Really. Although if you are a pedestrian in Bartlesville, you may find this hard to believe.

We were almost run over again by a van entering the First Baptist Church Family Life Center. Again, I say, again.

Two of the places we are likely to be run over while walking through downtown Bartlesville are the sidewalk by the First Baptist Church Family Life Center and the sidewalks surrounding the First Assembly of God Church, particularly around 8:30 on Wednesday nights.

As those cars exit the parking lot, they see this sign as they are about to run you over on the sidewalk:

What are they teaching them at that church?

The Oklahoma Driver’s Manual says:

Yield to pedestrians using the sidewalk when you’re entering or leaving a driveway or alley.

This is, of course, in addition to all the information about pedestrians in actual crosswalks where they also have the right of way.

Walking in Bartlesville is a dangerous pursuit. We walk a lot and I think I have a pretty good understanding of just how dangerous it is. Something that bothers me a lot is the program that the City of Bartlesville is trying to institute to get more kids to walk to school: Safe Routes to School. They got a grant to have more sidewalks installed by elementary schools. The problem is, drivers don’t really care where they are when the fail to yield to pedestrians. We have been almost creamed right by Central Middle School and St. John’s Catholic School, too. It concerns me that a child, who doesn’t have as much understanding, who believes their teacher when she tells them that drivers are supposed to yield to pedestrians, will be hurt or killed by the drivers in this town who in their hurry to fulfill their personal agenda will run them down because they aren’t going to follow the rules that are set forth by the city and state.

From the City of Bartlesville website:

In just one generation, the number of children that walk to school has dropped from 70% to less than 15%. Children are less physically active than they used to be, their health is declining, and traffic congestion is increasing around schools leading to unsafe conditions and poorer air quality. In an effort to address these troubling statistics, the Federal Highway Administration has created the Safe Routes to School Program. The program provides funding for activities that improve safety and encourage kids to walk or bike to school. The City of Bartlesville received a $200,000 grant through this program to construct over 5800 linear feet of sidewalk that will fill in gaps and extend sidewalks at area elementary schools. The City will also conduct safety programs, train crossing guards, organize a Walk to School Day event, conduct bicycle rodeos, and promote walking school buses.

An admirable idea. However, this does not address what I see will be the real problem that will occur when this program is instituted. The problem lies with the drivers who are in too much of a hurry.

Rant off.

Walk safe on the mean streets of Bartlesville, folks.