Of shortcuts and safety (in regards to the Pedestrian Lane)

by Alyssa Michelle R. Viado

One could not help but thank the birth of shortcuts, especially for those born with short patience or are just plain lazy. In a lot of ways, shortcuts have proven to be the better alternative that eases everyone’s stress, troubles and worries, especially with the advancement of technology. Filipinos, in general, just love shortcuts. We just have this knack for it, probably because we’re naturally lazy (blame being located near the equator zone) and just waiting it out won’t cut it. Ika nga: ‘when there’s a will, there’s a way’. Little did we know that aside from having this inborne mindset, it causes us to become careless or clumsy. In regards to our safety, shortcuts don’t always guarantee it especially when the situation calls for the road.

                Prove us wrong? Well, I dare you to go to any street in Cagayan de Oro and observe people. Watch they cross, do they just casually cross or do they use the pedestrian lane? And if either of the two occurs, keep count of who actually uses the pedestrian lane and who doesn’t. A recent study shows that more people use their improvised shortcut than already existing ones, thus, resulting to their deaths.

For one, why do people find the idea of using the pedestrian lane very tiring? And do they really think that they’re just paint on the street? Has anybody forgotten basic safety rules? If we go back to the aforementioned, we could put the blame on the natural Filipino’s laziness/’bahala na’ habit and thick-headedness when it comes to the rules. Hey, shortcut, right? Easiest way, right? Wrong. Think about yourself first, consider then the shortcut. To simply put: not all shortcuts guarantee your safety.

I recall an event, while on my way home, of four passengers dropping off at the same stop. Two of them were adults, and the other two were children. The adults chatted as they casually crossed the road, while the children were about to do the same when one of them reacted and said, ‘pedestrian lane lang ta agi!’ (Let’s use the pedestrian lane!). Though the streets were quiet deserted, they still used the pedestrian lane. The adults turned out to be workers of the Department of Education, situated just in front of the school of the children. Now isn’t that ironic, that a child knows better than an adult? Or is it because a government worker from an education institution forgot simple protocols they remind students of all ages to do? Isn’t it embarrassing? And it happened right in front of me, with me darting my eyes from the two walking different paths.

Pedestrian lanes are there for a reason: they help reduce road congestion, they safely bridge to and from pedestrians on the road, and they save lives. This is the true shortcut, one that guarantees safety of many. Instead of thinking of it as a hassle, why not think otherwise? You can exercise your way to it. That way, you remember where you are, you’re losing heart and improving cardio. Easy, right?