***This Really Ticks Me Off!***
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
United States
December 29, 2009 5:10pm CST
I live right smack on the corner of a main street called Ridge road and a side street called Whittington. My apartment is on the second floor so I can look down upon both streets very easily and see what's going on. I'm a people watcher so it's kind of fun and I get to watch all kinds of different things going on.
My computer is in the bedroom right by a window which faces both streets with a clear view, and it has a pretty big tree right by the window which I enjoy looking at all year (even though right now there are no leaves but I still love it).
What I've been noticing, when I'm not starring at my computer screen, is how drivers are so inconsiderate of people walking. I'm just completely amazed and ticked off at this. There is a cross walk on the side street for people cross in of course, but do these cars stop and let the person walk across within the crosswalk? Oh, heck no!!!
I just was watching a lady walking towards my building, with sunglasses on, and a white stick with a red tip. I'm guessing she was partially blind, not completely. She was about only 10-12 feet from the crosswalk when this huge garbage truck pulled up right over the crosswalk in front of her. Now, there was NO ONE behind him so he could have easily backed up but did he? Oh of course not, he made her stand there for a few minutes until he was able to pull away into the main street. He HAD to see her sitting up so high before he even pulled up but he didn't care.
Then, everyday after school lets out, which there is a church right across the street on both sides, the parents even pull into the cross walk and these kids are walking around behind the cars to get across the street, and these parents got their own kids in the car!!!! They don't care about anyone else's kids at all.
There was also a very old man who walked with a limp a few feet from the crosswalk, and here we go again! The car pulled halfway into the crosswalk, so the old man started walking towards the front of the car so he could get across (was by the front tire basically), and the car pulled out almost taking this old man with them. He stood there screaming at them with his hands in the air yelling.
I'm just dumbfounded by all this, and it goes on day after day after day. And, I know you're thinking that maybe they can't see and that's why they pull up so far, NOPE, the building I'm in and the church across the sidestreet are sitting way far away from the main street so you can see all the way down the streets.
Do you pull into a crosswalk without looking to see if anyone is coming? I hope not. Would you like this if someone did this to your little child coming home from school? And honestly, who the heck is going to stop in front of a partially blind person so they can't cross and have to wait for you! I'm aggravated!
2 people like this
4 responses
@sid556 (30953)
• United States
30 Dec 09
Hi Kashmeresmycat,
I do actually watch both sides of the road as well as the traffic in front of me. Where I live, we have quite the opposite problem. I live in a college town. I actually live in the neighborhood of the college and and have to drive by the college everytime I leave pretty much. I can't tell you how often these kids are walking up the sidewalk and without warning and without looking just wander in the street to cross. I've nearly hit them so many times and I am going only 10 mph. and watching for it. I have even had them tap the hood of my car as they step off the sidewalk. Not long ago, I made a discussion on this, I had a girl come flying across the campus and right in front of my car. I slammed my brakes and she just laughed. I am so grateful when I see someone who actually stops and looks before walking in front of my car that I will not hesitate to stop. I think I appreciate that as much as they appreciate me stopping. I can't imagine not stopping in the situations you are describing.
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
30 Dec 09
Gosh, that is quite the opposite! I don't think I'd want to live where you are, haha. Pedestrians can be a pain in the neck too and not care about nothing, daring you to just hit them. They sound like a bunch of little kids, don't they? And this is our future mind you, haha.
This just shocks me where I live, it's just plain rude and uncaring. So sad to see today, but that's the way people are nowadays. Wasn't like that years ago, people respected laws and pedestrians more.
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
6 Jan 10
Here in the UK if you do not stop they can report you and you get a Penalty
I hate ignorant Drivers I really do
Ok it has happened to me a couple of times that I was looking for somewhere and only noticed the Crossing in the last minute, so if I am able to stop I will if not I will speed up a bit to get across before the Person gets to that part but I will always stop at a crossing
There is a reason for these Crossings and Drivers need to realize that as one Day they will have to live with knowing that they have hurt or killed someone because of their ignorance
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
7 Jan 10
Oh, trust me, if I could read their license plate numbers from my bedroom window, I would report them too. People today are so rude, I just can't believe it. What happened to the way it use to be a long time ago? Yes, I'm just waiting for an accident to happen here and I sure will be a witness and go to court for them. And right now it's worse yet as there is snow and ice all over the streets, so it's hard enough just walking across the street, let alone going behind one's car. So obnoxious these drivers are!
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
29 Dec 09
It is aggravating, and I believe it is illegal, but it is one of those laws that seldom gets enforced. Parking in such a way that people have to go behind and between cars is just an accident waiting to happen. I do envy your perch and your view of the city. Those white lines across the road for cross walks are supposed to be stop lines for the traffic.
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
30 Dec 09
I know it's illegal but even if I called and reported this, there is no where for them to park to catch people doing it. Everyone would see their car and of course stop before the crosswalk. It is scary when the kids go behind the cars to cross because other cars are turning into the street at the same time.
Haha, I do love my perch! It is so much fun to watch everything going on around me, and sometimes the Moon is just beautiful at night between my leafless tree, haha.
@jillhill (37353)
• United States
30 Dec 09
Where I live the pedestrian has the right of way which means if you don't give them the right of way you can get a ticket and a big fat fine.....but I see the same thing....now and again....but there is one thing that does irk me about peds...it's when you are backing out of a stall in a parking lot and they walk behind your car....I have a SUV with many blind spots in it.....they are at that point taking their lives into their own hands I feel!
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
30 Dec 09
I think in every state the pedestrian has the right of way. Unfortunately, if the cops park here everyone will see them and will stop for the crosswalk.
I know exactly what you're talking about with people walking behind your car when you're backing up. You know, I get the heck out of anyone's way and let them leave, but people are so strange today, they just don't care. It's almost as if they're saying "Go ahead, hit me, I dare you." Weirdo's.
