Saving a life is easy: just check a box when renewing license

Although UNM says a fence on the northwest side of the Pit that blocks the sidewalk is intended to guide pedestrians to a handicapped ramp and crosswalk, critics call it bad design. (COURTESY of R. Wayne Hardie)

COMMIT TO SAVING A LIFE THIS MONTH: It’s as simple as checking a box on your driver’s license renewal or filling out a form if that renewal is a ways off.

It’s registering as an organ donor.

April is National Donate Life Month, designed to shine a light on the need for organ and tissue donations. More than 117,000 people are on the national organ transplant waiting list, and 715 of them are New Mexicans, according to New Mexico Donor Services. Someone joins the list every 10 minutes.

In a news release, executive director Wayne Dunlap says “we ask every New Mexican to make a difference in helping those in need by registering to be a donor on their driver’s license or online at NMdonor.org. One donor can save the lives of up to nine patients in need of an organ transplant and help up to 50 more patients through tissue donation.”

Registering is vital. The release explains “in 2012 there were 28,051 organ transplants performed in the United States, however, 6,500 patients died waiting for transplants and an additional 4,700 became too ill on the waiting list to be transplanted.”

For more information, call 843-7672 or click on www.nmdonor.org or www.DonateLifeNM.org.

MORE ON THAT PIT FENCE: Some Lobos fans are still crying foul about that fence on the northwest side of the Pit that blocks the sidewalk and is intended to guide pedestrians a few steps to the east to a handicapped ramp and crosswalk. Without the fence, the university says, fans would have to step off a sharp curb, often in a crowd and in the dark, risking injury.

Wayne emails that designed path is more than a few steps out of the way, and that’s why fans are instead opting to step to the west, into the parking lot and the path of vehicles.

He says the University of New Mexico “is trying to somehow justify a very poor design.”

“I measured the distance from the middle of the sidewalk to the edges of the fence,” Wayne says. “To the west it is about 6 feet, to the east it is about 42 feet. … I am guessing that the original plan was to end the fence a few feet to the east, which is why they painted the “CAUTION STEP” warning, and then either the plan changed or somebody didn’t read the plans correctly and extended the fence all the way to the driveway.

“A good design not only takes into account what people should do, but also what they will do. Based on my unscientific observations, I would guess that well over 90 percent of the people go to the west. In my opinion, it is only a matter of time before someone is hit by a vehicle.”

AND HOW ABOUT THAT MANHOLE? Susan emails “at the corner of University and César Chávez, southwest corner, there is a very rough manhole cover, not quite at the corner.”

She found it after the San Diego State game.

“Because the light was about to change,” she says, “I didn’t go clear to the corner and tripped over the rough pavement. My son had just tripped as well and turned to warn me, but found me sprawled on University instead. I kind of went airborne and landed on my knee and face.

“Fortunately, some very kind people helped me to my feet, and except for a few bruises and a very black eye, I’m OK. I didn’t get their names to thank them, I’m sorry to say. I haven’t called the university yet but will bring it to their attention. … My eye still looks nasty!”

Scott Dotson, UNM’s associate athletic director for facilities, provided this “picture of the manhole cover. It is rough, but it is not a tripping hazard. The cover is at the same level with the concrete surrounding it.”

Assistant editorial page editor D’Val Westphal tackles commuter issues for the Metro area on Mondays and West Siders and Rio Ranchoans on Thursdays. Reach her at 823-3858; road@abqjournal.com; P.O. Drawer J, Albuquerque, NM 87103; or go to ABQjournal.com/traffic to read previous columns and join in the conversation.
— This article appeared on page A6 of the Albuquerque Journal