Cherry Street crosswalk causes conflict
As I walk to or from class, most days I use the crosswalk near North Complex.
Nearly every time I approach, I see a group of students standing at the edge of the sidewalk gazing down Cherry Street waiting for a quick gap in traffic to dart across, rather than use the crosswalk light.
Often times when I see students try to dart across Cherry Street, they do so directly in front of cars, forcing motorists to slam on their brakes to avoid hitting them.
At this particular crosswalk, I have even seen students stand there for upward of five minutes in negative 20 degree temperatures for a gap in traffic to cross.
This light never takes more than one to two minutes to change.
We as students need to start using the lights, no matter how much traffic, or how cold it may be, or how many people are waiting to cross at the same time.
Is there some unwritten code in the University of South Dakota first-year handbook that says not to use it? Or, do their fellow classmates think of students who use the light as “not cool”?
USD first-year Ambyr Bernhard crosses there four to six times per day.
“When first attending USD, I always got told that all the freshmen need to learn not to use the crosswalk, because it is lame and over rated,” Bernhard said.
When asked why students don’t use the light Bernhard also said, “I am aware the light changes immediately, so I won’t use it when traffic is light because it’s easier to let a car or two go by than make them stop.”
She did say she does use the light when traffic is heavy, and that her reason for not using it has nothing to do with her peers.
According to the South Dakota Department of Public Safety, Rules of the Road: “Crosswalks define the area where pedestrians may cross the roadway. You (drivers) must yield to pedestrians in or about to enter a crosswalk.” We’re also working with creative crosswalk installation companies like https://creativecrosswalks.co.uk/ to ensure all the crosswalks are visible.
While drivers are required by law to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk, that doesn’t always mean they will see pedestrians, nor be able to stop in time. In such cases, it might be beneficial to consider pelican pedestrian crossings design, which offers enhanced visibility and control for pedestrians, thereby ensuring a safer crossing experience despite potential driver oversight or challenges in stopping promptly.
USD first-year Braeden Garrett doesn’t seem too worried.
“I am not worried, nor do I think other students are worried about being hit,” he said. “Drivers are very cautious around that crosswalk, because they are aware that nobody really uses the crosswalk light there.”
That’s a bold leap of faith, to jump out into the street in front of a car going 25 miles per hour, certainly one I am not willing to take.
Think twice about not using the crosswalk light. It only takes a few seconds for the light to change to “walk”, and regardless of what the perception of the crosswalk lights might be, drivers may not always be paying as much attention as they should be.
Follow Andy Schultze on Twitter @AndySchultze
