Jaywalkers, bikes create real danger

Every evening I drive home from the Everett waterfront to my home in North Everett, only about five or ten minutes. Every single evening I worry about the possibility of killing at least one or several pedestrians, not because I am a reckless driver, but because every time I drive that route in the dark, several people, usually four or five per night, walk out into the street without warning, wearing dark clothes, darting out from behind large trucks or vans, crossing in the middle of a block rather than at a crosswalk or corner. Then there are the bicycle riders, wearing dark clothes, with no lights or reflectors on their bike.

Drivers certainly need to be aware of the rights of pedestrians and bike riders, but something needs to be done to educate pedestrians in Everett on the limits of their rights.

Having cars yield to them doesn’t mean that they can dart out into the street in the middle of the block, expecting drivers to come to a screeching halt. I have had pedestrians shake their fists at me under these circumstances, expecting me to have high-powered night vision.

This is truly a serious problem, and I hope that it will be addressed in a serious manner.

Kathi Jackson
Everett