I have been ranting for several years about walkers and joggers in my neighborhood. And over the last six months or so I’ve taken to ranting about a couple of joggers in my town for the same reason. None of them use sidewalks.
We have sidewalks in this neighborhood. Why do single walkers and joggers and groups of walkers and joggers and moms walking with strollers and men walking their dogs not use them? What makes them walk in the road at all hours of the day and night? I don’t understand it. At. All. It’s annoying and it is dangerous.
Sometimes, early in the morning, I have to drive someone to work and when I do I always see a jogger on NW 8th Ave. And I do mean ON NW 8th Ave. He isn’t on the sidewalk. He is in a LANE like he’s a car or something. He isn’t even crossing from one side of the street to another, illegally, he’s simply JOGGING in the MIDDLE of a lane. Does he not realize it is dark at 6:30am and CARS use the road? It’s a four lane, very busy road, at 6:30 and 7am – particularly on weekdays when it is a prime thoroughfare to the University. What is this man thinking? Why isn’t he on the sidewalk? Does he have a deathwish?
Pedestrian deaths are a problem. I wouldn’t be surprised if that jogger or some folks in my neighborhood became one of those nasty statistics sometime soon. I don’t think the Florida DOT is getting their message out very well – or maybe these people just don’t think it could happen to them – or their children.
Ok, that’s not something I’ve seen here. But I hate bicycles on sidewalks…especially when there is a BIKE LANE.
And the other week I saw a very pregnant woman jaywalking on one of the busiest streets in the city.
No no, I don’t mind bikers being on the street, though we do need more bike lines and on some streets I’d be happier to see bikers on sidewalks than on the roads – college town driving is frightening.
There is a street near us and the bus stop is about 100 feet from the corner, where there is a light. People constantly cross at the bus stop and this is a HUGELY busy road, the most busy in town. In the spring, the sunrise is blinding to people heading into town and those idiots just keep on crossing there. Scary stuff.