Man and machine collide—sometimes literally—on
Lindsey Street just below the South Oval. Desperate pedestrians
seemingly leap in front of cars. Bicyclists weave in and out of
traffic. Drivers speed up just to beat pedestrians across the
crosswalks.

No one group in particular deserves the blame for OU’s
traffic woes. Yet it seems all people need to improve their
manners.

Although it may be tempting to stand poised at the edge of the
curb, ready to dive into traffic, please do not leap in front of
cars. Heed the advice of the light-up traffic symbols provided to
you by the city of Norman. Waiting through the light tends to be a
far faster route to class than one that detours to the emergency
room.

Furthermore, please do not walk four abreast, blocking the
passage of faster-moving objects like long-legged people or
bicyclists. Moving to the right side of the walkway is a common
courtesy in America.

Pedestrians, do not play chicken with bicyclists in the bike
lane.

Bicyclists, please use the bike lane when it is provided. If a
pedestrian lies in your path of destruction and seems to not notice
you, sometimes a simple “Excuse me” will snap them back
to reality.

Although riding a bike may be faster than walking, bikes still
cannot match the sheer speed and size of a car. Speaking from
personal experience, wait for the light to turn in your favor and
proceed with caution.

Drivers, please slow down. OU’s campus is home to more
than 20,000 distracted students. They may forget that streets
exist, and cross at will. Running red lights at crosswalks may
cause you to dent your car and send someone to the hospital.

Everyone, remember on your daily journeys across campus to look
up and notice the world around you. If we all are patient with each
other, perhaps some day man and machine will exist peacefully on
campus. Until then, proceed with caution.

— Sarah Rice is a communication and political science
freshman. Her column appears every other Monday. She can be reached
at dailyopinion@ou.edu.
hello there & you too