Last week we published a lengthy column on how the Tampa Bay Area is one of the most dangerous places for pedestrians. Every year we kill a horrible number of pedestrians and runners.
This column outlined ways to resolve chronic problems, or at least reduce pedestrian violence. I wrote it now with my retired colleague Jim Barhurst. We defended a combination of solutions from better road designs to more roundabouts and camera speeds. It also focused on how driving culture must change and how more political will must be convened.
Many of you agreed. How can I know that? An avalanche of letters you sent.
I’ve been doing this for almost five years. Apart from discussions on how to fight Covid and the madness of building golf courses in state parks, I can’t remember a single column or article that has won this many letters. We published some of them online on Thursday morning.
I’m glad I heard from many people who care about this problem and have something to say, and from people who disagree with our solution. Cultural change starts with people talking and demanding behavior.
Many letterwriters agreed that speeding contributes to the genocide and prefers the idea of implementing a camera that captures a driver of 5 mph or 10 mph at the limit. Speed limits are not a proposal, the writer said, they are the law.
Many have sought more enforcement of speed limits and encouraged law enforcement to crack down on dangerous drivers.
“Education?” Written by Heidi Sumner of St. Petersburg. “What about tickets and enforcement? Stay safe!”
Scott Lie Stolz of St. Petersburg proposed using technology to combat speeding. All navigation apps show street speed limits, so “Why not program your car to be below 5 mph with that limit?” he wrote. “How difficult is that?”
Other letter writers focused on the distracted driving epidemic. Some suggested that phones be banned from being held behind the wheels. Senate Bill 1318 does just that, and thankfully it had bipartisan support early in the current legislative meeting. Current text messaging – There are too many loopholes in driving law that make it difficult to enforce.
“I want to see technology that disables phones while the car is moving,” wrote Joe Scrafani of Sun City Centre.
Another theme of the letter: pedestrians must be unsuspecting.
“I’ve seen people step into the crosswalk as quickly as possible without looking up from the phone,” wrote Hudson resident Russ Johnson. “Just because you have the right to the road doesn’t mean you need to take it without looking.
Thomas Bowen provided practical advice for 30 years as a police officer.
“Pedestrians and children walking to school must be careful to wear visible clothing at dusk, dawn, rain and dark,” a Spring Hill resident said. “White or other bright colors are the most visible nights of most postpartum accidents.”
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Also, some readers wanted to make it more difficult to obtain and maintain a driver’s license. They didn’t like us to hand over the licenses at age 16 and say, “Good luck with the next 60 years.”
“Driver licenses become renewable every two years. This includes serious, road-based, detailed driving tests that require evidence of their ability to drive effectively and safely,” writes Gordon Stevenson of Tampa.
Alda Thomas suggested that a right turn at a red light at a busy intersection in Tampa Bay was prohibited.
“Personally, I’m rather sitting peacefully at a red light than having a hard time working on traffic at a big intersection,” Thomas said. “And certainly pedestrians could cross with less worry if the driver didn’t squeal as he turned right in red.”
Some letter writers commented on the culture that creates poor driving. Brian Patrick Moore lamented that American men were trained to be “competitive, aggressive, and even selfish,” which was exacerbated by advertisements that linked vehicle size and speed to masculinity. The idea, he wrote, “as Americans pursue such dangerous traits behind the wheel.”
Nancy Ogden of St. Petersburg regretted the loss of politeness and the rise of calmness. Another writer was even less optimistic. “That’s easy. Florida drivers are terrible. They’re way too big to die in a hurry.”
The positive and constructive responses from so many letter writers give me hope. Some of the pedestrian violence is already heading in the right direction. And, as pointed out in the original column, many other US cities have far fewer pedestrian deaths. That alone proves that we can keep more people alive.
We need to choose to do that.
