Our episode this week comes to you from Quadra at Rock in Saanich, at a road safety rally organised by Sustainawave owner and local road safety advocate, Philip Marciniak. This rally was arranged after a vehicle ran a red light and struck a woman crossing in the crosswalk here - the second pedestrian-struck-in-a-crosswalk incident in the past week.

The group gathered was conducting an exercise in civic critical mass, constantly cycling the walk button, escorting pedestrians and cyclists across the street.

Philip is part of a group of road safety advocates that held a rally last year after the death of a 16 year old boy, hit in a marked crosswalk on Cedar Hill Cross Rd. At that time, the group called on Saanich to make some quick-build improvements at problem locations. After a cyclist was struck and injured at almost the same spot some months later, the Municipality installed some temporary traffic calming infrastructure.

“There is support for improvement on road safety, it just feels like in Saanich it kind of falls short on actual action and budgeting and implementation … We’re hoping to see action now.”

It’s amazing to see what grassroots community groups can accomplish. As Margaret Mead said, “Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.”

If you find it difficult/distracting to hear parts of this episode, that is unfortunately indicative of just how noisy traffic is in our communities, outside of a vehicle. Thanks for joining us in our roadside experience.