Dear Editor,
On Saturday, September 17, a friend and I were power walking in town around 9pm. We had left the residence she was staying at and walking towards main street (to walk where it was well lit). The road we were walking on did not have a sidewalk until the last few blocks, the sidewalk that was available was an old brick sidewalk that was rundown and had weeds overgrowing on it. We chose to stay on the right side of the road instead, under street lamps, and on the shoulder of the road.
As we were walking, a Gillespie police officer quickly whipped his vehicle in front of us and asked us why we were walking on the road. He was talking to us in a very condescending tone, as if we were criminals. We pointed out that the sidewalk available was rundown and covered with weeds. We were told that it didn’t matter, we were to use the sidewalk. The officer then proceeded to say that he wasn’t going to issue us a ticket because “honestly, I thought you two were kids horsing around or something”.
Up until this point we both felt we were being harrassed for taking a walk. I did not realize that it was mandatory to use a sidewalk, which after doing some research, it in fact is stated in the rules of the road that pedestrians must use a sidewalk when available. If the police are going to enforce this rule, I would like to suggest that sidewalks be upgraded, or kept up better than they currently are. Most of the sidewalks in town have large cracks that make it a hazard to walk on.
As a life long citizen of this town with no prior criminal record, it is frustrating to me that this incident occured. If we were kids, what would have happened? Would the kids have gotten tickets for this? As a mother of a 15 year old, I would hope that he would never be approached in this manner by an officer as it was very intimidating.
In closing, if the police are going to harrass citizens for taking a walk in town, I would advise fellow citizens to take caution. Plan your route on sidewalks that are safe to walk on and at all cost stay off the roads, it may cost you a ticket.
Sincerely,
Erin Davis
I’m sorry this happened to you! I’ve noticed how bad the sidewalks are around town too and always wondered who was responsible for their upkeep. If the police are going to start writing tickets for walking on the road then the city(or whoever is responsible) should make sure they’re doing their jobs with upkeeping the sidewalks.
(and why does the age of the walker have to do with anything?)
Sidewalks are the responsibility of the homeowner, and that is why you notice the hit and miss on sidewalks. If you put in a sidewalk, you must maintain that sidewalk, and you could be liable if anyone falls on “YOUR” sidewalk and get’s hurt. If you notice on Elm St. and Broadway there are only sidewalks on one side of the street. I live on Wilson St. and there are no sidewalks on the North side of the street and only a few on the South side of the street. For a very long time, if the homeowner supplied the labor the city would supply the materials, I don’t know if that is still how it works, but I do know that Mr. Spencer and the kids from the school did a lot of sidewalk work.
BeGil staff, seems like there could be a story there… who is responsible for the sidewalks in the city and what does happen where there isn’t one available and you’re forced to walk on the road. :o)