Why would someone attempt to get across I-35?

[Betina Foreman]

No one in their right mind would attempt something so obviously dangerous. This was very sad accident, but a totally avoidable one. It is simple, never attempt to cross a freeway/highway/ on foot. The human body is no match for a metal car travelling at 60MPH or more.

[tongpa-nyi]

Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots

I think a thread like this making reference to a local tragedy is disgusting. It's more like gossip and this thread should be deleted. Have some respect.

Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots

I'm pretty certain talking about the deaths isn't going to address the issue. I'm not certain there IS anything we can "do" about these "incidents and accidents", (sorry, random lyrics enter brain).

References were made to the death in RR. Deaths in Austin from people crossing highways. How is that not talking about local tragedy?

First, I've always loved your user name. Very creative!

About the issue of this thread, you're right about some of the comments being insensitive. Chalk it up to our humanity. All of us get distracted from the original point of a thread and try to be funny or argue an irrelevant point. I don't think anyone truly meant harm. It's just in poor taste and only two or three people went to that extent.

The thread does fit with this forum because it's an Austin issue and we've been discussing ways to address the risks and resulting tragedies related to crossing freeways and roads. There's a huge difference between the I35 situation and the girl who crossed a surface street, so perhaps those two deaths don't belong in the same thread. But in both cases there is a legitimate debate about how to prevent more tragedies.

I take this issue very seriously and still believe that there should be pedestrian overpasses on I35 in one or two places where people are killed at a pace of about one per year. Often they are indigent and/or day laborers who are crossing to get to work-related sites. For this they do not deserve the death penalty, nor do the rest of us deserve a more dangerous freeway. Two problems can be partially solved with a single fix.

As for the RR death, I have no opinion other than "What a horrible loss." My heart goes out to all who knew the deceased.