As a daily walker on Old Ocean Boulevard, I am glad to see that some of the initiatives suggested by the ad hoc safety council last year have been implemented.
One suggestion was to cut back shrubbery along the road so pedestrians have a place to step off when needed. Check. Another suggestion was to replace speed limit signs with an unusual number that would garner attention from drivers. Check.
But a third area involving educating pedestrians about the rule of walking on the left — facing traffic — seems to have stalled. The chief of police told me personally that no signs would be installed instructing pedestrians but that police would stop individuals and, one-by-one, ask them to walk on the left.
Even this inefficient method seems to have been discarded, as in my daily walks since December I have yet to see this in practice.
Safety on the old road has come a long way but still has room for improvement. I think many pedestrians are unfamiliar with the walk-on-the-left rule. An effort to address this would be a welcome step in making this popular walking area safer and more enjoyable.
— Martha Lowther
Ocean Ridge
Replies
Of course you should walk on the left, facing traffic! I thought that was a no-brainer for your own safety. But I don't think there should become any type of ordinance or police-related policy.