Pedestrian Safety

I live in a college town.  I work on the campus. I frequently encounter cyclists and pedestrians when I am driving around town.  I do my best to look out for others even when they aren't looking out for themselves.  In fact, this morning, I almost scared an older gentleman off his bike. He was riding the wrong way down the bus lane/parking lot and looking at the ground.  I was driving {very slowly} towards him on the road. When he finally looked up and saw my van he was so visibly startled that I worried he was going to fall off his bike.

My university spent a lot of money to build a tunnel under the road so that students would stop walking across the very busy street.  They don't use it as often as they should.  Students also walk around texting or on their phones with no concept of what is going on around them.  They walk out into the road without even looking!  There is a lot of talk about pedestrian safety online and in the news. Some people get downright angry about it. 

Two mornings this week, I have been held up by a pedestrian.  I've had to wait {patiently} while he finished his leisurely stroll across the road I needed to use to get to work.  And I've found myself strangely calm and forgiving about the matter.  Know why?

Because he's so cute!  And not texting or talking on the phone.