Danger lurks where pedestrians, vehicles cross paths

I walk to class.

This may seem about as fascinating as the programs broadcast on the cooking channel, but everyday I have to dodge a hail of bullets "Matrix"-style while travelling to class. The crossfire I am referring to is the automobiles which everyday seem to come ever so close to tagging pedestrians who are just trying to make it to class on time.

Using my "Curious George" talents, I have been observing this for the past week or so and I think that I have discovered the problem — our streets are filled with model drivers.

At least, that is what you'll be led to believe if you ever ask someone if they are a good driver. I have asked, and I never fail to get a look that seemingly says, "Do you even have to ask? My motor vehicle operation is immaculate!" This is followed by an answer that normally parallels that look. No one ever admits to being a bad driver.

If everyone is a great driver on this campus, then apparently the standard definition of good driving includes a few key points. First of all, speed limits are not divine mandate - the big white signs with black text and numbers are nothing more than suggested speeds for the less skilled. To be a good driver one is expected to exceed suggested speeds perpetually, never slow down while nearing a yellow light, tailgate and be as selfish with your lane as humanly possible. Oh yeah, to be courteous, you can't turn your headlights on until 9:30 p.m. - period.

The truth is that there are quite a few maniacs out there who think that they are some kind of driving deity and, because of their position, are allowed to bend some rules and break others. In reality, they have no concern for the people with whom they share the road. They are dangerous. Their attitude is bad enough, so don’t even get me started on people who drive with such distractions as, say, cell phones.

But it's not the other drivers on the road that I am directly concerned about. After all, they are all ideal drivers who can handle anything. No, my regard is for the pedestrians who must battle the beastly drivers several times daily.

The war between pedestrians and drivers has been waged for longer than any of us students have been here. Most of us don’t even notice it happening. Not that this war has operated completely covertly, but we pass it off or just laugh at the people involved. Nevertheless, it happens everyday. Just sit outside any parking garage on campus and watch people trying to cross the street.

Every single time I play chicken and try to get to the other side of the road, I feel like I am gambling with my life. It would probably be easier to navigate through an asteroid field or make an attack run on a Death Star than to try and get from the Exponent to EE without losing a limb.

Granted, most pedestrians don’t help themselves out any either. Usually we're stuck on this "right-of-way" ideal, and we forget that there are rules that we must follow while crossing a street. But hey, we don’t want to get docked attendance points. So we'll take advantage of the "right-of-way" where we can.

There are those who try to get from one side to the other by timing up their route so that they get as close to each car as possible without getting hit. It's like they are some kind of immortal trying a real-life, human game of Frogger, not realizing that the slightest miscalculation in their effort will result in the old "Game Over."

The drivers never slow down for a pedestrian, let alone stop for one. Some even play games with the hikers, calling out point values that are given if the driver hits certain people. For the drivers, the road is theirs and any pedestrian occupying space in their road are infiltrators. It's their turf, and they'll protect it.

So what we end up having on the roads is this clash of egotistical, road-owning drivers vs. right-of-way pedestrians. And what disturbs me the most about the entire situation is most of the players involved are double agents. People will drive like psychos, and, once they park their car, become pedestrians who get angry at the first sight of someone who drives the way they do.

Amazingly, there are few accidents involving automobiles and walkers, which means that we ramblers are winning the war. But it's not over once we cross. The campus is filled with obstacles like the cars. The docking stations in the Knoy/EE/ME area are terrible. I feel like I am back in grade school playing dodge ball while I am trying to avoid moving trucks over there. Then we have the cyclists (be it bi-, uni-, or other) who are just as bad as the drivers. Someday, mark my words, someone is going to outstretch their arm and clothesline a cyclist (purely accidentally) who comes up unseen from behind. Its bound to happen eventually.

If things continue as they are, we will definitely see a pedestrian seriously injured before too long. Drivers should be cautious and more aware of everyone with whom they share the road. Walkers should use crosswalks at all times, so that they may risk as little as possible. Or we can all just stay home and play Frogger on our computers rather than on the road.

Shawn McGann is a senior in the School of Technology. He can be emailed at opinions@purdueexponent.org.

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