VIRGINIA BEACH
A pedestrian was not significantly hurt when he was struck in the 2800 block of Shore Drive around 11 p.m. Thursday, police said.
The man was transported to Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital at 11:06 p.m. He was treated and released for a minor injury, said Officer Margie Long, a police spokeswoman.
The location is near the intersection of Great Neck Road and Shore Drive, along a stretch that has been host to pedestrian tragedy in the past several years.
In 2006, 22-year-old Larry Paul Bryant Jr. was killed near the site of today's accident, walking on Shore Drive near First Landing State Park. Also in 2006, jogger Burley Thomas Day III, 44, was struck and killed by a school bus.
In 2005, five pedestrians were killed on Shore Drive in Virginia Beach - including two couples. In September, Hickory High School teacher Kristin Highfill, 26, was killed crossing the road with Charles Anderson, 29, a Navy lieutenant. In January 2005, James Hale, 58, and Dawn Hale, 60, were struck and killed.
Staff writer Patrick Wilson contributed to this story.
John Warren, (757) 446-2309, john.warren@pilotonline.com
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Shore Drive is Dangerous!
I agree with Angelac that a pedestrian bridge would be benefitial to the safety of pedestrians on Shore Drive. In fact, how about Shore vs. the Town Center area? Is the City getting sued for these deaths due to negligence in not providing sidewalks?
Questions.....
The report left a lot of unanswered questions. Was he trying to cross the street, was he hit while walking on the side of the road, was he walking IN the roadway........11pm, what was his blood alcohol content and had the others injured/killed been drinking too?
People wate to point the finger of blame at anyone but themselves. Let's see the Pilot publish those numbers, but I doubt that will happen.
35.... so people do 45
This is an urban area. Highest population density in the City.
Avg speed is 54.7 or 54.8 depending on direction.
Police, doing an excellent job on enforcement....can't write speeding tickets unless it's higher than the avg speed as they get thrown out of Court. Solution? Speed limit of 35 so it's compatible with this highly taxed, highly popuated urban area. That way people will drive 44.7.
Pedestrians are people too! Please visit the Shore Drive Community Coalition website at www.SDCC.info. Working closely with the City, we've been able to add more, but we're no where near down though.
Be safe.
I'm not really sure how some
I'm not really sure how some of these people are getting hit either, but there is a big problem of egomaniac drivers around here! They all think that their car is the best one out there and race at unbelievable speeds on some of these roads, and the straighter the roads are, the better for them to race. I mean just yesterday, if this couple I saw would have decided to cross the street any later, they would have been dead because this high rise truck came speeding through, passing everyone in a 45 mph zone! They just barely made it! So I'm not really sure what these people are doing when they are walking, but I'm pretty sure it has a lot to do with the crazies out in their car.
There are all sorts of signs for drivers
Perhaps the pedestrians need to be better educated. Maybe some signs by the exits of business establishments or at the beach accesses. They can even be informed of the trail that runs along the south side of shore drive. Evidently for an area with high pedestrian and vehicular traffic the city does not place a priority on putting in any sidewalks as evidenced by that new kids playground place and ice cream shop where the sidewalk requirement was "waived"
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM HERE?
How is it that these folks are getting hit? I have driven that area and I have walked. While walking, you have to be away from the traffic...and while driving you have to be very careful not to hit the walkers that are all too comfortable walking in the street.
The city needs to do something about this. It is not getting any better.
Slowing the speed limit, road bumps, or pedestrian bridges are one option...they could sacrifice a new monster truck for the fire department to pay for it.