The never-ending battle between drivers, pedestrians and personal responsibility
There is an old joke that goes something like this: Anyone driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone driving faster than you is a maniac.
The same could probably be said about pedestrians in State College.
Spend five minutes downtown, and you’ll see the debate play out in real time. Drivers complain about people stepping into crosswalks without looking up from their phones. Pedestrians complain about drivers who seem more interested in their text messages than the road ahead.
The truth? Both sides have a point.
Over the past few years, Centre County has seen several pedestrian accidents that sparked concern and conversation. Every time one happens, social media lights up. One side blames careless drivers. The other blames distracted pedestrians. Hundreds of comments later, nobody’s mind has changed.
Maybe that’s because we’re asking the wrong question.
Instead of asking whose fault it is, perhaps we should ask why we’ve become so comfortable moving through life without paying attention.
Drivers are operating two-ton machines capable of causing life-changing injuries in a matter of seconds. Yet many drivers still glance at phones, fiddle with navigation screens, drive too fast, or assume the road ahead will remain clear.
Pedestrians are not off the hook either.
Walk around downtown State College during a busy afternoon when the students are in full swing of a semester, and you’ll find plenty of people crossing streets while staring at screens, wearing headphones the size of satellite dishes, or ignoring walk and don’t-walk signals. Some seem to assume that because they have the legal right of way, physics will somehow bend to accommodate them.
Unfortunately, being right does not make someone invincible.
A crosswalk is not a force field.
Likewise, a green light is not permission to stop paying attention.
State College is unique because it is built around movement. Thousands of students walk everywhere. Residents bike to work. Visitors fill downtown sidewalks. Drivers navigate crowded streets where pedestrians can appear at nearly every corner. It is one of the things that makes the community vibrant and walkable.
Then, just when you thought it was a two-sided argument, here come e-bikes, e-scooters, and one-wheels flying into the discussion. These days, crossing downtown State College feels like you’re playing real-life Frogger.
The solution is not complicated, though it may be difficult.
Put the phone down.
If you’re driving, drive.
If you’re walking, walk.
Most of all, pay attention!
Observe traffic signals. Use crosswalks. Stop assuming everyone else sees you. Stop assuming everyone else will do the right thing.
Most accidents are not caused by evil people. They are caused by ordinary people making ordinary mistakes at exactly the wrong moment.
The next time the pedestrian-versus-driver debate appears online, consider this possibility: Maybe the problem isn’t drivers. Maybe it isn’t pedestrians.
Maybe the problem is distraction.
And until all of us decide that a text message, social media notification, or quick glance at a screen can wait another minute, the discussion will continue after the next accident …
And the one after that. T&G
Lloyd Rogers is the assistant editor of Town&Gown’s sister publication, The Centre County Gazette.
