After living in downtown Portland for a few years, and going for morning walks with my dog nearly every day, I feel as though drivers have forgotten both the rules of the road and common decency.

Vehicles stop for pedestrians on Commercial Street in Portland in 2019, as required by state law. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

After another near miss this morning, spurred on by a car accelerating through a red light while I was already in the crosswalk (the same car also nearly T-boned other cars, only to stop one block away), I think it is a good time to remind drivers that red means “stop.”

In the state of Maine, it is also state law that vehicles stop for pedestrians in crosswalks. This does not mean driving into oncoming traffic to drive around people in the crosswalks, or giving the finger to pedestrians who are trying to cross the street.

Yes, I am aware there is a total lack of enforcement when it comes to red-light runners and other dangerous and erratic driving in Portland, but just because you won’t get caught doesn’t mean you should do it.

I would argue that spending time in prison for injuring or, god forbid, killing somebody is worse than waiting 30 seconds for the light to change or for someone to cross the street.

Eben Sweetser
Portland