Raise the Hammer

lately I've noticed that on James North at Robert St, cars are voluntarily stopping more and more to let people cross. Granted, there is a concrete crosswalk visible to all, but there are no signs or suggestions to drivers to do this. Perhaps we're seeing a small taste of what a 'naked street' would function like once a street is designed to be more hospitable to all users. People never used to stop there, but now with a two-way street and plenty of pedestrians shopping at sidewalk markets, some drivers are doing this.

I'd love to see little pedestrian x-ing signs all through Hamilton at strategic locations that deserve one, but don't necessarily need stop signs or lights. Granted, Hamilton is moving in the opposite direction lately with all these signs they've been putting up instructing pedestrians to cross at the nearest controlled intersection.

In other words, they see that there is obvious demand for people to cross the street at Dundurn and the LCBO, but instead of suggesting that cars stop for waiting pedestrians, they put up signs telling the pedestrians to walk way out of their way to cross and then walk back down to their destination.

And this is in Ward One of all places. Probably the most pedestrian-active ward in Hamilton.
Some pedestrian charter.