Provocateur
By James Ty Cumbie

In most American cities police and public safety departments aggressively enforce traffic regulations, not for the benefit of pedestrians, but to maintain revenues and to keep the roads from looking Eke scenes from Mad Max. After all, in these cities, walking is not something you really want to do in the first place.

In New York, where walking is a real option that many choose, traffic laws go virtually unenforced. Even when cops see violations they usually don't take action, but most of the time they aren't even looking. This, I deduce, is due to a lack of both will and means, no matter how sincerely city leaders declare their desire for a safer, cleaner city. In a city where someone is shot every few minutes it is hard to politically justify stricter traffic enforcement.

So here's my suggestion: Deputize pedestrians!

Solicit pedestrians to volunteer as traffic watchdogs, issuing citations when they see violations on their daily excursions on foot. After screening to eliminate obvious unfit candidates, subject the volunteers to rigorous testing and training. Once approved as deputy traffic enforcers, the volunteers would have the power to issue citations for infractions such as running lights and stop signs, blocking sidewalks, failing to yield to pedestrians and other relatively minor transgressions that the boys in blue don't want or have time to bother with.

The deputy could leave tickets on cars illegally parked. Moving violators would be surprised to receive tickets in the mail, provided the deputy can read their license plate and match the vehicle make, color, etc. A certain number of citations, let's be liberal and say five, would result in license suspension. Ten in license revocation. Period.

Some might argue that this would open the way for graft and misuse of authority by a greater number of citizens, but this objection is easily dismissed. Police already have this power and few argue they should be eliminated. Sure, deputies will make mistakes, as police do, but remember, it would take ten or so tickets to result in revocation, virtually eliminating the possibility of a responsible driver losing his license unjustly. If a driver warrants this many citizen complaints, do we really want turn on the road?

I could expand this argument to include virtually all of the social ills we face. No serious problem will ever be solved by government until. The populace takes some responsibility In short if the City can't enforce traffic rules, let the people have a chance.

This scheme makes economic sense as well. If drivers are going to make our city a less desirable Place to live, let's at least make them pay for I Maybe we could use the extra money to get homeless people off the streets and subways, making pedestrian fife a lot more enjoyable.