Experiment Fail: Watch Mayor Ricky Simon Test Main Street Crosswalk As Drivers Whizz By

Brownsville Mayor Ricky Simon uses the crosswalk on Main St. at the Community Center.

Darren Doyle, story, photo, and video:
Brownsville Mayor Ricky Simon invited the Edmonson Voice out to the crosswalk between the Bank of Edmonson County and the Edmonson County Community Center on Main Street today to prove a point that both drivers and pedestrians should use more caution at the location, where a lady was struck by a car and injured two years ago.

Mayor Simon said the crosswalk has been there ever since he could remember.

"As far as I know, it's been here about as long as the Community Center building has been there. With so much happening in the Community Center and Courthouse these days, lots of people park at the bank and cross the street. Even with the lights that the state has now allowed, people still need to use more caution."

Simon said he wasn't trying to "gripe" at people; he just wants to raise more awareness.

"Safety is our goal here, for both drivers and pedestrians," he said. "It's more common sense than anything for the pedestrians, but we want to encourage drivers to watch for the signs and the lights, but mostly people."

Simon said drivers are required by law to stop at the crosswalk if someone is ready to cross, especially when the lights are activated, which is done at the push of a button by a pedestrian. 

We did a live test by pushing the button and waiting for drivers to stop, which you can watch in the video below. No one did at first and several cars drove right through the sign at full speed while we waited to cross. We obviously didn't just start walking when the lights were activated.

"Common sense still prevails," said the mayor. "Obviously, we're not just going to take off without making sure it's safe to do so, and I'm sure if we had started out, the drivers would have seen us--but again--common sense. We're just offering a friendly reminder that pedestrians have the right-of-way here when they need to cross."

Mayor Simon tried the crosswalk one last time after we shot video with the same result occurring as multiple cars drove on by. Finally, Brownsville Police Chief Jeremy Hodges stopped to let the mayor cross.

"He'd better stop," joked Simon.