementing these the same way we are. My guess is that they are,
but I do not know this for a fact.
Keep the
shiny side up… and pay attention behind the wheel!
Uncle Bob
