Home > The Cone Zone > Archives > 2008 > July > 21 > Entry
Crosswalk Crackdown Long Overdue
I see where cops in a number of cities around the country are starting to get serious with drivers who zip past pedestrians in crosswalks.
When does it start here?
In a story the other day, Chicago police officer Grace Delgado said it best.
“People, they don’t care. It’s ‘Get out of my way.’ The whole mentality is ‘Get out of my way.’”
When you think about it, there’s a whole lot of stupidity too.
On numerous occasions, I’ve seen drivers turn in front of people who have the right-of-way in the crosswalk. They just can’t wait a few seconds for the pedestrians to make it across the lane where they want to go.
I’ve been buzzed by people who ignored “STOP” signs and by others who thought they were just too important to slow down while I was in the middle of the crosswalk.
I’m not as fleet afoot as I once was, but it’s not going to throw off your schedule for the day if you have to “gimme three steps.”
Nearly 4,800 pedestrians were killed and 61,000 injured in 2006, according to the most recent statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
In Florida, there were 546 pedestrian fatalities and 7,754 injuries.
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