If you're going to jaywalk.... (with bonus story)

[Kogarashi]

If you're going to jaywalk, would you mind leaving your pretty dog or your four-year-old child out of your vehicular suicide attempt?

Twice within a block of each other this morning, I saw two people out walking their dogs. Both people decided to try crossing the street without looking at either the traffic lights or the oncoming cars. Both were crossing in the way of traffic that had a green light. One managed to time herself with a gap so she only held up one car. The other started into the intersection, then saw the cars coming and backed up a bit, having to pull her dog back as well. Poor dogs didn't deserve it.

And then later in the day, I saw a mother do the same thing with her child. Set one foot into the intersection, then quickly backpedal when she realized that the traffic she was trying to cut in front of was not going to sacrifice their right of way for her entitlement. She's lucky I wasn't the lead car or she and her kid would've had a face full of car horn.

Plus there was the guy who was with a group of his friends when they approached the intersection. His friends stopped at the corner. He started to step out into the intersection, then seemed to realize there were cars in his way. I seriously saw him glance up in startlement at the traffic light to confirm that, yes, the cars had the green. At least he had the sense to scramble back onto the sidewalk instead of banking on the cars stopping for him.

What is it with people in this town not using the crosswalk signals?

Bonus Not-a-Parking-Lot Story:

While driving to pick up Oldest from preschool, I came up on a car at a shady underpass. It took me a few moments to realize that the reason I was gaining on this car was that it was completely stopped in the driving lane. No indicators or anything, just stopped right were the shadow of the bridge overhead started. I managed to duck around it, as did the car behind me, without hitting the stopped car. Just as I passed it, I noticed it finally turn its hazards on as if it only just realized that it had just had two close calls with cars that didn't realize it wasn't going anywhere.

[Chromatix]

There's a particular crossing near my office which is always amusing to cross.

The crossing is laid out strangely because it serves a tram stop, and the trams always run down the middle of the road rather than the sides. As a result, the crossing is in three sections - the eastbound traffic lane, the tramlines (which also serve as bus lanes), then the westbound traffic lane. All three are activated by pushbuttons which are conveniently sited on both sides of the road and on both islands. However the button on the side nearest the Metro station is some distance back from the kerb, because there is *also* a cycle path.

So I see all sorts of behaviour on this crossing. There are people who are just oblivious and barely glance in the direction of traffic, and don't even think about the possibility of approaching trams and buses - if the tram rings it's bell, you know someone hasn't looked; if you hear the magnetic track brake switch in you know someone's been *really* stupid and not got out of the way.

Then there are the people who observe the crossing signals and the traffic, but are completely oblivious to the presence of the buttons. The crossing will *not* activate unless someone has pushed a button, and there are even handy lights to say whether anyone has. I can walk around the corner of the building, see a couple of dozen people waiting to cross, walk up to the crossing, notice that the light is off, press the button, and five seconds later we're crossing with the green man. This is understandable if coming from the Metro, because people wait on the kerb which is several feet beyond the button, but when there are people on the islands and on the other side...

And then there's me. I push the button as I go past it as a matter of habit, unless I'm certain that it's already lit (since I can't see the light from the back side, but I can still press it from there.) I'll also cheerfully ignore the crossing light, but only after looking for traffic - which is made easier by the islands as I only have to look for traffic from one direction, or buses and trams from both directions, at a time. If there's a tram approaching the stop, or waiting in the stop, I give it absolute priority.

[Captain Trips]

Notice: a florescent green vest with "CALTRANS" stenciled on it is NOT a suit of armor, it does NOT protect you from jaywalking ON THE FRIGGING FREEWAY!

Yeah, that happened here a few days ago. A Cal Trans worker was hit and killed because he thought he could make it across the freeway on foot. When the cops arrived on the scene, the first thing they asked was "Where are the cones?" (Without cones, how can you know you are in"the cone zone?") The driver was held for investigation, but released uncharged - he even tried to miss the guy, but no luck.

Yes, even freeway workers need to follow basic safety guidelines. So sorry for his family's loss, but it could qualify for a Darwin Award. (Except he already had kids. But you would think a freeway worker would be well familiar with freeway safety, so he did exhibit that unique level of intelligence that qualifies him.)

[BeeMused]

Teehee, that reminds me... My mom ripped her mom (my granny) a new one. Gran had jaywalked with me.

[Andara Bledin]

The crossing will *not* activate unless someone has pushed a button, and there are even handy lights to say whether anyone has.

Oh, man, I want those here soooo bad. I've been saying for years that crossing signal buttons need some sort of feedback for when they've been pushed along the lines of, say, elevator buttons or something.

^-.-^

[Chromatix]

The lights on the buttons seem to be standard practice all over Europe, probably following the original British "Pelican" crossing.

[Engmfj]

We have a long stretch of road between two intersections - train station at one end, city hall along one of the sides. This street is basically "bus territory", as it is the one place in town where 98% of all busses have stops. Doesn't stop hundreds of idiot drivers from blocking the way, making u-turns, parking at the bus stops, etc. The place can get really chatotic, as the street is only just wide enough to handle 3 busses next to each other.

