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Contributor
Posts: 68
Registered: ‎06-26-2010

Fellow Walkers & Pedestrians - How do you handle

inconsiderate or inattentive drivers?  I wish there was such a thing as a pedestrian horn!

I walk a few miles every day and live in the middle of the city.  I feel like I take my life in my hands whenever I come up to an intersection and try to cross the street.

Between the drivers making a right turn in front of me or the drivers making a left turn right at me, I am constantly dodging cars even though I have the right of way and the light!

And, the drivers waiting to make a right turn, looking down and texting - do I walk in front of them?  Right now, I wait until we make eye contact or I go behind them.   But, that assumes that the car behind them isn't texting, too!

 

I want to walk with a fog horn (is that what they're called?)!  

Recently, I came upon an intersection and the gal waiting to make a right turn was texting.  I waited to see if she'd look up so that I could cross in front of her but, she didn't.  So, I crossed behind her.  But, I did knock on her driver window as I crossed the street.  I certainly startled her.  That was quite satisfying : )

 

Would love to hear what others do!  Thanks!

 

 

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,892
Registered: ‎07-03-2013

Re: Fellow Walkers & Pedestrians - How do you handle

 That sounds dangerous for you.  I think there is little you can do with the cars other than what your doing.  I wouldn't cross without the eye contact either.  Is there a different route you could take, say where the blocks are longer?

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,326
Registered: ‎10-21-2011

Re: Fellow Walkers & Pedestrians - How do you handle

I used to live in Center City, Philly and when I was crossing the street with the light, with a friend, he was perplexed why I was looking BEHIND me, constantly. Then a car turned into the intersection, even though we had the right of way BOTH being pedestrian (pedestrians always have the right of way even if they are dopey jaywalkers) and I had the light. He understood.

 

"They do that here. They'll turn right into you, even if you are in a cross walk." 

 

This was forty years ago, mind you. He remarked that in California, if a pedestrian steps their foot off the curb, you must stop. They enforce it, too.

 

Now, I'm actually nervous to step off the curb in my suburban development to open my mailbox because the drivers storm by at fifty mph even though it's a 15 mph zone and a development street, not a town street. They're texting, phoning, thinking of what's next on their busy list, they are in a hurry, inattentive and they don't effin' care. I have the same problem at work, where I cross a parking lot to my office; the fire lane has people storming down it at street speed and they turn into the main lane so I might be crossing after looking, but they turn in and speed up. 


We have a LOT of pedestrian deaths in our state. 

 

What can you do? Get your local traffic police to patrol any areas that are particularly troublesome and try to induce them to enforce pedestrian safety. A few nasty tickets for inattentive driving may wake some up and they'll let others know that there is enforcement in the area. 

 

I can't think of anything else.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,652
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Fellow Walkers & Pedestrians - How do you handle

@sockmonkey, safety first, last and always.  I would find a different place to walk (outside or in), walk when traffic is low, join a gym or buy a treadmill.  Your safety trumps everything else.  LM

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,415
Registered: ‎11-25-2011

Re: Fellow Walkers & Pedestrians - How do you handle

I'm always shocked when I'm at a stop light, people who are texting will blindly cross the intersection without looking left or right.

 

Right or wrong, legal or illegal...walkers have to respect the 2 ton vehicle. 

 

Change routes.

Walk during a less traffic time.  

If there's a stop sign, wait until all cars have passed until crossing.  

Stop light? Wait until all cars have firmly stopped before making eye contact & cross.  

Wear a reflective mesh vest if walking in heavily traffic areas.  

Again, I would change routes to a more urban area.

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,887
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Fellow Walkers & Pedestrians - How do you handle

Honestly, if there isn't a good park, track or mall that you can walk at, I'd get an eliptical.

 

Besides having to stop for traffic, the exhaust, bad weather, etc. it would be better to have one.  Use it when you want to,

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,560
Registered: ‎12-31-2013

Re: Fellow Walkers & Pedestrians - How do you handle

If you are walking for the exercise, I would find another way like some of the other posters have suggested.  First it isn't healthy to walk surrounded by exhaust fumes and secondly a park, gym, less traffic route, or home eqpt seems a lot safer.   I also have to ask not to be insulting but am wondering - are you sure you are following all of the pedestrian rules all of the time?  I have seen plenty of pedestrians who don't always do that and they put themselves at risk.  

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,148
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Fellow Walkers & Pedestrians - How do you handle

 
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,148
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Fellow Walkers & Pedestrians - How do you handle

I both walk and drive. I'm more frightened driving. Last week a young man talking on the phone and walking two dogs crossed during a yellow light. Thank God I saw him; he didn't hear my horn.

 

I usually walk in a park but live in an urban area and do errands on foot. The minute a pedestrian steps into the crosswalk he has the right to be there.

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 25,929
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Fellow Walkers & Pedestrians - How do you handle


@lavendar wrote:

I both walk and drive. I'm more frightened driving. Last week a young man talking on the phone and walking two dogs crossed during a yellow light. Thank God I saw him; he didn't hear my horn.

 

I usually walk in a park but live in an urban area and do errands on foot. The minute a pedestrian steps into the crosswalk he has the right to be there.

 

 


yes you LEGALLY have the right to step out into the crosswalk and everyone driving is supposed to stop - but do you seriously have no common sense? And you do not have the right to just run up to a crosswalk and keep going without stopping and looking. Geez Louise , didn't you people have parents? Didn't they teach you how to cross the street? You have to look both ways and look back toward the left again, as that is the car that would hit you first. 

When I was driving I used to get so mad at the bicycle messanger guys - they would ride between the drivers in the rt lane and the sidewalk - often you wouldn't see them when you made the rt turn.