After a couple of days of being able to collect some
thoughts on the rant that I posted earlier, I spent a little time doing some
good ‘ol research into my rant to see if there was any validity to what I was
going on about. So I called upon my good friend Mr. Google and asked him to
find me any news reports about UVU students getting hit by vehicles on campus.
Lo and behold! The first five articles were each different accounts of UVU
students getting punished by ignorant people—all within the last two years.
Granted one article was about some UVU students who were struck by a vehicle
off campus, but my point stands.
Apparently, at least three of the stories were of students
who were hit by vehicles while they were crossing the crosswalk. I am beginning
to wonder how much this adds to the adage that, “Utah drivers are the worst
drivers out there.” This doesn’t look good for their record.
What really irks me is an article written by Mallory Black
of the UVU review posted December 6, 2012 in which an UVU admin professor who
happened upon the scene of an auto-pedestrian accident shared his insight that,
“This event just told me some [drivers] are not watching. I’ve seen a lot of
people not even bother” (Black). What is wrong with this picture?! People just
blowing through crosswalks like they own the place? Perhaps I just need to view
this with an open mind. Okay, so maybe I’m justified running cross walks
because I don’t understand that state law mandates that I must stop at
crosswalks when there are people crossing. Or, I’m going to be late to class
and that extra ten seconds I save is definitely worth the risk of hitting
somebody. Besides, I love life-changing accidents that will haunt me for the
rest of my life!
But of course! What was I thinking?
Work Cited
Black, Mallory. "Student hit by car near UVU Testing
Center." UVU Review [Orem] 06 Dec 2012, Web. 16 Jan. 2013.
<http://www.uvureview.com/2012/12/06/student-hit-by-car-near-uvu-testing-center/>.
One day I had people crossing the cross walk while I was in the turn lane to the parking lot here at UVU and traffic cleared so I could turn and a car actually honked his horn because I didn't turn soon enough for him. I had a student crossing right in front of my car at that very moment. He was turning out of the parking lot, could he not see the three or four pedestrians I was waiting for? I don't know, but it was ridiculous.
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