While the Liberal in me agrees that motorists need to be the most safe when traveling our streets (due mostly to the weight of their vehicles) pedestrians and bicyclists also must use common sense.
A great example of this is the real world version of Frogger that occurs every morning by Lincoln High School on Cliff Avenue. Even after the city was kind enough to put a very visible traffic light and crosswalk in (that was needed) students still have not figured out how to use it. Even if they are simply 20 feet away from the cross, they still prefer to jump across five lanes of traffic.
I don’t want to get into a long debate about how some teenagers are pretty ignorant (it’s all those racing hormones.) But I do want to say one thing ‘USE THE FREAKING CROSSWALK – THAT IS WHY IT WAS INSTALLED!’
I think the School District needs to have an ‘education’ program with the students of Lincoln High school about using crosswalks, I would also suggest a plain clothes officer hands out jaywalking tickets every morning for about a week. We might be able to help subsidize the Events Center operations cost with the revenue.
A fine won’t phase most of these kids – 1. they’ll get the $$ from mom/dad – 2. One more thing to rebel against – might even lead to MORE jaywalkers.
Not just at Lincoln – it is all over town. Children’s Care Hospital (Lifescape) on 26th St. is a massive tragedy waiting to happen and that is adults. They park on that street and merrily go on their way across the street, with yes, a crosswalk with a light also provided. Both health care systems have jaywalkers at all times of the day. And I totally agree – you can put this on motorists, but bicyclists, walkers, and runners cannot go about their business thinking they have the right of way or that everyone sees them. Last week – I was going east on 57th around 5:20pm heading towards Minnesota Ave. A female runner was running against heavy traffic in the street. You literally could not see her until she was basically right in front of you. The mind boggling part was had she crossed the street, there was a sidewalk. Where in the world was the common sense? Do they forget that if they do get a hit – 90% of the time, if not more, they will be on the losing end of the deal?
Around YMCA is horrible, too. Had close calls with jaywalkers a few times there, blowing horn at them will only result in flipped birds from them.