A tragic accident.

[fifi]

Island connections article.

Puschair baby killed on pedestrian crossing


Residents of the area in Fuerteventura where a 1-year-old boy was killed as he was crossing the road with his mother on Saturday evening say the tragedy had been on the cards for a long time.

Locals have long called for proper lighting on the FV-2 road in Costa Calma, particularly on the pedestrian crossing where the boy and his mother, who is heavily pregnant, were hit by a car driven by an Italian woman, who lives in Morro Jable and tested negative for alcohol at the scene. The incident is under investigation.

[woe10]

I hate to say this, but this sort of thing has been an accident just waiting to happen, not just in Costa Calma. The Spanish treat pedestrian crossings as just an extension of the footpath.
On numerous occasions in Rosario, I´ve witnessed young girls with pushchairs chatting away to their mates, completly oblivious to all around them, then suddenly turn left across the crossing without looking, with complete disregard to any traffic. They walk across the crossing, still chatting, without any acknowledgement of the cars which have just slammed their brakes on.
I´m always weary now if people in Rosario are walking near a crossing, as I know exactly what they´re going to do. It´s just their way unfortunately.

[KWC]

Very sorry to hear of this fifi.

Being a regular user of those crossing, I can confirm they are a bit scary at times. Some are too close to the main roundabout and the smaller one towards the inner hotel road, resulting in cars belting around the corner and suddenly finding a crossing in front of them.

You just need to see the amount of skid marks near to them to see the lucky escapes some have had.

[woe10]

It´s just another system failure with the road safety rules (or lack of) in Spain. Is there such a thing as The Highway Code here. I don´t think so. Things that are taken for granted in the UK just don´t exist here, such as cars parked right up to the Zebra crossing so you can´t see if anybody´s there. This was sorted out years ago in the UK.
The Green Cross Code - non existant. Things you learned in school.
The navigation of roundabouts is another saga which seems to be void of all common sense.

[tamara_k]

I don't know what crossing it was, and if the locals are saying it was unsafe, it probably was. But, as someone who moves around mostly on foot and my bike, I must note that significant proportion of drivers (obviously, I don't know what nationality they are), choose to ignore zebra crossings even when they are perfectly visible. I keep telling my kids "slow down, make sure the driver sees you and your intentions, then cross". It is extremely annoying and dangerous too when the driver in fact speeds up at this point, trying to get past the crossing before us.

That said, I agree that many crossings come into view as a complete surprise for a driver.

[zedzedeleven]

There are an awful lot of people paddle along the cycle tracks, some pushing buggies or trolleys. They also cross the road on the cycle track, ignoring the pedestrian crossing just a couple of metres away. As far as I know the cycle track has no priority or precedence over vehicular traffic at this crossing point and, as pointed out by others, tend to be sited right on the junction. Part of the fault lies with the council, install the cycle lanes-good idea, fail to repaint the cycle only signs-bad idea. Still, as long as we get a cheese museum eh?

[whyme]

If there weren't so many hire cars clogging up the streets it would help.

[Captain Sensible]

I am surprised that there hasn't been a serious accident on the crossings along the stretch of road in front of the Barcelo Hotel in Caleta.

The crossings are obscured by parked cars and the lighting is very poor at night; plus some pedestrians just turn and cross without any warning that they intend to cross.

[beachlife]

There are an awful lot of people paddle along the cycle tracks, some pushing buggies or trolleys. They also cross the road on the cycle track, ignoring the pedestrian crossing just a couple of metres away. As far as I know the cycle track has no priority or precedence over vehicular traffic at this crossing point and, as pointed out by others, tend to be sited right on the junction. Part of the fault lies with the council, install the cycle lanes-good idea, fail to repaint the cycle only signs-bad idea. Still, as long as we get a cheese museum eh?

As both a car driver/cyclist/walker I think cycle tracks are a good idea. However the design of the replacement ones are very poorly thought out. In Corralejo they have replaced the old cycle track on the main drag (basically the old wally trolley) with what looks nice but is an accident waiting to happen.

