Matthew John Markling wrote:Hey, checkout Lakewood Observer's Facebook Page.
There is a discussion going on over there as to how this post is somehow relevant to Lakewood, Ohio.
I don't know Matt, on Fbk it looks like there are a bunch of people who find it fascinating that there are a lot of different cities called "Lakewood" around the country-- doesn't seem that relevant to Lakewood, Ohio.
What is relevant to here is the guy I saw yesterday trying to get across the street wasn't a gingerbread man, or Dracula, but Lakewood's Library director James Crawford.
I think this discussion has to include crosswalks that no longer exist, and lights that no longer exist.
Cars still stop for the traffic lights. We took them out. We need them back. Risking the lives of actual humans to raise awareness seems wasteful of human life.
So Mr. Crawford was across the street from the library, perhaps he had had lunch at Humble, or had to run into Radio Shack for something-- or maybe needed some kind of office supply or some carrots from Drug Mart. And he, like everyone I know, didn't walk all the way to Arthur or Elmwood (the psycho crossing) to get across the street. He flattened his body against a parked car, and waited for his best shot, and ran.
This is how we have arranged our DownTown. No crosswalk in front of the library. You know, because nobody goes there.
I have heard that there are some in Lakewood City Council trying to put this crosswalk back. This was the the deadliest removal as far as what I see every day, though there are some that would claim it's more deadly at Manor Park.
I can't really believe we have reached this point. Where our city leaders have decided to actively risk the lives of our pedestrians, every single day. This is maybe a good place to spend our money.
I think our library director made it across the street, or we would have heard about it.
Crosswalks don't work very well. Lights do. Let's take some of that garbage collecting money we're saving with our new recycling bins and put it there. Before we are discussing something much more tragic and terrible, that didn't need to happen.
Betsy Voinovich
