Kim Grant is walking with crutches after her accident on a pedestrian crossing. Photo/ Supplied
Kim Grant is walking with crutches after her accident on a pedestrian crossing. Photo/ Supplied
A Central Hawke's Bay resident believes she has a "moral obligation" to warn people about the slippery perils of pedestrian crossings.
Waipukurau resident Kim Grant tells her cautionary tale involving an accident on a pedestrian crossing, which ended with her on crutches.
"I had an accident last weekend [September 8] that has left me on crutches and in a moon boot and I really think it needs bringing out and addressing before more people do the same thing and end up like me or a lot worse.
"I feel like I have a moral obligation to say something."
Grant said she was normally a "fit and able" person and if the accident left her in such a state, she shuddered to think what would happen to someone elderly.
"Last Sunday afternoon it was raining, l left Kmart and walked across the zebra crossing that's in the car park (by the PO Boxes) back to my car.
"As I was walking across it I slipped over on the white painted part injuring my ankle. Before we had left the car park my ankle had swollen up so much it looked like an egg was under the skin and I went straight to Hastings A & E.
"After X-rays I found I had a bad sprain and had chipped a bit off my ankle bone. They said I was the third person that day they had in who had done the exact same thing, and there had been more within the last week too."
The size of an egg - Kim Grant's ankle after the accident on a pedestrian crossing. Photo/ Supplied
Grant previously lived in the UK and believed the pedestrian crossings there had some sort of texture in them which made them less slippery.
She wondered why the same couldn't be done here.
"Surely the paint used here isn't suitable in wet conditions and needs some form of sand/ grit added to prevent it being slippery when wet or at least a warning notice up advising people of the hazard.
"Obviously this is the supposedly the correct 'safe' place to cross the road but not if the surface is wet and I am now laid up due to this unfortunate and unnecessary accident.
"I would hate for an elderly person or anyone else to have the same thing, or worse happen."
She emailed Bay Plaza, the owners of the car park, hoping they would address the issue but did not receive a reply.
"I emailed the owner of the car park, Bay Plaza to inform them and try and find out if it's a private or council car park but have had no reply.
"Surely whoever is responsible for these white lines, be it a private or council crossing should be made aware that it's a hazard and they have a moral and legal obligation and responsibility to ensure they are made safe?"
Grant remains hopeful that someone will be in touch.
