The Ball State Daily News
Well, it looks like the final votes are in. Now let's see if we can really trust who we voted for. There's just one issue I didn't see on the Calvin slate's agenda.
I don't know about you, but it seems clear to me there wasn't a hidden agenda on pedestrian crossings from our new president.
What am I talking about? I’m talking about an out of control problem. People who think the automobile is a big soft pillow. Basically there is one thought people should remember before crossing the street. This rule of thumb was probably pounded into the thick skulls of many since early childhood. Simply, look both ways before crossing the street.
It’s a highly technical thought for many. After a week of nice weather, I experienced this problem time and again. I would be driving down Riverside and I would have to slam on my brakes because somebody decided to “go for it” and cross the street. Everybody knows what I’m talking about.
You’re just driving through campus and someone decides that they can make it across the street right in front you. Initially you think to yourself, “They’re not going to run out in front of me.” But yes, they do. You can only hit the brakes and brace yourself for the worse.
Then the person always has the audacity to give that look of complete ignorance to you. The look is one of complete disgust, as if the person is mad because you almost hit them. Wait, they walked out into street in front of you. How can you be the bad guy here? After all, you were just driving down the street minding my own business. The road was made for automobiles, not a safe haven for pedestrians.
What exactly are people thinking? I realize an automobile is made out of metal and that my body is most skin and bones. Now I may not be a rocket scientist, but I know that automobile is probably going to do more damage to me than I’m going to do to it. You can replace a broken windshield, but it makes it pretty hard to put my leg back on after it has snapped of under the car.
The solution to this problem will never be found. Cross walks haven’t stopped it, close calls haven’t stopped it and I’m pretty sure people getting hit haven’t stopped it. If these solutions worked, we wouldn’t face the problem today.
I’ve got a few suggestions. Solution number one: build underground tunnels to every building on campus. This would reduce the amount of pedestrians on campus. Realistically the problem would be reduced, however, tuition would not.
Solution number two: skywalks that are connected to every to every building on campus. But wait, that brings up the same problem as number one.
Solution number three: a built in system at stoplights that allows pedestrians to cross streets while traffic is stopped. Oh yeah, we already have those.
Solution number four: accidentally hit the acceleration pedal instead of the brake pedal. Sure it would be hell on your insurance premium, but someone would learn a valuable lesson.
The final solution, number five: read carefully, look both ways before crossing the street. Not only does this make you aware of traffic from both directions of the road, it helps you judge the proper time to cross the street. That sounds so familiar, I think I might have heard it somewhere before.
So looks like the SGA has something to look into when all the dust settles.
So next time you’re driving down the road and think that guy on the side of the road won’t run out in front of you, expect the unexpected.
Write to Scott at scottswain1@hotmail.com
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