Posted by Leonard Steinberg on January 20th, 2014
Is it just me or has accountability and personal responsibility evaporated from our society? Many are decrying the number of pedestrian deaths on our streets and it is rather horrific how many pedestrians die or are seriously injured in New York, often at the hands of careless, irresponsible drivers. Yet nowhere do I see any outrage at the vast volume of careless and reckless pedestrians (myself included).
If you do not believe me, stop for a moment and watch the actions of the average pedestrian: its outrageous. Pedestrians are either focused on their personal timing and agenda (without any regard for traffic flow) or their eyes are glued to their I-phones, mesmerized by another ‘selfie’ of the Kartrashians. Why is it that the press has made no mention of the insane pedestrian habits that have all of a sudden become the responsibility of drivers? Today’s headlines in the New York Post report on an incident where a jaywalker was roughed up by cops after resisting arrest for jaywalking. The story focuses exclusively on the police BRUTALITY, yet never once mentions any accountability of the pedestrian. Did this jaywalker endanger himself and the lives of others by disobeying the law? Yes. Was he doing what seemingly everyone else does? Yes. When he resisted arrest was he all of a sudden the victim? According to the Post, yes! Had a car hit him while he was crossing illegally, not only would that driver have been demonized, but that driver would also have been traumatized, possibly for life.
New York would function a lot better if everyone obeyed the laws designed to make the city better. Imagine if pedestrians actually obeyed the law how much less traffic there would be. Imagine cyclists who obeyed the law how much safer we would all be. Imagine drivers who obeyed the law and looked out for pedestrians. Each of us have a responsibility in the big picture and anyone who encourages bad behavior is working against the greater good. I for one will try harder to be a better pedestrian.