Why do pedestrians jaywalk across the road when there is a foot-over bridge nearby?

“It’s a culture!” says a jaywalker when The Daily Star caught hold of one of them while crossing Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport intersection in Dhaka.

“It saves my time,” another jaywalker claims.

Thousands of jaywalkers cross this intersection of the busiest streets in capital city of Bangladesh everyday risking their lives.

“We are aware of life risk but time is too short to use footbridge,” several people said while crossing the road on foot jeopardizing the traffic system.

Some of them were also showing lame excuses, like knee pain.

“I have been suffering from knee pain since long and so can’t climb the steps of the footbridge,” said a man of age around 45 years.

Another jaywalker said he crossed the road despite knowing that it’s a violation of traffic law.

“Crossing such busy road on foot is not wise anyhow. But we are doing the same everyday as the footbridge is far away from our footstep,” several jaywalkers said.

The situation becomes so hazardous in the afternoon that law enforcers have to use a long rope to maintain the jaywalkers.

Sometimes such attempt goes on vain due to the crazy attitude of the jaywalkers.

Meanwhile, the people who always use foot-over bridge told that “Life is more precious than time and we all should keep it mind.”

“The number of road accidents will reduce if we all use foot-over bridge instead of jaywalking,” said a woman when she was passing the road using the footbridge.  

Another foot over-bridge user said, “We have to avoid jaywalking for the sake of our lives and smooth traffic system.”

Some people also urged the authority concerned to construct a footbridge at the footstep of the pedestrian so that they are cross the road through the footbridge.

Airport intersection is an important point as a large number of people and public, private and goods-laden vehicles cross the intersection, said Humayan Kabir, Traffic Inspector, Uttara Traffic Zone.

“We face difficulties to maintain smooth traffic due to inadequate number of traffic police and lack of other supports,” he added.

SEE WHY JAYWALKING IS RISKY