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Points to Ponder

Pipestone Flyer

Every time I drive through a well-known fast food place, the two-in-one fast food places that are becoming more frequent, I marvel at what seems to be a huge planning design boo boo.  On both sides of the building (one side is for coffee, other side for burgers, remember) as traffic is pulling through to order, pay and pick up, sitting just ahead of the last pick up window, like a video game challenge, is a door where pedestrians exit the building.  The door is hidden behind a corner facing the opposite direction so is out of the driver's range of sight.  There is no light or warning bell to alert a driver when exactly a foot is going to step off the curb from the hidden door to cross a crosswalk that insists on laying right across the virtually nonstop path of traffic.

 I realize the traffic making its way through a drive-thru is going ultra-slow, but having been a foot passenger as well, I've felt the uncertainty in both instances.  When I step out the door to cross in front of a line of cars, I look carefully to make sure the driver coming through is paying attention and not distracted before I set foot down to cross.  It seems an awkward setup to purposefully plan for customers to walk right out into a line of traffic that is RIGHT THERE the second you're out the door.  It must be safe or it wouldn't be designed this way, but it often seems like a congested way to set up entrances and exits to a business whose customers are both driving and walking.