Campus drivers should use caution

Dear Editor:

The main road on UNCP’s campus is a road of caution, not a road of unruly driving habits. In case some of you haven’t learned by now, or if this was passed up for some reason in your driver’s ed training, PEDESTRIANS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY. This rule applies especially when you’re driving on campus roadways.

For some reason people want to speed through or even pass illegally from behind the person in front of them, like a game of leap frog. This isn’t Grand Prix for the NES or “The Fast and Delirious.” This is called real life. In real life, there are real consequences. People get hurt, tickets get handed out, cars get damaged and insurance goes up.

Where are you going in such a hurry that you put everyone around you at risk? Is it worth having to pay more money per month on your insurance?

I know that some of you just don’t care, and you speed up to pass a person walking, even if they’re a matter of inches from your car. Do you really have enough cojones to run someone over? Do you think that you have the money to deal with an issue like that?

Now I’m not one to bring up an issue and complain without a solution. I’m not talking about putting cameras up on the main strip at UNCP, but an easy solution can come of this problem.

I think that a security officer on foot would help, walking the strip and taking license plate numbers of traffic offenders.

Send them a ticket in the mail, and increase the severity of the punishment. Rules and regulations that are punished lightly will always be broken time and again.

Drivers should EARN the right to drive; it’s a privilege. To those of you who drive respectfully and with a 360 degree awareness to those around you, thank you. You set an example for others to follow. If we could all learn to have some patience with each other, the impact could pay off ten-fold for everyone.

- Ernesto Cristobal