In fact an accident has happened as I know as it happened to me. The design of the track is a  tarmac strip with more than 1and a half metres of footpath on each side it looks very pretty but is impractical. One morning after a light drizzle I was coming out of the RIU perfume shop near the bottom of the small hill. I was planning to cross the zebra crossing, being a cyclist myself I walked to the edge of the cycle track was just turning to look up the hill to see if a cyclist was coming when I was hit by a cyclist. The Italian guy had no brakes, no tyre tread riding down a hill at a furious rate. I suffered a head wound with 2 inch gash on head with blood gushing out. Fortunately the restaurant owner was a great help and managed to stop blood flow with ice and copious amount of paper towels. There were few people around so why the cyclist did not steer away can only be that as he had no brakes he could not control the bike.

My point on this is to point out that the design does not separate pedestrians from cyclists. On the old track there was an edge which separated the cyclist and the pedestrian. I know the area well and am aware that cyclists fly around both on cycle tracks and pavements. However the first time tourist does not know that the black strip is a cycleway, there are no markings or signs. On the old track the cycle lane was below the level of the path so it created a natural separation of cyclists and pedestrians.

I was fortunate if I had not stopped and turned to look up the cycle lane and taken the impact on my chest I would probably have had a broken shoulder. Always been surprised that cyclists are allowed to zoom up and down on pavements missing people by luck rather than skill. As a cyclist in town I ride on a track or the road but it seems that the new tracks in Corralejo are more dangerous to pedestrians than the old ones.

[falkirkdan]

A very unfortunate accident.   However there is nothing new about mothers pushing their buggies or prams onto the road, they themselves safely on the pavement.   Happens all over UK and no doubt the rest of the world.   They just do not think about the one metre extension in front of them, they being safely on the pavement.  Sadly this mother has to suffer the consequences of her loss of concentration.
The driver is noted as Italian, as is Beachlife's cyclist, now there is no surprise!!!!
I could also raise the issue of cyclists and pavements but would hate to raise this again

[Blueboy7]

Could you please tell me which part of the British Isle you lot live in or have lived in, you make it sound like we are the most perfect country in the world and superior to any other nation when it comes to road safety. Teenagers in my part of the UK do not take the slightest notice of Light controlled crossings, just walk straight across, the colour of the lights make no difference, cyclists use pavements more than the roads, and think it fun to ride three abreast when they do use the main road. Bus lanes are for anyone to use (or so most drivers think). I could go on and on, get real, and get a life.

The accident with the poor Spanish girl is tragic and not the norm in Fuerteventura, it could happen anywere, it was just one of those things leaving a Spanish and Italian family devastated, both nations, far more family orientated than the UK, least the UK I was brought up in and at present live in. Before the super smart ases on this forum put there snouts in, I have lived up until March in Fuerteventura for three years, and been visiting for a long, long time.

[Paddster]

Posted by: Blueboy7
« on: Today at 19:35:43 »

    Insert Quote


Could you please tell me which part of the British Isle you lot live in or have lived in, you make it sound like we are the most perfect country in the world and superior to any other nation when it comes to road safety. Teenagers in my part of the UK do not take the slightest notice of Light controlled crossings, just walk straight across, the colour of the lights make no difference, cyclists use pavements more than the roads, and think it fun to ride three abreast when they do use the main road. Bus lanes are for anyone to use (or so most drivers think). I could go on and on, get real, and get a life.

The accident with the poor Spanish girl is tragic and not the norm in Fuerteventura, it could happen anywere, it was just one of those things leaving a Spanish and Italian family devastated, both nations, far more family orientated than the UK, least the UK I was brought up in and at present live in. Before the super smart ases on this forum put there snouts in, I have lived up until March in Fuerteventura for three years, and been visiting for a long, long time.


WHO said anything about us Brits being perfect ? Mosts posts are making observations about mums just turning into the road at crossings and just not being observant ?
And its totally irrelevant whether you've lived there or have been visiting for many years too,,,an opinion is an opinion of which we are all entitled to friend......

And you DID put your snout in too ? No need to get on your high horse.................

[whyme]

The young ladies in the uk are much more careful when crossing roads while pushing thier pushchairs, after all they have more to lose should a tragic accident occur. A nice council flat and social security for a start.

[Florence]

My worry driving here is with unlit pedestrian crossings.  If pedestrians are wearing dark clothing at night I struggle to see them properly and it takes every ounce of concentration.

[zedzedeleven]

Slow down Florence, slow down as if there is someone there until you are sure that there isn`t. Just ignore the impatient cretins behind you, they are just displaying their  lack of mature driving experience.

[Paddster]

Spot on zed as per usual...................