Pedestrians

Pedestrians get the short shrift On a recent Friday afternoon, I was driving home on Forest Avenue, approaching the Glenneyre intersection with my 7-year-old grandson and his friend. Turning left onto Glenneyre, I noticed two older couples in front of Tuvulu's, attempting to enter the crosswalk. They were hesitating, especially because the car in front of me whizzed by without a glance or thought of stopping. I made eye contact with the foursome, smiled and waved them on, indicating that I would wait while they crossed the street.

Crosswalk safety campaign launched Drivers are being warned that the Police Department plans to conduct “proactive” crosswalk enforcement campaigns to improve pedestrian safety during late July and August. “The department has conducted similar crosswalk enforcement details in the past and unfortunately only raised awareness by the large number of motorists who were stopped,” Sgt. Robert Rahaeuser said. “Far too many serious injury accidents occur each year from motorists failing to see, and stop for, pedestrians in the crosswalks.

After reading the recent news story about the rug dealer who has been charged with sexual assault, ("Man charged in sex assaults," Sept. 9) I couldn't help but wonder if I had somehow mistakenly landed in the pages of a cheap thrill pulp fiction paperback, the kind with a full color image of Fabio on the cover. The descriptive details of the perpetrator's crimes against his victims, some underage, in such a play-by-play manner was distastefully unprofessional, grossly inappropriate and absolutely unnecessary.

Barbara Diamond Neighborhood compatibility was the key to the rejection of a home proposed for a site near the gateway to parkland at the end of Alta Laguna in Top of the World. The City Council unanimously rejected a proposal Tuesday to construct a residence that opponents argued was out-of scale with the neighborhood, blocked public and private views, was inappropriate for the location adjacent to three parks and posed a danger to pedestrians, hikers and bikers.

Laguna folks pride themselves on giving back to the community. So it's no surprise they came up with some dandy ideas for gifts — cost not to be considered — for the city in the New Year. Mayor Jane Egly : "Fewer cars and more walkers and bikers. " Egly is an advocate of the Complete Streets movement that espouses the notion that streets are for everyone, regardless of age or means of locomotion. Residents in cities across the country, including Laguna Beach, are asking their elected officials to endorse and implement policies that make streets safe for all users, from bicyclists to public transportation riders, drivers and pedestrians.

Andrew Edwards A Laguna Beach woman was in critical condition after a Monday morning accident at the intersection of Brooks and Glenneyre streets. Meltem Narter, 42, was struck by a BMW while she was crossing the street, police said. The crash happened at 10:21 Monday and several witnesses called 911 to report the crash, police said. Narter was taken to Mission Hospital after sustaining severe injuries in the crash, police said. The accident is still under investigation, and police have not arrested 60-year-old Gayle Cleigh, the driver of the BMW 318i that struck Narter.

The green light says go, but in Laguna Beach, the signal to go could be green, yellow or red, depending on the mood of the driver. After studying the last four-year history of 90 accidents involving pedestrians, one thing is certain: Never assume anything. For example, most Laguna residents probably believe that pedestrian accidents happen outside of signalized intersections, such as those fancy flashing crosswalks or the old-fashioned crosswalks with no lights. Not so. The fact is half of all victims are hit crossing at a signal, believing all is good because they are in a safe zone.

Don Knapp Summer has come to Laguna. If one has any doubt, the hordes of tourists and their too-many autos is proof. Laguna's No. 1 problem is traffic congestion and parking to accommodate our visitors. We can't do a lot as a city to alleviate traffic congestion on the two main traffic arteries, Coast Highway and Laguna Canyon Road. Both are state highways. I have just returned from several weeks in Innsbruck, Austria. The historic old city has a beautiful "old town" restricted to pedestrians.

Saturday was a spectacular day in Laguna. It seems most everyone escaped the inland heat by descending upon Laguna, where they were treated to an Earth Day/Kelpfest collaboration that showcased the best of our environmental sensibilities. Nancy Caruso's third annual Kelpfest was by far her team's best effort yet. The colorful and interactive exhibits were crowded all day, with great musical accompaniment. Just across the street, Laguna experienced a historic first: the closing of a downtown street for a non-city event.

A 65-year-old Lake Forest woman is still in a coma after being struck by a car in a crosswalk. She was thrown more than 40 feet during the impact at 8:16 p.m. Sunday near Laguna Playhouse, according to Laguna Beach police. The car's driver, Sharon Ann Niggemann, 62, of Laguna Beach, was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI and held on $100,000 bail. "She [the victim] was hit dead center and launched a good distance," said Cpl. D. McGill, a traffic investigator with the Laguna Beach Police Department.