It has been a long time since I had to hold a parent’s hand while crossing the street. Long gone are the days when I would stand on the sidewalk across the street for an hour and yell for my mom to help me cross the street. Even though that was more than 15 years ago, I still retain some of my old anxieties about crossing the street when it comes to Temple.
OK, maybe it’s not that traumatic, but traffic on campus does get hectic. Between classes, traffic on 12th and 13th streets by Berks Mall reaches desperate levels. When there are no cops directing traffic, the pedestrian v. driver clash can get a little scary.
As a pedestrian, I can sympathize. When temperatures are below freezing, in raging wind or pouring rain, you feel drivers in their dry, warm cars should wait for you to go first. They are not the ones fighting the elements.
But after driving to campus a few times, my allegiance has begun to shift. One pedestrian crossing the street quickly becomes many. One person crosses, then someone on the other side decides to go, then the person behind them, and so on. In turn, other cars back up behind you, and when late for class and 10th in line, you are frustrated.
When you have frustrated drivers, you have road rage. More than once I have had to jump back onto the curb because someone did not stop at a stop sign. Just the other week a car came screeching to a halt a few feet away from both another student and myself. It’s a good way to wake yourself up after a long day of class.
Instead of just complaining about the problem, here is a little “how to” on traffic etiquette. First, never assume anything about anyone. You never know when someone is not paying attention. If you are about to cross and a car comes racing towards the intersection, it won’t kill you to make sure they are going to stop first, but hastily crossing could. The same goes for drivers.
Next, don’t walk out between parked cars. This may sound like common sense to some, but crosswalks are there for a reason. Just about every walk, mall, or sidewalk ends in one, so you shouldn’t have to go so far out of your way. People are not always paying attention, so it’s better not to take your chances.
Finally, be courteous to your fellow man. If a stream of students cross the street ahead of you, and you see cars are waiting, stop and let the car go. Or if the driver lets you go, give them a courtesy wave to show your appreciation. During the day, everyone is in a rush to go somewhere. There’s no reason we can’t be civil to each other.
Torin Sweeney can be reached at Foreverlong7283@yahoo.com.
Torin Sweeney can be reached at Foreverlong7283@yahoo.com.
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