“Jaywalking on Exchange Street is a problem. We don’t like it. Crossing Exchange Street is just plain difficult. But giving students written warnings and harassing them for jaywalking isn’t the solution. Unfortunately, it’s the solution that the university and Akron police departments have chosen.”
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Jaywalking on Exchange Street is a problem.

We don’t like it. Crossing Exchange Street is just plain difficult. But giving students written warnings and harassing them for jaywalking isn’t the solution.

Unfortunately, it’s the solution that the university and Akron police departments have chosen.

A Buchtelite reporter was told that in the future, there may be a traffic patrol officer on Exchange Street.

But do we really want to pay someone to regulate foot traffic when we might get mugged as soon as we step foot on the sidewalk?

We’re discouraged that tax money is paying police officers to bother college students. A feasible, efficient option would be more crosswalks with walking signals.

Or a bridge. Why not? You’d only need one or two.

Maybe two.

But in the meantime, before the bridge is built, we still think the cops should stop harassing us about jaywalking.

Some people may view it as a safety concern. For who? It’s not as if jay-walkers want to get hit by a car.

We trust ourselves crossing the street. We may have come close to death a few times, but we’ve always made it across safely.

And if an accident were to occur, the jay-walker would take the worst of it. If college students feel safe crossing Exchange Street or want to put their lives on the line, they should go for it. If they’re willing to do that, will the threat of a ticket really stop them?

No. College students are daredevils, and jaywalking is the quickest way to get to campus.

Besides, with all the recent crime on and around campus, it’s best not to linger on the other side of Exchange. It’s best not to linger outside at all, especially since a student was robbed at gunpoint last Sunday afternoon on campus.

So jaywalking may actually be safer than waiting for the traffic light. You’ve got to weigh your options.

Brave the traffic, or become a sitting duck.

If it’s dark outside, we’re definitely going to brave the traffic. Probably safer.

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