Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor:

I recently moved to Alexandria from New York City. I didn't own a car in NYC, and I don't own one here (despite it being a lot harder and more time-consuming to commute without a car here). I use the Metro to get around.

Each morning I must cross Eisenhower Avenue to get on the train. There is no crosswalk for pedestrians there. To cross at a crosswalk, apartment dwellers must either backtrack to the light or walk past the Metro and cross at the next light. Both of these lights are three long minutes when red. Long story short: everyone walks across the middle of the road to get to the train station. I see it every day. I assumed that this is how it's done here. In fact, in all my years in NYC there was no such thing as NYPD ticketing people for crossing the street. NYC is a pedestrian-friendly city (and New York's finest have better things to do than ticket jaywalkers).

Yesterday morning around 8:00 I was headed to the Metro. When the road cleared, I stepped one single foot into the gutter of the road. All of a sudden, I heard this booming voice screaming, "No, no, NO, NO, NO!!!" I looked up and saw a burly motorcycle policeman across the street, pointing angrily at me and screaming at the top of his lungs. The look on his face couldn't have been uglier; the tone of his voice could not have been less intimidating. I turned to my right and took two steps in the gutter, looking back at the big mustached officer; he contorted his face in anger and screamed threateningly at me, "Get OUT OF THE STREET!" in a tone that should be reserved for a fleeing felon.

Being used to the friendly, courteous NYPD, I was astounded by the excessively aggressive behavior displayed by this public servant. I stepped onto the sidewalk and ran the distance to the next light. I, of course, had to wait minutes for the walk signal, and missed my train.

I have two complaints: First, this officer's behavior was excessive and uncalled-for; it ruined my day. The sad part is, that was obviously his intent. If you ask me, this guy is in the wrong job. Scaring residents half to death is not fulfilling an obligation "to protect and serve." There's no place for that type of behavior when dealing with an alleged minor misdemeanor resembling attempted jaywalking.

Secondly, make the Metro more accessible and convenient. Compared to NYC where you can go anywhere (on bus and/or train), transferring endlessly for a mere $2, public transportation here in D.C. is exorbitantly priced. It's $1.65 to go one single stop. Obviously, jaywalking is a misdemeanor in Alexandria—as I am now aware. Why not use some of those Metro dollars to install a crosswalk to the Metro station or shorten the excessive length of red lights at those intersections?

Until pedestrian accessibility improves, people will continue to jaywalk there. Instead of coddling the motorists and punishing those who are doing the right thing for the city and our environment by using Metro, why not address the Metro access problem at Eisenhower Avenue and other stations? A pedestrian overpass would be a good start.