2008 Woodie Awards
Awareness behooves pedestrians
By Jacob Vannucci
Issue date: 2/21/08 Section: Editorial
While the bane of UTC drivers undoubtedly continues to be the nonsensical parking situation we have around our campus, we have another threat to our wellbeing that should be readily apparent to any driver who has tried to make their way down McCallie Avenue or East 5th Street. It's us, that is, fellow students who seem to have forgotten about such concepts as "crosswalks" or "waiting for traffic to pass."
Of course, I know, pedestrians have the right of way. Nobody will dispute this. It behooves all of us, however, to be a bit more careful when we cross heavily trafficked roads.
I don't care how excited you are about being out of class and how much you want to get back to UTC Place, there is no reason for anyone to dart through McCallie Ave. to save a few seconds, placing themselves and others in serious danger.
The situation reaches almost comic proportions when I have to slam on my brakes to allow someone to run across the street to their own car in the parking garage on East 5th St.
Certainly, I am not one for restricting pedestrian walkways to lights or crosswalks, I only ask the campus to be a bit more careful, and a bit more considerate, whenever they decide to cross the street. All it takes is one check of the radio to cause pedestrians serious injury and drivers unneeded grief.
Of course, I know, pedestrians have the right of way. Nobody will dispute this. It behooves all of us, however, to be a bit more careful when we cross heavily trafficked roads.
I don't care how excited you are about being out of class and how much you want to get back to UTC Place, there is no reason for anyone to dart through McCallie Ave. to save a few seconds, placing themselves and others in serious danger.
The situation reaches almost comic proportions when I have to slam on my brakes to allow someone to run across the street to their own car in the parking garage on East 5th St.
Certainly, I am not one for restricting pedestrian walkways to lights or crosswalks, I only ask the campus to be a bit more careful, and a bit more considerate, whenever they decide to cross the street. All it takes is one check of the radio to cause pedestrians serious injury and drivers unneeded grief.
