Concrete advice

I just read Steve McConnell’s letter, dated March 20, on 14 pedestrian deaths in 14 months. Any death is tragic, but most of these 14 deaths were avoidable if people used common sense. Remember the old defensive driving slogan, “Do not be dead right”?

I am a Spokane native. The laws we had as a kid growing up were minimal compared to today. We had no bike helmets, no seat belts, and we all knew that the road was for cars. Somehow I grew up in Spokane without hearing of 14 pedestrian fatalities most of my 55 years. Now, with all these new pedestrian laws, we have 14 fatalities in 14 months?

I remember very few pedestrian accidents because we all knew that stepping in front of a car was bad for your future. Now, these painted lines are somehow going to magically stop cars?

If you want to live a longer, fuller and productive life, please do not be caught “dead right.” Let that 4,500-pound steel car have the road. After all, roads were made for the cars, not for pedestrians. Laws and painted lines cannot save your life, but common sense sure can.

Bill Sahlberg

Spokane