At least once a day, I cross Oxford St. at First St., the main intersection outside the Oxford St. entrance of Fanshawe’s main campus. And at least once a day, I find myself fearing for the lives of the pedestrians who frequent this busy intersection. 

Oxford and First is a notoriously high-traffic spot, both for drivers and for pedestrians. Many students live at Foundry First, the apartment building at the southwest corner of the intersection, and many more live somewhere along First St. Meanwhile, Oxford St. is one of the city’s busiest roads. It stretches across London, and is a main gateway for buses, delivery trucks, and commuting drivers alike.

What happens when a pedestrian-dense intersection meets a busy four-lane, city-spanning corridor? Usually, nothing good. 

On more than one occasion, I have experienced near-collisions that could have been avoided by drivers simply being aware of the rules of the road. For example, I have been nearly struck twice while crossing First St. on the south side of Oxford, preparing to take my first steps off the sidewalk once my crossing sign had given me okay to “Walk.” That is, until a driver speeding down Oxford takes the opportunity to turn right onto First St. without even stopping to see if a pedestrian was about to cross. Any driver with knowledge of the law would know that pedestrians always have the right of way — even if they are in the wrong — but in this case, I was in the right. A pedestrian should not have to fear that they will be struck by a speeding vehicle because they chose to cross the street when it was legally their turn to do so. 

I have faced the same issue while crossing Oxford St. on the west side, making my way towards the Fanshawe campus, not unlike many of the students living in Foundry do every day. Drivers moving east on Oxford seize the opportunity to turn right onto First St. on a red light, failing to note whether or not a pedestrian is about to cross the road. Or, they notice, and choose to take the turn first.

Of course, it’s not just drivers who I have seen make dangerous mistakes at this intersection. If you are a pedestrian who is crossing Oxford on the west side — please be mindful that there is an advanced green for drivers turning left from First St. Far too many times, have I witnessed students begin to cross from the college towards Foundry as soon as the light turns green, ignoring the fact that drivers turning left in this case have the right of way first. For the sake of your own safety, don’t try to outrun the advance, don’t hold up traffic, and don’t risk getting hit — just wait your turn.

Drivers — you’re not off the hook yet, though. Because speaking of the advance, when the advance light runs out, please don’t try to sneak in your left turn, riding the exhaust pipe of the driver ahead of you who caught the last second of the advance. Pedestrians will have been given the green light to walk, and you trying to latch onto the dying advance as it fades from yellow to black is only putting more people in danger. Just wait until the next light and then make your turn. Or, make a left turn without the advance — responsibly. And just in case you forgot this part of driving school: You are actually supposed to wait until pedestrians have completely crossed the street before you drive through an intersection. Far too often I see drivers make turns while pedestrians are still in the road, simply because they’ve walked past the right hand turning lane. That’s not how it works.

Listen, there is not much more that can be done at this intersection in the way of traffic control. There are lights at every corner, crosswalks, an advanced green, and a posted speed limit. The only thing that will stop Oxford and First from becoming a ticking time bomb is patience. Mutual respect between drivers and pedestrians. Personal responsibility and knowledge of the rules of the road.

We all have a part to play in keeping the community around this college safe from harm. Never underestimate how far a little understanding can go.