I know. I promised you I’d publish the full 7 part series on taxes in a row. Today was to be the second installment. But, life intervened in a tragic way. I’ll make it up to you, after this interruption. I promise.

M interruption starts with St. Elmos. You know the coffee shop I frequent. (As in, I just don’t sleep there.)

About a month ago, one of the afternoon regulars was on his constitutional. Sure, Tom walks slowly. But, I doubt I’d be beating his pace when I’m the nonagenarian he is. Even so, it was no excuse for a car to hit him in the crosswalk at Mount Vernon and Oxford. After all, the crosswalks are clearly marked and unobstructed. And, it was broad daylight!

Now, Tom has to give up his beloved home and spend the rest of his days in assisted living. He simply can’t handle the steps any longer, given that he now relies on a walker. Which probably means his older sister is doomed to the same fate.

The real issue is that crosswalks are nothing new in Virginia. Within 6 months of my move to Charlottesville (some 40 years ago), the striped walkways appeared everywhere students crossed Emmet Street, JPA (Jefferson Park Avenue), and Main Street/University Avenue. And, the UniCops (university police) distributed summons liberally, until folks realized stopping for pedestrians was NOT optional.

Tom’s story would be tragic if it were an isolated case. But, it’s not.

For the past two years, some new faces have brightened (and darkened) the St. Elmo’s venue, and it’s new stepsister, Market 2 Market. (You do recall that Nora Partlow sold StE, right?) One of the more beautiful people was Rosemarie (also known as Rose).

She proffered smiles to all, hugs and kisses to a few, and helped make the customers’ day. I’m sure you’ve had the chance to meet a few folks like her – and they often serve as the magnet that draws us to a shop or business each day. That was Rose.

Nora just reminded me that I have known Rose for longer.  She was my waitress every Wednesday night, when my son and I and my friends Liz and Andy enjoyed eggplant parmigiana or cheese ravioli at Villa del Porto East (another Del Ray institution that no longer exists).

Until last Friday. Where a car nailed her at the corner of Mount Vernon and Glebe. And, as you can see, those crosswalks are also clearly marked and unobstructed.
They rushed Rose to George Washington Hospital. (A bad sign, since Alexandria Hospital is much closer.)

But, Rose did not survive her brush with that vehicle. Leaving her two small kids and her husband to pick up the pieces of their lives that remain.

You know someone’s going to do this again, unless and until we (that’s me and you) pay a lot more attention to crosswalks. (‘Slow down’ comes to mind.  Honestly, the only places I follow that dictum is at crosswalks and school zones.)

And, unlike these two fateful locations, it will recur until cities like Alexandria stop putting crosswalks in the middle of the street like one below, between parked cars, so drivers can’t see that pedestrian as s/he takes off running across the street.

It’s sometimes)as long as it’s only one truck blocking our view) easy to see folks during daytime (and depending how fast they run across the street). But imagine what this scene would provide at night, when diners from RT’s start crossing the street wearing dark coats.

I’ve been asking the city to upgrade the crosswalk with flashing lights (also with lights embedded at the edges of the walkway).  The latter may not be visible during the day, but perform fantastically when it’s dark or rainy.

You should ask your cities to upgrade those crosswalks. So, we won’t have to live with hitting a pedestrian for the rest of our lives. Or maiming them. Or killing them.

And, if you can see it in your heart to help Rose’s family, here’s the link to do so.

Thanks for abiding this interruption. Tomorrow, we’ll return to our previously scheduled discussion of taxes.