There are ped crossings at both ends of the street and no cycle path, but noone really cares. You'll sometimes see several busses craaaawling along behind cyclists who couldn't care less and ride in the middle of the street, don't signal, etc. And boy, do we have jaywalkers on that street! People are just too freaking lazy to walk a bit and cross at the crossings, so they'll just walk/stroll/run right into the street, some even with their kids in strollers or next to them. Luckily, noone's been hit by a bus (yet), but there have soooo many close calls - the busses are usually already slowing down due to having to stop there anyway, and our drivers know about the hazards and know what to expect.

Once an idiot walked straight out in front of the bus I was in. He should really count his blessings that he didn't get hit, the bus driver had to literally stand on the brake, causing the bus to brake so hard that the front bumper actually made marks in the road surface. And what does jaywalker idiot do? Apologize or even look guilty? No, he just shows the driver his middle finger, cusses and proceeds across the street. Never mind that the driver was in shock and some of us passengers flew quite a distance inside the bus because of it - actually did my shoulder in pretty bad by flying backwards and slamming it and my neck into one of the seats. But hey, it's still better than smearing the idiot across the street ..

[EricKei]

Doesn't stop hundreds of idiot drivers from blocking the way, making u-turns, parking at the bus stops, etc.

If only buses were allowed to do what Emergency Vehicles are allowed to do without repercussion in such situations -- that is, pretend that (unoccupied) vehicles aren't actually there and just pull into the Bus Stop area anyway...*krunch*

[Engmfj]

Oh, I've dreamed about that, too ;-) Too bad that our busses would probably get more damage than the cars, though - they're mostly fiberglass ..

One of my friends who is a bus driver also suggested that everyone jaywalking in the middle of the street were fair game. But that would probably just be too messy - think about the poor people who'd have to clean the busses and the streets all the time ;-)

[Shalom]

some of us passengers flew quite a distance inside the bus because of it - actually did my shoulder in pretty bad by flying backwards and slamming it and my neck into one of the seats. But hey, it's still better than smearing the idiot across the street ..

No, actually. I don't think it is.

It's a cost/benefit analysis. Someone's going to get hurt either way. Why not let it be, imprimis, one person rather than several, and secundus, the one who caused the situation rather than innocent bystanders?

Not that I'm advocating deliberately emulating the cars in Frogger, but the busdriver need have not braked so hard that the bus did a reverse wheelie and passengers are injured. The safety of his passengers should come first. If he can avoid injuring the pedestrian as well, great.

[PepperElf]

back in my home town i'd jaywalk all the time. however i'd also look for traffic first.

in the navy one of my friends got me into a bad habit... jaywalking right behind cars. the cars on base wouldn't stop for you anyway, even if you were in a cross walk (they're suppose to) so you'd just walk up to them as they drive by and then walk behind them as they continued on ("if you can't feel the exhaust on your legs you're not close enough" was his phrase)

though my favorite crosswalk is in japan. it's just interesting. Three minutes of heaven i think is what it was called

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y95PRI_FDeQ

at least i think it's 3 minutes of traffic / 3 of pedestrians. anyway it's a giant crosswalk

[Engmfj]

No, actually. I don't think it is.

It's a cost/benefit analysis. Someone's going to get hurt either way. Why not let it be, imprimis, one person rather than several, and secundus, the one who caused the situation rather than innocent bystanders?

Not that I'm advocating deliberately emulating the cars in Frogger, but the busdriver need have not braked so hard that the bus did a reverse wheelie and passengers are injured. The safety of his passengers should come first. If he can avoid injuring the pedestrian as well, great.

I do see your point - and either way, the driver is pretty much screwed, as he's going to get someone hurt no matter what he does.

I was just thinking that a few relatively minor injuries would be better than actually killing someone (or would that rather be an assisted suicide in this case?) Considering how he'd suffer if he'd hit the clown, both mentally, work wise and consequently financially, I do think he did the right thing. I can live with a bit of pain and stinging, much better than he could have lived with the thought of having killed someone, and the guilt ..

[LillFilly]

there's been a news story about a woman who was on trial for jaywalking, causing her 4-yo son to be killed. She's guilty of a number of counts, but I think she'sgetting probation only.

[Nemesis44UK]

What is it with people texting whilst crossing a road, completely oblivious to everything? Twice I've nearly hit someone because dumbasses literally walk out in front of me, head down, texting someone.

Luckily I see them and slow down, but one day, I might not notice they are texting and assume their heads are not up their collective arses.

PS. I wonder if, as they get hit by a car whilst texting, they text "Arrrrrgh!!"

[RealUnimportant]

there's been a news story about a woman who was on trial for jaywalking, causing her 4-yo son to be killed. She's guilty of a number of counts, but I think she'sgetting probation only.

If there's one class of pedestrian that bugs me more than any other, it's the ones that stand & wait to cross at the very edge of the kerb after they've already pushed their prams into traffic! Your child is not a battering ram, or a stop signal!