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Yes, this bloated sense of entitlement is exactly what I noticed for the first time when I got back from driving overseas. It is unfortunately a very American feeling.

posted 2 years, 6 months ago
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Like all Americans, I used to assume that pedestrians have the right of way, but my thinking changed while living and driving in Asia for several years. There, large flocks of pedestrians are almost constantly crossing the street, and a vehicle making a right turn has to slowly inch through the crowd until there's enough space to make the turn. Pedestrians there are aware that a car can kill them, but there's an understanding that the car coming through is going slowly enough to either walk around it or stand and wait for it to turn. When I returned to Portland, I still had this habit of very slowly inching through a right turn, expecting pedestrians to just walk around me if they needed to. I was shocked to have my car knocked on by angry pedestrians or fists shaken at me. I hadn't realized my presumptions about pedestrians had changed - I felt like American pedestrians were self-righteous and deluded about their power. I also thought I should have an apologetic sign in my car saying that I was new to American driving! I've since readjusted and stay clear away from marked crosswalks when a person is in them. :)

posted 2 years, 6 months ago
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