Pedestrian rant thread

[RedHedd]

To go hand-in-hand (or foot-to-foot?) with our driving rant thread.

What is it with pedestrians? Do they have a death wish?

I don't understand pedestrians crossing a street on a red light. Do you think the cars will automatically stop just because YOU'RE crossing the street? And on a yellow light- if you don't have enough time to cross the street, don't get off the curb! Wait for the next green light.

What really burns me is seeing a pedestrian with a child, baby or a guy on a date with his sweetheart, dragging them across the street on a red or yellow light. I can tell you don't love yourself enough to practice safety, but to endanger your loved ones because of your selfishness? I don't get it. What's the hurry?

Those count-down signals - 2 seconds is NOT enough time to cross a major street safely, really it isn't.

What's with standing off the curb at a corner? Don't you know if a car tries to make a turn, they can't because you're standing there impeding the flow of traffic. Even if a car can get around you, do you really like taking a chance that some driver may just decide to take a tight turn - OOPS! Stand on the curb and wait for your turn on the GREEN light. I think Seattle even has a law for pedestrians to stand on the curb until the light turns green. I wish they would put that law into effect here (and enforce it).

In a parking lot - if my car has it's back-up lights on, that means I'm backing up. REALLY! I probably can't see you because you're right in my blind spot. So if you you see a car with back-up lights on, DO NOT WALK THERE unless you really have a desire to get hit.

[RICHARD]

Those count-down signals - 2 seconds is NOT enough time to cross a major street safely, really it isn't.

I love the countdown signals......You start to think about how many seconds you have left, your speed, inertia.......time, velocity and I THINK I CAN DO IT....

I am surprised they aren't more accidents!

[moosmom]

That is one of my pet peeves. We have certain people in this town that will J-walk on MY green light, looking right at you and smirk. I have been SOOO tempted to gun it and run 'em over because they know better. If you beep at them, they walk slower on purpose.

[boomersooner]

I was making a left turn the other day, and this old man was crossing the street at a spot right after my turn....if I had taken my eyes off of the road for an instant, he would have been hit....then of course, they look at you like you are the one at fault, not them.....I also can't stand it when you have a green light and someone continues to cross the street, or maybe you are making a right turn and they are crossing...anyway, they could walk just a bit faster.....not strolling like it is some walk by a country brook!

[RockyRoad]

That is one of my pet peeves. We have certain people in this town that will J-walk on MY green light, looking right at you and smirk. I have been SOOO tempted to gun it and run 'em over because they know better. If you beep at them, they walk slower on purpose.

Exactly what happens to me here. A few days ago, a man started crossing into the road RIGHT when I was passing, like I almost thought he had a death wish it was so close. I couldn`t stop so I swerved just enough to avoid him and he flipped me off as he crossed the rest of the street. Well then, here`s an idea, don`t walk in front of a moving car!
I always notice that people do this all the time when I stay in New York City. The "flock" of people will stop at the sidewalk when the light turns green, but there`s always those one or two morons that are in just enough of a hurry to think they can beat the car coming towards them.

[IRescue452]

In my area, the walk/don't walk signals are crappy. They give you two seconds or they tell you to walk in a bad time, or tell you to stop walking halfway throough the street. I absolutely HATE it when I see parents teaching their children only to obey these signs. They should be teaching their children common sense. The "don't walk" signal is on for the duration of the time when it is safe to walk, it only flips to "walk" for a second right before that light turns green. What's worse is when the kids panic because the sign changed while they were mid-street. You have to use the old stop-look-listen on intersections with no traffic lights, so why not teach the kids to use the same common sense method when there are traffic lights?