INC NEWS - Future headline: Family of four injured, pedestrian (panhandler) killed in accident

[RW Pickle]

Today, I almost viewed the senario Mike mentions in his subject for his
email. It was a paper vendor who has only one leg. He sits at the
intersection of 15-501 business and University Drive (that intersection in
Rockwood near the Q-Shack). And it was law enforcement who came close to
doing it. Not because they were trying or anything, but the vendor, in the
middle of the median, really had the emergency vehicle blocked. He could
have driven across it otherwise. Instead, he came to a full stop, sirens
going, and waited until everything came to a stop and went down the wrong
side of the street. We all know he is there every day, but it didn't help
the emergency today at that intersection to have to deal with something
other than the traffic. I do not get to see this sort of interaction very
often, but today, it was dangerous. Not just for the vendor, but everyone
at that busy intersection.

But I'm not sure Mike is right in his assumption that vendors can still
work Nineth Street or the street vendors work the sidewalks. It depends
what ordinance is actually passed. If it's a right-of-way ordinance, the
sidewalks are in the right-of-way. If it's intersections, then that's
different. But no matter what we pass at INC, it's not the ordinance. That
comes from those higher up the pecking order than us.

RWP
27 Beverly