Crosswalk Culture

[Duck on Wheels]

...Walking to the post office, I'm 3/4 way across - in the crosswalk, with the walk sign in my favor - and a car comes up on my right - he's in the far right (turn) lane, but with no-turn-on-red restriction and zips into the crosswalk - stopping suddenly about 5 inches from my thigh. In the crosswalk. Like, if I were lucky, he'd stop ON the crosswalk, not BEFORE the crosswalk (as required by law), and would likely make an (unlawful) right on red. ... Folks who come here from areas in California or our Honolulu office (and I'm only using them b/c I can think of specific discussions off the top of my head) are aghast at how pedestrians have such little regard for crosswalks or crossing with the light. They are equally amazed at how motorists have such little regard for pedestrians in a crosswalk - or anywhere, posted speed limits, or other rules of the road.
.....

One day in "Berzerkeley", CA, I was crossing a street, with the green man signal in my favor, when a cyclist comes racing out of "nowhere" on my right, yells "WHOA WHOA WHOA!" at me so I jumped back, and pulls a left turn against the red just inches from my nose. Can get crazy anywhere, from any category of traffic. You just have to hope that when the crazies have a Darwin moment it doesn't take any of the sane ones out with them.

[wannaduacentury]

Forget the hazards of bike riding....you take your life into your hands around here just walking around.
Today, I walked to the post office at lunch. I had to cross a major road (3 lanes each way) at an intersection with another major road (also 3 lanes each way) to get to/from my destination. Walking to the post office, I'm 3/4 way across - in the crosswalk, with the walk sign in my favor - and a car comes up on my right - he's in the far right (turn) lane, but with no-turn-on-red restriction and zips into the crosswalk - stopping suddenly about 5 inches from my thigh. In the crosswalk. Like, if I were lucky, he'd stop ON the crosswalk, not BEFORE the crosswalk (as required by law), and would likely make an (unlawful) right on red. Granted, I was perhaps blocked visually by the car in the center lane...but all the more reason for the driver to proceed cautiously. It was, after all, lunch time in a major downtown metro area - tons of pedestrians out and about.
So, I survived my walk to the post office (barely).
Time to walk back.
This time, I'm proceeding through the same crosswalk at that intersection, going in the other direction - also with the walk in my favor. A car coming towards me, takes a right - and FLOORS IT - specifically to get through the intersection and not yield to the many pedestrians already in it. I was the closest to the car and he missed me by, oh, a good 6 inches. Going FAST.
Jeeez. Us.
And, it made me think of the many conversations I've had with co-workers from across the country on the state of driver/pedestrian interactions here in my little city in Maryland. Our agency has many offices across the country. Those folks frequently travel here for meetings and conferences, just as we frequently travel out to other areas. Folks who come here from areas in California or our Honolulu office (and I'm only using them b/c I can think of specific discussions off the top of my head) are aghast at how pedestrians have such little regard for crosswalks or crossing with the light. They are equally amazed at how motorists have such little regard for pedestrians in a crosswalk - or anywhere, posted speed limits, or other rules of the road.
It's like a feakin' free for all around here.
And that's largely because enforcement is spotty at best and the penalties are (it would appear) hardly a deterrent.
So that's my muse and my rant for this lunch.....

I hear you 7. Last week I was in a cross walk with the sign in my favor too and halfway across, this car decides it will turn right, right in front of me. grr. I yelled Pedestrians right of way, but they're oblivious. I wish a cop car was nearby. Some people really are in a cocoon when they enter their cars. This person was in a company car, glad they didn't hit me. Jenn