Dear Editor:
I was born and raised in this town, and I have driven down 5th Street going 25 miles per hour past Idaho State University more times than I can count. It is just in the last year, however, that I have been a part of the student body. Instead of driving through the crosswalks I am walking through them and I have noticed somewhat of an issue with the crosswalk courtesy of my fellow students.
According to Laura Jordan, the crosswalk was first thought of in 1929. That is more than enough time to learn a little crosswalk courtesy.
The students at Idaho State enter the cross walk blindly, and some don’t even pull their eyes from their cell phones to look down the road. This is a huge danger for both the student walking and any unsuspecting driver.
We have been taught since grade school to always look both ways before crossing the street. The same rules should apply to us in college.
Not only are the students tempting fate by blindly entering a crosswalk but they are also inconsiderate. Students will enter the crosswalk and back up traffic a dozen cars back without a single wave or thank you.
I know that while I am driving through campus and I have to stop for someone that is crossing the street I don’t mind, as long as they put forth a small effort to say thank you, a simple wave will do.
When I am forced to stop for a student that does not wave, it makes me wish I had just blown through the intersection, never giving the student a chance to cross.
Although this is nothing that will change the world, I think it is still a big issue. Crossing the street blindly has the potential to be very serious; all it takes is one mistake.
The students who cross the street without waving at all reflects a poor image back onto themselves and the fine university that we attend.
So please, just show a little crosswalk courtesy. Who knows, it might just make someone’s day.
