Minor injuries as driver jumps curb, slams into pole downtown Picton
Administrator | Aug 31, 2017 | Comments 17
Photos and Story by Olivia Timm
A female driver suffered minor injuries in an accident on Picton’s Main Street Thursday at about 1 p.m.
Prince Edward OPP Detachment Commander John Hatch stood at the crosswalk by the Regent Theatre to direct traffic around the scene. Moments before, Hatch had been walking just down the street when he saw the incident unfold. A red SUV sped out of its parking spot in front of JH Porte, onto the sidewalk, and into a pole.
Hatch said accidents of this kind are, “more common than you think.” Just last week he drove by Belleville Bakery on Bell Boulevard which had a large piece of plywood in its window, which Hatch said was due to the same kind of accident.
Prince Edward County firefighters were also on the scene and assisted County crews in the clean up.
Bystanders who had started to group together to see what happened
dispersed quickly as the car was towed away.
Hatch says it is fortunate no pedestrians were injured.
“It was terrifying,” said Gillian Hubick, who was shopping in the story with her sister when the accident happened. “My three-year-old son, mother and grandmother were standing outside waiting for us. They had to move to avoid being hit with debris and we had all just been standing where the car drove on the sidewalk a few minutes earlier.”
Gillian Hubick took this photograph from inside the store.
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Some folks just don’t like when reality steps up and looks them in the eye. As I said before accidents happen people on an open sidewalk have more escape routes in a fenced off area there are less ways to get out of the way especially when the metal fencing is coming at you too. Keep the patio remove the metal barriers…
Yes, and the walker or stander in the sidewalk is hurt just as bad. How do you fix that?
Not at all Fred…luv the patio, just concerned for the patron. I get it…lets increase our floor space, increase our profits.If anything the business itself should be more concerned now after this accident. Like driving without a seatbelt I suppose,,it can’t happen to me! But hey, the risk taker is welcomed to it. Not to scare anyone but a broken back may leave you paralyzed.
No joke. Just sounds more like an anti patio concern.
It may sound like a big joke, Fred, until there is an incident with tragic results, then it will be too late.
The sky is falling! No one should walk downtown anymore.
I mentioned this concern awhile back when this topic was all about the sidewalk patios. I suggested then that the patrons sitting innocently on the sidewalk or parking spot was an accident waiting to happen.
Again three options..move the patios behind the establishment 2. put it on the roof where possible or 3. protect the customers with temporary concrete pillars that at least will slow a vehicle. Seen the same thing on the news in Kingston where a senior reversed into a Laundromat.. only 4 injured but luckily no deaths.
My concern was about safety on open sidewalk you have some options on getting out of the way, on a fenced in patio those options are limited and not only do yo have a vehicle coming at you, you have the fencing coming at you as well…It should be an eye opener of potential risk..
Whoaa! I was just responding to the liability question, not saying that made everything right. I can see where some are attempting to sway this story into the old patio debate. In reality anyone on the sidewalk walking, standing or sitting is potentially at risk of vehicles going out of control.
Susan, “they have insurance for such”. Seriously? Insurance doesn’t cover what could have happened if there had been a pedestrian on the sidewalk at the time of that collision or if the driver had hit a sidewalk patio full of people. A person is no match for a 3000 pound car. The driver is so lucky they didn’t hit someone. Insurance couldn’t compensate a fatality.
And if you are a patio patron who has the misfortune to be seriously injured does an insurance pay-out fix everything?
They have insurance for such.
Right on, Paul. There is definitely a safety aspect that council should consider.
Good point Paul! Where would the liability lie I wonder? Certainly the driver but usually lawsuits name every possible candidate – the bar owner, the County….
You could also just stop going outside all together as one could get struck by a meteorite.
I’m glad to read there were no serious injuries and the Female driver will be ok. This could have been a much different story when just a few store fronts away people could have been sitting at the sidewalk patio’s that council approved, accidents happen but all things should be taken into consideration when making decision about sidewalk patio’s…
Thanks Olivia!!