When we first saw one of the "tickets" being handed out to pedestrians on Magnolia this week, we all had a good laugh. "Seriously?" was heard throughout the office, and jovial joking soon gave way to anger and indignation. Is this a joke?
What good will handing out meaningless tickets to passers-by do?
It turns Magnolia into a vehicle-filled version of the Concourse--they might as well be standing out there with blank pieces of paper saying, "Here, please throw this away." While we applaud the City's and the University's quick action here, we can't help but think their combined efforts are more than a bit misguided. We had reports of "tickets" being handed to students without any explanation whatsoever.
One student told us he thought he had won something. Does this sound like an effective use of time, money and effort to combat this issue? Would we fare better if attentions were focused elsewhere? Tickets that have no firm, tangible consequences attached with them are a waste of the paper they are printed on, money provided in part from the government's economic recovery package.
If you honestly want to encourage safe pedestrian behavior, take some advice we've given you before: issue real tickets. Let one student get hit with a $138 jaywalking ticket and we sincerely doubt you'll need any more. And, if the behavior still continues, those fees and fines will no doubt prove a great boon to the budget necessary to run the "Travel with Care" program.
The city could even raise the fees to a seemingly astronomical number like $300. Such penalties are not uncommon in large cities--why not bring some of that zeal here? The Web site and information offered by the "Travel with Care" program are great, but we doubt students will take the time to actually find said Web site.
The structural and aesthetic changes made to Magnolia, while severe, will no doubt help save a life or two. Sadly, a simple yellow piece of paper with safety tips on the back is not enough to hold or even pique the interest of the average student.
Bold change is needed. Strong enforcement and constant vigilance should be the guiding principles in a continued endeavor to keep our citizenry safe. Let loose the full force of the law. End these travesty "tickets" and treat this issue with the dignity it demands.
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