Personally I would have flipped him off

[bhskittykatt]

So I was walking to work today, and had to cross a busy street. I went and pushed the button for the crosswalk. On the other side was a woman waiting to go the other way. She mashed the button several times before getting a coherent beat going with it.

After the cross-traffic stopped, the parallel northbound traffic had a green arrow. I watched the arrow turn yellow, then red, and then it was our turn.

Now, this guy was nowhere near the intersection when the arrow changed. The pedestrian and I were about 1/3 across the street in our respective directions (about one lane out), and oncoming traffic was moving, with at least a couple cars having already passed, when suddenly this silver SUV comes barreling out of nowhere, cutting off all the oncoming traffic. He had to slow down and swerve to miss the other pedestrian. He squeezed in between us, cutting into the left-turn lane of the cross street to do so. I was startled, since he was coming from behind me. If I was a few feet further out, he would've plowed into me and I wouldn't have seen it coming!

At that point, he gave the other pedestrian "the wave". I'm sure you know the one. That sheepish "Oh look, I did an oopsie!" wave.

At that point, the other pedestrian smiled and waved back.

Me, I would have flipped the guy off. Of course, I was bitter, since I had to go to work. The other woman was clearly in a much better mood, with the sun shining and it being a holiday and her crosswalk-button-beat going, so more power to her, I guess.

I seriously hate it when someone tries to run you down and then gives you "the wave".

[LillFilly]

Their Logic:

It is acceptable to breeze through the crosswalk with pedestrians present as long as you do not HIT anyone.

Right?

[RealUnimportant]

I occasionally wear steel-toecapped shoes at work; they're not essential safety equipment for my role, but I got them free from my employer anyway so I figure I may as well use them

Anyway, there's a pedestrian crossing nearby that's on the crest of a railway bridge, so there's no excuse for not seeing anyone on it. I was halfway over the other day when someone came roaring up to the remaining half before slowing down to 15-20mph, looking straight at me, then continuing over the crossing in front of me with an apologetic "sorry, didn't see you in time" expression on their stupid face. As I was wearing my hefty footwear, I took a good swing at the car, and managed to get a good contact on the rear door. This prompted them to pull over & get out, red-faced & staring at the imagined damage (sadly I didn't cause a lasting impact, mostly because I'd unconsciously tempered my swing to avoid landing on my arse!)

SD: "What the ******!? Look what you did, what the **** did you do that for?"

Me: "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't see you... *imitation of SD's earlier sheepish grin*"

SD: "Look at this damage, I'm calling the Police you vandal!"

Me: "You're going to call the Police, and explain to them how you were driving over a crossing when the person using it feared for their life & lashed out?"

SD: "..."

Me: "*pointing towards work* I'm sure our CCTV will have caught everything if you want supporting evidence; oh, and you do realise there's a £60 fine & up to 6 penalty points on your licence for driving over a crossing that's in use?"

SD: *suddenly looks even more sheepish than before, shuts up & leaves*

[blas]

I hate the wave and the smile and giggle. Oopsies, teehehe you almost t-boned me. Oopsies hahahaahehehehee you ran a red light! Oops, roflmao you blew a stop sign!

Yep, so cute and funny.

[dragon_wings]

Yesterday I was at a crosswalk waiting for the light to change and when it changed some asshole stopped his vehicle (covered in advertisements) in the crosswalk. I'm talking about almost past it. He saw me and did the wave which I saw and pointedly ignored and continued across the crosswalk. Too bad I didn't think to get the company's phone number and call about this ass.

[bhskittykatt]

Yesterday I was at a crosswalk waiting for the light to change and when it changed some asshole stopped his vehicle (covered in advertisements) in the crosswalk. I'm talking about almost past it. He saw me and did the wave which I saw and pointedly ignored and continued across the crosswalk. Too bad I didn't think to get the company's phone number and call about this ass.

While I've never (yet) called a company on a poor driver, I do keep a mental list of companies I know NOT to use due to their crappy driving.

[blas]

I don't bother reporting shitty business drivers because with my luck, it'd be the owner or their stupid kid. So what would happen then? Laugh at me and tell me have a good day?

[RealUnimportant]

I don't bother reporting shitty business drivers because with my luck, it'd be the owner or their stupid kid. So what would happen then? Laugh at me and tell me have a good day?

No, then you take it to the police and say "yes, I can be certain it was this driver; they were very happy to confirm it for me when I called..."

[Pojodan]

Urgh.

About 15 years ago I got in a big SUV with several of the youth group I was involved in.

This being after it was dark, the driver, naturally, felt it was time to get their encompanyment of young persons squealing and yelping with fright and delight by driving like a maniac through the streets of our neighborhood.

One such act of driving skill involved whipping past a stop sign in a wide right turn that flung the vehicle into the far lane, which happened to be occupied by another vehicle that obviously had no right being there.

Thankfully, the unwitting citizen managed to swerve in time to allow our far supperior vehicle to pass, running part way up and embankment and onto a grassy yard as our vehicle madly dashed off into the night in search of pizza.

I was too young and oblivious at the time to do more than yelp and stare out the window, wide-eyed and wonderous.