Glenn Kubish

It's a lottery win to get through crosswalks safely in Edmonton. Today's life-and-death game features a lit pedestrian walk light and two automobile drivers who have to figure out what a red light means in real time.  Date : Edmonton, August 22, 2016 Encounter:  I have pushed the crosswalk light on 135 St that stops traffic east and west along 102 Ave. The little lit man tells me I have the right of way. But a big man behind a revving engine tells me I should think twice about stepping out.  Your VisionZero question : Which automobile driver in the picture above obeys the traffic laws?  As always, no wagering please. Here is your answer: One more VisionZero question : Which insurance company has enough risk appetite to cover that driver?  Okay, one more : How do VisionZero ads on the back of buses stop this driver? Thanks for playing along.

The crosswalk on 103 Ave at 124 St is aptly named. Cross yourself. Then walk.  It can be a religious experience to get to the other side. Date : Edmonton, August 17, 2016 Encounter:  I have pushed the crosswalk light, looked up to confirm the overhead lights are indeed flashing, and then started across the street, having played the VisionZero Quiz here many times before, tentatively.  Your VisionZero question:  How many motorists moving north to south (right to left in the video frame) proceed obliviously through the crosswalk?  As always, no wagering please. Here is your answer: Thanks, as always, for playing along. Today's adventure has suggested a simple, foolproof nine-step process to get across this weird intersection safely. The steps, in the pic below, are: 1. Push crosswalk button 2. Wait, look both ways 3. Proceed cautiously 4. Stop to allow vehicle through 5. Proceed cautiously 6. Stop for another vehicle 7. Proceed cautiously 8. Give t...

Road open! ←  What's with this sign?! What story does it tell? What story does it smuggle in? Trump and his fellow travellers in communication would say there can be no other interpretation. The sign means what it means, that cars and trucks are not allowed on the road. A motorist knows not to proceed. A pedestrian knows it's safe to proceed. End of story. This morning, I saw it different. The suddenly-curious sign sits at the entrance to the Fringe Festival on 83 Ave and 104 St. Edmonton's Fringe is a wild proof of creative life in the margin. Not content to cede the theatre to self-appointed gatekeepers of high culture, Fringe fans celebrate plays and music that grow out of the ground in these parts. For ten days every August, Old Strathcona and its schools, churches, telephone museum, theatres, jazz joints, community halls, studios and streets host the drama and comedy and improv of real-life theatre.  Make a plan to go and walk around until you find a gem. ...