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Crosswalk becomes deadly phone zone

Last week, while cycling south toward the orange bridge on Pioneer Crescent in Parksville, I dismounted at the Shelly Road crosswalk at Highway 19A. I pushed the button to activate the crossing light.
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Last week, while cycling south toward the orange bridge on Pioneer Crescent in Parksville, I dismounted at the Shelly Road crosswalk at Highway 19A. I pushed the button to activate the crossing light.

A pedestrian is unable to see if the light has activated, but the traffic heading south had stopped so I took a step into the crosswalk. Looking south, I could see that the traffic heading north didn’t appear to be slowing down. I stopped instantly. Three cars swished by. The first driver was chatting on his or her cell phone and the third driver was definitely texting as the cell phone was up by the steering wheel.

As I started to walk across, I could see the southbound driver stopped and shaking his head as he had witnessed the near-fatal accident.

That was as close a call that I have experienced in a long, long time. Very frightening!

Steen Laursen

Parksville