TO THE EDITOR:
Contrary to your claim that UNC was built for pedestrians, I will point out that prior to the 15-501-54 bypass, four major highways ran through campus.
Quite a bit of major traffic still does. Contrary to your expectation that vehicles have time to wait for long lines of pedestrians, the maintenance crews and emergency response crews responding to such problems as pipe bursts flooding two floors, chemical spills and lab fires, not to mention ambulances and fire trucks do not have time to wait on ambling students texting.
While the law says that pedestrians in the crosswalk have the right of way to safely complete their crossing, that does not mean that people approaching the crosswalk, should begin crossing, nor does it mean that jaywalkers have the right of way.
But perhaps most disturbing about your article is the implication that a driver, in a vehicle of a ton or more of metal can possibly stop for those pedestrians who are not paying attention to traffic even if under the legal speed limit.
If you want to prevent accidents, it is up to pedestrians to determine a safe distance to cross in front of a moving vehicle, whether they have the legal right of way in the crosswalk or not. Note that even at 10 miles per hour, it takes 27 feet to stop, which is better than twice most car lengths.
Roger Connor
Department of Environment, Health and Safety
