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Faith in humanity restored

Thank you, unknown couple, for thinking for yourself
letter-sta

I want to thank the couple who helped restore my faith in our human condition. I watched as this couple approached a crosswalk with an accompanying pedestrian-controlled traffic light. They looked both ways, recognized that there was no traffic, and proceeded to cross the street without pushing the button for the light to change. That may not sound like something to write home about, but I rarely see it go down that way.

I’ve watched countless pedestrians on autopilot approach the same crosswalk, push the magic button, and wait for the white light shaped as a walking man to give them further instructions. Upon receiving the go-ahead by the walking man light, they fearlessly march into the crosswalk without a care. No checking for traffic, no looking both ways, nothing. It doesn’t seem to matter how much traffic is or isn’t present.

Why? When did using good judgment and awareness become the exception rather than the norm? Where did we get so much confidence in the white man light? In many countries, pedestrians have far less rights. What will we do when we get to those places?

I know there are people out there who think that pushing the button and waiting is “just a good habit to get into.” I disagree wholeheartedly. I think it’s a terrible habit to get into. Anytime we pass on the responsibility of being safe and aware to an inanimate object, I’m against it. The white man light is a tool to help support our good judgment, not to lead our actions.

I’m not suggesting we never hit the magic button for the white man light to appear, but I am suggesting we always use our judgment to tell us when it is safe. And if the messages from these two sources conflict, defer to the latter. Sadly, that is not normally what I witness.

The icing on the cake that day was when the couple approached the other side of the road, the gentleman bent down and picked up some litter without even breaking stride, and deposited it into a nearby receptacle. Another thing I rarely see, but that is a story for another day.

Thank you, unknown couple.

Rick Owen, St. Albert

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