By Bob Krauss
Advertiser Columnist

I guess I'm lucky. I've walked the streets of Our Honolulu for half a century and never been hit by a car. Knock on wood.

However, the number of people getting killed makes you think. Fifteen pedestrians this year, two killed in less than 24 hours.

Other citizens have spoken their minds on the subject in The Advertiser, so I think I will, too. In the first place, not all drivers behind the wheel are speed demons. Every morning when I'm out walking, several stop to let me go ahead of them on the crosswalk.

Here's my first survival rule: always wave "thank you." It makes you both feel good.

In the second place, there are stupid pedestrians as well as stupid drivers. Anyone who jaywalks across seven lanes of Kamehameha Highway should know he or she is playing Russian roulette. Having said that, I think drivers on O'ahu are more arrogant than pedestrians.

I guess it's an unconscious feeling of superiority that is passed on to traffic engineers. Downtown Honolulu is an excellent example. The traffic lights abet driver arrogance and intimidate pedestrians.

At many intersections, pedestrians have to push a button to get across the street. Drivers don't. A red hand blinks at pedestrians warning them that they have only a few seconds to cross the street while drivers are revving their engines eager to blast off.

The situation is outrageous in several places. One of them is Nimitz Highway. Pedestrians wait and wait to cross over to the waterfront. When they finally get a green light, the red hand begins blinking halfway across. I've seen people so intimidated that they run back to the curb.

We wonder why so few people visit the waterfront, why the Aloha Tower Marketplace isn't more successful, why the Hawaii Maritime Center doesn't get more people. Good grief, they're cut off from civilization by Nimitz Highway.

The intersection of King and Punchbowl streets at Honolulu Hale is just as bad. Drivers going makai on Punchbowl get a green light while pedestrians get the red hand. Clear discrimination.

Should we be surprised that drivers run right over crosswalks with impunity? I can feel for the lady in Advertiser transportation writer Mike Leidemann's column who said, "It's like we're invisible."

Here's how to make yourself visible:

1. You're trying to cross with the light when a driver pulls in front of you in the crosswalk. He's looking the other way to check traffic before he makes a right turn. You can't make eye contact. Knock on his fender or window. When you make eye contact, give him a dirty look and go across.
2. The driver has pulled into the crosswalk, blocking your way. You knock, but he just glowers back. Take out a pencil and paper, write down the license number, the make and model of the car, a physical description of the driver, and the time and place of the traffic violation. Let him watch.

When you get back home, send in your complaint.

Reach Bob Krauss at 525-8073.