SUCH a dangerous thing as the pictures carried by this newspaper yesterday showing pedestrians crossing a major thoroughfare in the capital by all imaginable means of physical exercise in negotiating the I dividers can only occur in this country. And the picture displays persons of all gender and age choosing the dangerous option. And even barbed wires used as a fence on the road dividers, something unthinkable in any other I civilised country, fails to deter our people.

Nowhere would one find human beings putting their I own lives at risk to avoid taking perhaps a longer but a I safer way to cross a street on which the traffic is I consistently heavy. And in fact the point at which the I pictures were taken had other safer alternatives nearby I for these people to take.

I What these people were doing is not isolated but occurs constantly on all the major streets of the capital, often with unhappy outcome. What those who opt for the I shortcut fail to realise that it is not only their lives that I they are putting at risk but also others using the road are potentially being put at risk too. And one of the main I causes of accidents on the streets of the capital has been the pedestrians' predilection to jaywalk.

I Regrettably, there is very little that the authorities can do other than consistent awareness programmes by not only the law enforcing agencies but by the social activist groups also. Alongside that, there is need to manage the I over and underpasses properly. Sadly, most of the underpasses remain dark and have become dens of I lumpens and petty criminals while the overpasses I remain occupied by the vendors. And nobody seems to I know the use of zebra crossings.

I We feel that along with awareness programme actions that will demotivate people to cross roads dangerously I should also be considered. Jaywalking must be made a