Walking of the pedestrians

All this time I thought jaywalking was illegal. Turns out, it's just stupid.

If you've spent any time in downtown Charleston, especially in the shopping and dining districts along King, Meeting and East Bay streets, you know these areas often resemble the running of the bulls celebration in Pamplona, Spain.

And, they're just as dangerous.

According to Lt. Chip Searson, Traffic Division Commander for the Charleston Police Department, there are no laws on the city books against what is commonly called jaywalking.

There are, he explained, a couple of state codes against the practice. But the reality is, our cops have a heck of a lot more to worry about than you or me skipping across the street to go from one store or restaurant to another.

"Unfortunately," Searson said somberly, "the ultimate penalty for jaywalking is death."

Routinely ignored

In the past five years, Searson said, 18 pedestrians have been killed while crossing streets in our fair city. Five last year. None were using a crosswalk.

Granted, most of these unfortunate victims were crossing major thoroughfares such as U.S. Highway 17 or St. Andrews Boulevard, which are not particularly pedestrian-friendly.

You have probably come close to hitting some of these people who insist on scampering between cars, standing on medians and betting their life they'll make it to the other side of the street.

Yes, there are some marked crossings on these highways, but they're routinely ignored by the general public.

Searson said police could cite people for unlawful crossings, but they don't have the time.

"I think the fine is about $115," he said. "But it would be like sticking your finger in the dike. Charleston's goal is to promote a pedestrian-friendly community, and we're still working toward that. But Joe Citizen isn't going to walk down to the crosswalk at George Street and walk back up the block to go to a store."

Pedestrian mall

Indeed, the city has recently started a program where on the second Sunday of each month the shopping area along King Street is blocked off from vehicular traffic and turned into a pedestrian mall to promote shopping and mingling.

But the reality is that this area always is a pedestrian mall that allows cars to cruise through at the risk of hitting somebody.

Jaywalking, in fact, is so prevalent that the onus is on drivers to be extremely cautious to avoid pedestrians rather than the other way around.

Unfortunately, as happened with bicycle awareness, something bad might have to happen before we pay attention to the obvious.

"People just have to be responsible for their actions," Searson said. "It's a simple fact of car versus pedestrian, car wins every time."

Reach Ken Burger at kburger@postandcourier.com or 937-5598 or follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Ken_Burger.