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Quite often people on foot are thought less of than people attached to a vehicle.  I'm sure the prevailing thought is"loser can't afford a car", but we were all designed to walk.  Look down and those appendages operate more than the gas and brake. 

I partially blame pedestrian /car encounters on poor throughfare design.  Crosswalks inset too far, crosswalk and traffic lights activated together, ambiguous stop and crosswalk lines closely spaced, intersection distances too far, and escalating distances between crossings that invite shortcuts.  I also blame societies "I'm in a hurry" attitude.  Everybodys got somewhere to be and no ones getting there any faster.

When I walk I regularly battle cars for the striped crosswalks as they creep ahead to get a better view.  I've also dodged cars turning into me on reds because they just didn't see me, the pedestrian, in the crosswalk.  Sidewalks are no better when bicyclist want me to move because they are too afraid to ride in the bike lanes. 

One person made a bad crossing choice which doesn't make all people that walk stupid, and to think so is an infintile response to a tragic incident.  Driving an automobile is a privilege.  When we drive we are responsible for a deadly weapon.  Slow down and think about your actions before you are forced to defend them.

posted 1 year, 6 months ago
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