Give the Law a chance. By Klaus Guttmann, TRIAD member.

Senior Pedestrians, allow the law to work! CHAPTER 89. LAW OF THE ROAD. SEC. 11. Says: Marked crosswalks; yielding right of way. When traffic control signals are not in place or not in operation the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right of way, slowing down or stopping if need be so to yield to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk marked in accordance with standards established by the department of highways, if the pedestrian is on that half of the traveled part of the way on which the vehicle is traveling or, if the pedestrian approaches from the opposite half of the traveled part of the way to within five feet of that half of the traveled part of the way on which said vehicle is traveling. There have been close calls. Pedestrians could have been hurt. How can the driver of a motorized vehicle yield if you can not be seen. Picture yourself, between the hood of a Hummer and the rear of a Suburban, or other large and tall vehicle, legally parked on places similar to Main Street in Hyannis and Wianno Avenue in Osterville, intending to cross. Can a driver having to concentrate on other vehicles and people opening car doors into traveled section of a street see you before it is too late? For our safety, we must give this helpful regulation a chance. Before you decide to cross, take this into consideration: If you can not see a drivers face, through the windshield, the driver may not be able to see you. Make sure to convey your intent to cross before stepping into the roadway. Wave your arms, observe the driver and vehicle to ascertain that it will come to a halt before stepping out. Since I mentioned Main Street in Hyannis, I must also compliment the Town of Barnstable Highway Department for designing and building these little "Sidewalk Pockets" which prevent parking and jut into the street, allowing drivers and pedestrians to make eye contact for safe yielding to pedestrians. There is no guarantee that comes with this yielding law. If you are not sure that you can cross safely, don’t. You may want to wait a while until traffic calms down or pick a better place to cross.

Handicapped Parking :

By Klaus Guttmann, TRIAD member.

There have been complaints. Healthy people, not entitled to "Handicapped Parking" areas in parking lots, have been observed taking up spaces badly needed for folks whose movement may be severely limited. This has been written in the newspapers and mentioned in "Letters to the Editors". Why isn’t something done about this? Can’t these violators be cited, ticketed and fined? First of all, owners of these parking lots have to make sure that the "Handicapped Parking" Signs comply with Commonwealth of Massachusetts HANDICAPPED PARKING REGULATIONS. What are these regulations? What makes the "Handicapped Parking" Signs legal and enforceable? They are on the internet: http://www.mass.gov/mod/HPParkingRegs.html . You will find a picture of the official and legal sign. This document also contains the Required Accessible Spaces mandated for parking lots of different total spaces. It also addresses the accessibility needs for people using Handicap Vans. I have noticed, driving and shopping around town, that very many "Handicapped Parking" Signs do not conform with State Regulations. If the Police, in this case, issue a citation including a monetary fine to those not entitled to park in these areas, the fine can be contested in court due to the signs not conforming to the law. It would be a waste of time for our busy Police Department. For more information, you can contact;

THE MASSACHUSETTS OFFICE ON DISABILITY (617) 727-7440 OR (800)

322-2020 V/TTY, or your Town of Barnstable Diability Commission; 508-862-4914, FAX: 508-862-4960 or E mail: al.melcher@town.barnstable.ma.us .

klausguttmann@comcast.net