There is a plague on motorists everywhere, and it is this:
I have noticed a growing trend with pedestrians--they no
longer look before they cross the street. It baffles me. It makes me terrified
of driving through towns. For reals, I will take the most ass-backwards way to
the post office or the supermarket on my lunch breaks just so I can avoid
driving through the town in which I work. People dart out into the street with
no warning. They even dart out from behind parked cars, and then give you
filthy looks when you slam on your brakes and swerve into the middle of the
road to avoid them.
I would love to take these people and drop them into the
middle of Broad Street in Philadelphia, where I learned the correct way to be a
pedestrian. In Philadelphia, you look both ways even when the sign tells you
it's ok to walk. Because Philly drivers will absolutely not stop for
pedestrians in the middle of the road. Even the bus drivers won't stop. (Not
kidding, I saw five pedestrians and one bicyclist get hit by cars and/or buses
in the three years I lived there. I was even in the car for one of those
collisions.)
People have somehow gotten it into their heads that the
Yield to Pedestrians law means that they no longer have to look both ways
because it's illegal for us not to yield to them in a crosswalk.
IN THE CROSSWALK, PEOPLE.
Newsflash: it's still a good idea to look both ways.
'they no longer look before they cross the street'
ReplyDeletei can only imagine the incidence of automobile related incidents there
"They even dart out from behind parked cars, and then give you filthy looks when you slam on your brakes and swerve into the middle of the road to avoid them." can i eat them
*le sigh* people should just get destroyed bby
-Sam Lupin
As a pedestrian I always look both ways because I'm getting old!
ReplyDeleteI always look both ways before crossing and I am amazed whenever I see someone just dart across the street. It seems completely reckless to me. Luckily I'm British so a car will always stop for said pedestrian, but I do find myself thinking "It should be in the highway code that if someone runs into the street, you can hit 'em."
ReplyDeleteIf Carmageddon has taught me anything, it's that pedestrians don't have right to walk anywhere, even on the sidewalk. Plus, if you crowds of them, you get extra points.
ReplyDeleteOMG, U R right! Kids don't just walk, they saunter and dare you to hit then like, "GO ahead and hit me I'll sue your ass." Yeah, well your ass will be in a sling. A lady in our town went on a rant a few years ago about how dangerous it was to cross the street because cars don't drive safely. I blogged about it and said in effect that crossing the street is so fecking easy, I've been doing it since I was 4...look both ways and when no one is coming run across the street.
ReplyDeleteWhen you cross the street, a car ALWAYS has the right of way...ALWAYS because the car will kick your ass....but them that is what you just said isn't it...so...I agree!
It's the ones on their mobile phones or the ones with headphones on that get me. They rarely look up when crossing a street, let alone left or right! But I agree with joeh, the looks they give you when they eventually realise you are there, well, it beggars belief sometimes! Rant over. Thanks for allowing us to vent. ;)
ReplyDeleteHappy A to Z'ing. :)
Hi! I found your blog through the A to Z list.
ReplyDeleteHere in Tehran you learn to cross the street correctly or you can never cross it. In Mexico you also have to look both ways, I have it ingrained in my mind.
LittleCely's Blog
Even Scrappy sits and waits till Daddy says go...
ReplyDeleteI look both ways twice since they're out to kill me in this town. I dang blogged about it.
ReplyDeleteIt's so true! Some people just walk on by without paying any attention to the street lights or signs. It scares the hell out of me! Ugh!
ReplyDeleteThe road LAW is 'He who has the most mass has the right of way'
ReplyDeleteThose people are fucking BEGGING for a Darwin Award.
The road LAW is 'He who has the most mass has the right of way'
ReplyDeleteThose people are fucking BEGGING for a Darwin Award.
just hit them
ReplyDelete