Everyday I pass this area where pedestrians merrily cross the street as they end their day. It is a sight of perfect harmony, students and some of their teachers alike go together to the other side of the road to wait for their ride home. But what do I find so wrong in this picture? They are jaywalking.
The area has been an accident magnet. I have seen countless times serious–worst so far was a man flying like a ragdoll after being hit by a closed van–incidents that could have been totally avoided. So I was very thankful when the local government finally constructed the overpass about five years ago but sadly it didn’t take long for people to start jaywalking again.
I was so curious with the unpopularity of the overpass so I checked it out during one of my early morning runs. Other than the graffiti-filled sides, I found out that there there is really no strong reason for pedestrians not to use it. I couldn’t help but surmise that most are just merely lazy to take the stairs and lack the discipline to use the pedestrian overpass–sadly including teachers in uniform of the nearby school.
Fortunately, we still have lawmakers who keep themselves busy. Just this week I heard about House Bill 4160 that two house representatives have filed. The new bill seeks to include traffic safety in the basic education curriculum of students from elementary to high school. I am now keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that the bill gets approved and strictly implemented soon.
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To be fair, I see possible reasons when jaywalking instead of crossing a pedestrian overpass (or underpass) is acceptable. Firstly, there have been a lot of overpass wherein homeless people have used it as their shelter–some considered not temporary–and they are usually suspects in snatching and robbing those who pass by the overpass. A well-lit and guarded area should keep them away from it.
Then there are those who are physically unable. For overpass without an elevator or escalator, pedestrians such as pregnant women, the frail senior citizens, and the handicaps won’t be able to use it without assistance. Now how could they safely cross the other side on their own? It would take considerate drivers to discern and let them through. And that is another part of the story.
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Mood: 3/10 Honks! ( Almost noon, Marcus just woke. His class starts in few hours.)
Marcus Can Blog 