I’ve gone on before about the lack of patience on our roadways, and how it kills. Tribune community columnist Sheryl Young has some similar thoughts, and an editorial recently lamented the lack of safety within crosswalks. The Trib suggests police enforce laws when drivers ignore crosswalks.
But I see pedestrians ignoring crosswalks too. Especially in downtown Tampa, where there are crosswalks on most corners, many people choose to “frogger” in the middle of the block. These lazy and impatient people would rather chance their life instead of walking a few feet to an intersection. When it’s car vs. pedestrian, you know who loses.
But when you have officials complain that there are too many pedestrians and too many crosswalks, nothing will change. People will continue to die.
John
4 years ago
Out in the suburbs – drivers don’t give a shit about crosswalks or pedestrians and the timing of the lights are so porrous it discourages people from using them and instead attempting the “frogger” jaywalking across 6 lanes of roadway.
Yet I was in LA just last week and pedestrians had the right of way. Jaywalking was rare because the lights aren’t timed so that you have to run to get across before DON’T WALK goes solid and such. Of course, LA has millions of people and we’re just pushing 3…. But the fact remains that we don’t give pedestrians much to begin with. It makes them targets with or without using the crosswalks – because drivers don’t feel they need to give Pedestrians the right of way (which is another deep contrast between Tampa and LA where pedestrians do have the right of way in Crosswalks).
tim
4 years ago
Frankly, the biggest problem where I see this is on campus at USF. There are several places where pedestrian stoplights need to be installed, as students seem to believe it’s their right to cross the street at any time, regardless of how backed up they’re making traffic.
Tyler
4 years ago
I agree with you on the USF situation. Some sort of compromise would be nice between pedestrians who flood the crosswalk constantly with no gaps whatsoever and the cars who would just as soon run you over as have a minute or two squeezed from their incredibly busy schedule. The slogan is “share the road” after all.
Most drivers on campus are reasonably polite, however. Perhaps the expectation of “college campus == metric ton of pedestrian traffic” adjusts the typical “I own the road” mentality to something a little less deadly.
editengine
4 years ago
I recently moved to the Carillon area of St Pete. I catcht the bus on Ulmerton in the moring. In the afternoon I have to cross Ulmerton at Carillon parkway. There is no crosswalk here, nor is there a crosswalk within a mile that I can see. It is an easy light to time so I don’t think it is that dangerous for me as long as I walk fast but it is odd that no crosswalk exists in such a high traffi area?