The University has responded to a terrible tragedy that occurred on Sept. 29: the death of Sarah Channick. A bus struck her at the corner of Sixth Street and Chalmers Street in Campustown, a busy intersection that serves as a major crosswalk for pedestrians.

The response of the University is outlined in the DI’s Nov. 2 article “Campus district receives safety recommendations” and shows a crackdown in illegal motion by both pedestrians and vehicles. However, this is a waste of the University’s time and resources.

Anyone who walks not only in this campus, but also in the entire world, is responsible for maintaining his or her own safety. Most people are taught by the age of three to look both ways before crossing the street, regardless of lights or crosswalk signals.

Some Campus Area Transportation Study recommendations include repainting crosswalks, the addition of more countdown signals, audible caution on buses and MTD personnel training. These measures are unnecessary and do not solve the problem.

Audible cautions on buses? If the sound of a 2-ton bus driven by a diesel engine is not audible enough, then what is? Training MTD personnel on turning movements and pedestrian/driver interactions? Hopefully, bus drivers are quite aware of how to do these things already without adding more training. It would be nice to think that countdown crosswalks prevent people from crossing at the wrong time, but it is not.

Two days before this article was written, I had the pleasure of seeing a person run in front of bus at the corner of Goodwin and Green, across the signal, almost getting squashed. Maybe if the crosswalk signal cost more, he would not have done it, but I have a feeling he would. It is this individual’s responsibility to be safe, not the University’s.

Alan Truesdale

senior in Engineering