I know this shouldn't be a reasonable request since I attend one of the most popular public universities (ranked 16th so Go Dawgs!) but I'm hoping some of you have a heart for a returning new driver. What I mean by that is, I did drive in high school. For about 6 months with supervision and 6 months without before I crashed and totaled my car. Then, I took two and a half year break from driving, which was just so fun and splendid. I'm kidding, but thank you Mom for dragging my butt around.

When I drove in high school, I was so prideful of how well I knew the rulebook and the do and do-nots of driving. In fact, prideful bordering on cocky. I never had (or currently have) a speeding problem because I've seen what rashness can do to cars from family experience. However, I do have a patience problem with other drivers and pedestrians who seem to want to go out of their way to catch me by surprise. Being back on the road this year, I've taken notice of my usual driving routes and the usual obstacles to expect when on those routes.

I know that I can't expect to leave my house at 8:30 and arrive on time at campus for my 9:05 class. I know that I have to leave an hour ahead for my 8am chemistry labs. I know to account for work-to-home 5 o'clock rush hour traffic. I know people sometimes are the worst at using the well designed turn signals on their cars and like to just swerve into your lane. And I know that some people can't stay in between their lane lines, kind of like the kids in kindergarten who wouldn't color in the lines. Creative as a kid, yes, but it's only infuriating when you're an adult and you still do it.

I only bring my driving history up because I've noticed a new problem that I didn't really anticipate from driving on campus. Of course I expected the pedestrians- I've lived in Athens and been around UGA my whole life, so that wasn't the surprise. It was not knowing how insanely frightened I get when pedestrians decide to jaywalk. And in most cases, it's on the same road as an official crosswalk.

I've done my basic research, and in the state of Georgia, "jaywalking" is not a legal term and it's not illegal. In other words, you're free to walk and cross wherever you want, with some exceptions. Normally, pedestrians always have the right of way in residential areas and populated/dense suburban intersections.; however, If you do choose to "jaywalk", the vehicle driver now have the right of way, and you should yield to them as the pedestrian. Why? Because they don't really have the chance to react quickly if you decide to just waltz into the middle of a four way. Giving vehicles the right of way just means wait until there's a good gap between cars (the light changes, you see one far away coming slowly towards you) before you step off the curb.

To ensure that pedestrians use discretion with jaywalking, there is this section in the Georgia Codes:

"No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impractical for the driver to yield."

In other words, don't pull one on us. I say us because I primarily like to think of myself as a driver, even though the second I park my car on campus, I walk everywhere and squint at every speeding car with scrutiny. Like, you see me about to step onto the crosswalk, so don't keep flying at 45 mph. And you see me in the middle of the crosswalk, so don't do a rolling stop as I'm crossing. You're going to take my legs off.

I've been that student (and sometimes still am) where I walk around indulging in the fact that I have the right of way and cars have to stop for me no matter what because I'm the least protected in that situation. Completely true. But still a bit cocky in its own way. Stop pulling surprises on student drivers and just walk a few more feet down the road to cross at the crosswalk instead of just cutting across midway. I'd really like for everyone to just be safe, me and my fellow Dawgs included. Even the Beatles didn't jaywalk.So make smart choices and maybe don't jaywalk on a road where there are no crosswalks to be seen and it's a leadoff to a highway and the speed limit is nearing 50 mph. People get hurt that way and have been hurt especially recently. We all want the best for each other, so while me asking this is just a bit tedious, maybe one or two of you will see it and remember that not all of us are professional drivers and are just trying to get home safe as well.

Go Dawgs!