Editor’s Note
Back in the old days — that’s less than a decade and before there were such things as blogs and interactive conversations with readers — editors used to respond to their newspaper readers with an “editor’s note.” Sometimes it clarified a point made in a letter to the editor. Sometimes it offered a correction. Sometimes it was just a simple explanation. An editor’s note was a handful of sentences; maybe a four or five paragraphs. It was always a personal link between the editor and the reader. Only difference between it and today’s blog is the immediacy and the platform. Welcome to Editor’s Note.

Here’s a headline I do not believe

April 21st, 2009 at 12:49pm Linda Grist Cunningham

“Drivers would stop at crosswalks under law.”

That headline in Tuesday’s Register Star must have been written by a gentle soul willing to forgive every whacko downtown Rockford driver who ever tried to run him or her down. As anyone who works at the News Tower can tell you, drivers do not yield to pedestrians. Period. Not even with a yield sign, crosswalks and, occasionally, a human being standing in the middle of the street.

Nope. Instead, they come gunning for the pedestrian. As far as I’m concerned, handing them a ticket for a couple hundred bucks is small potatoes. Charge and prosecute a couple of them for attempted murder and we might make some headway.

I respect Rockford Deputy Chief Theo Glover a ton, but he’s quoted in the newspaper saying this about the three “yield” crosswalks in downtown, one of which is right here at the News Tower: “Motorists do seem to be mindful of the yield, and we haven’t fielded any complaints about it from motorists or pedestrians.”

Theo, I swear, if I had known no one had complained, I’d have been first in line. Anyone who tries to cross East State Street is tossing up a prayer to God.

I stop for pedestrians at that intersection — and I’ve missed being rear-ended by an inch, not to mention the idiots who swerve to pass me on the right and eke by the pedestrian by a couple more. Then, there’s this “curb dance” we play. Step off, get blown back, step back on again, pray, step off, blown back, run to the middle, pray, stop, pray, get blown on both sides, run to the other side. Drop on knees and shout “thank you, Lord.” Get up. Try to act dignified.

It’s not much of a stretch.

We are grateful that the yield signs finally were installed a few years ago. Took decades to get them. These days they occasionally get stolen, are regularly on their sides because motorists sideswipe them. But, they’re there to prove that we pedestrians have the right away even if we’re road kill.

An Illinois legislator wants tougher, clearer pedestrian laws. Hear. Hear. Charge the offenders with attempted murder. Raise the fines high enough to fund the city deficits. Stake out pedestrian walkways and do regular stings. Please do it before some motorist actually kills a News Tower employee.

Entry Filed under: Uncategorized

8 Comments Add your own

  • 1. equalityrkfd=  |  April 21st, 2009 at 3:46 pm

    Why doesn’t the Register Star have employee parking on the side that it is located?

  • 2. Linda Grist Cunningham  |  April 21st, 2009 at 3:53 pm

    We do. For employees and visitors. Not enough for everyone. But what difference does that make?

  • 3. Eric Pearson  |  April 21st, 2009 at 4:26 pm

    Linda, about a year ago I gave the guy the bird after he nearly hit me. He actually stopped, got out of his van and chased me down near the employee entrance so he could threaten to beat me up. He had time to stop and threaten me, but no time to slow down a few MPH for me to cross the street.

  • 4. Juice  |  April 21st, 2009 at 4:52 pm

    Some communities, like Brodhead, WI, have crosswalks in the downtown area , well marked with fines very clearly written. (the signs are actually on the sides of the driving lane and in the center of the street) .They are easily noticed by drivers. I obey just because there are enforcers probably sitting in the building taking video and just a couple tickets will pay his/her whole day’s salary. I don’t recall the exact fine level. I want to say $75. Looks like a setup the way it is marked. Very effective.

  • 5. chris73456  |  April 21st, 2009 at 8:06 pm

    Can someone explain to me why we always have to legislate common sense? What the heck is wrong with us?

  • 6. chris73456  |  April 21st, 2009 at 8:07 pm

    BTW there are a LOT of headlines I don’t believe!!

  • 7. equalityrkfd=  |  April 22nd, 2009 at 6:27 am

    Well, lets see if your employer would give you enough parking spaces then you would have to cross State Street, so really your employer is making you unsafe as well as drivers, so instead of railing against the drivers where is the outrage toward your employer?

  • 8. Allen Penticoff  |  April 27th, 2009 at 11:06 am

    Not only law, but a mindset. Two years ago we were in Bar Harbor Maine doing the tourist thing. In Maine, pedestrians have right of way everywhere, with few reminder signs. Massachusetts was similar. We were standing by the curb on a downtown street just looking around, with no intent to cross the street. A driver stopped and waved for us to cross. We shook our heads no. The driver insisted we go. So, despite not needing or wanting to cross the street - we did. Can’t pass up that kind of hospitality. Not only was Maine and Mass. like this, but Seattle as well. In Seattle we’d seen very busy streets come to a complete stop to let us cross in a crosswalk, and not one horn honked. Not one glare. Simply put, people in Rockford can be unduly rude and impatient. We could learn some manners from our coastal countrymen/women.

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