To the Editor:
Sunday afternoon, as I was driving on Angell, a one-way street, a student in the middle of the block darted in front of me to cross. If I hadn't stopped quickly, I would have hit him.
Fortunately for me (and especially for him) I kind of expected he wouldn't wait for me to pass by, so I was prepared to brake.
While it's good to see an editorial ("Safe walking," March 8) want to do something useful for pedestrian safety after a student was killed, it's not so much a matter of location, additional or improved signage as it is of attitude.
The issue is entitlement and students' belief that someone else will take care of them. At night, of course, it's worse, as a 4000-pound vehicle with lights on is a lot easier to see than a 150-pound student sauntering across the street with that they have the right of way. (Often they don't.)
If you fail to recognize it's a matter chiefly of attitude, you will accomplish very little. Improved signage may only lead student pedestrians to become even more complacent about their personal fates than they demonstrate presently. Walking down Meeting Street a few months ago, a car drove through a stop sign at about 30 mph as I was about to step into the crosswalk. Had I been a student, I might have stepped out and been hit. I had the right of way, but sometimes it's actually up to me to save myself.
Students, don't expect others to watch out for you. Watch out for yourselves.
Dan Siegel '57
March 8
