Yesterday, I decided to take a walk down to my local Best Buy store, and pick up a new DVD for my viewing pleasure. As I walked along, whistling to myself and enjoying the nice summer air, I came to a crosswalk…the ominous place where the sidewalk and the street come together in one cosmic point. To cross the street and continue my journey, I would need to keep things as safe as possible. So, being the law-abiding citizen that I am, I pushed the little “walk” button that stops traffic and gives you that cute little green picture of a man walking, so that you and the cars around you know that it is your turn to have a piece of the road. As I walked during my “pedestrians welcome on the road” time, and began to cross the street towards Best Buy…I noticed something strange.
There was a car coming towards me.
It was a car who was turning left, making it way to me at a fairly fast pace. In fact, when he saw me, he seemed to accelerate. I stopped and stared at him for a moment…wondering if I was really seeing a car bearing down on me, or not. Thoughts of hit and run, mob connections, and drag racing began to bounce around in my head, as the car came closer, and closer. Then something strange happened to me. I began to get angry, that this crazy person was bearing down on me, as if I were not supposed to be walking across the street. I had the little green man saying “walk” and I was allowed to be here. HE was the one who shouldn’t be there! How dare he try and scare me into jumping out of the way of his stupid car?
So I stood there, and held my ground. I threw my arms up in a “what the heck are you doing?” gesture, and waited. I could see the other cars across from me, sitting at a red light and watching the events unfold before them. Maybe they thought I was crazy. Maybe they thought I was stupid. Whatever they thought, it was obvious that I was the center of attention for that time and place.
As the car came closer and closer, I continued to hold my ground. Then, finally, the car slowed down, and almost stopped. I slowly began to walk around it, and it a fit of anger shouted “Hey, nice yield, you @(*%# ! Pedestrians have the right of way!”, to make myself feel better. Then, without pause for reflection or guilt, the driver leaned his head out of his window, and shot back: “F$$K YOU!..............I’m sorry.”
And with that, he drove away, leaving me to ponder these strange events on my own. I thought to myself, “Did he really just curse at me, and then apologize? Or did he apologize to me, while cursing at me? Can you even DO that?” I thought about this all the way to Best Buy, and as I purchased my new James Bond movie, I came to the conclusion that the whole world is crazy. Then I realized that anybody strange enough to use the F word at me, followed by an apology clearly has issues…and I’m lucky he didn’t run me of the friggin’ road, or something. He’s probably brushing his kitten with peanut butter, as I write this.
Next time, maybe I’ll get out of the way of the car, instead of trying to make a point about traffic safety.
Originally posted by Shanshu311Did you happen to make eye contact with him during his initial approach? I've noticed that left-turners frequently fail to check the crosswalk before proceeding into the intersection, leaving themselves in a somewhat awkwrd position when they suddenly realize that it's occupied and they've put their vehicle in front of oncoming traffic. It's quite possible that he didn't see you at first and then felt bad that he had frightened you - when you cursed at him, he responded in like kind, and then apologized for the original affront.
Yesterday, I decided to take a walk down to my local Best Buy store, and pick up a new DVD for my viewing pleasure. As I walked along, whistling to myself and enjoying the nice summer air, I came to a crosswalk…the ominous place where the sidewalk and the street come together in one cosmic point. To cross the street and continue my journey, I would need t ...[text shortened]... aybe I’ll get out of the way of the car, instead of trying to make a point about traffic safety.
(just a thought)
Originally posted by The PlumberThat is a possibility, yes. However, I feel that it's not as funny as the crazy peanut butter kitten theory...so for the purposes of this thread, I will stick to that.
Did you happen to make eye contact with him during his initial approach? I've noticed that left-turners frequently fail to check the crosswalk before proceeding into the intersection, leaving themselves in a somewhat awkwrd position when they suddenly realize that it's occupied and they've put their vehicle in front of oncoming traffic. It's quite ...[text shortened]... im, he responded in like kind, and then apologized for the original affront.
(just a thought)
😛
something like this happened to me at a zebra crossing, which i was pushing a full shopping trolley across (for the curious, no i am not a bag lady). i stopped wheeling in the centre of the crossing, after the driver had reluctantly stopped, pointed at the stripes in an exasperated and self-righteous way, and loudly called the driver an IDIOT!. He drove off, shouting something out the window. i didn't catch it, and proceeded to wheel the trolley along the street. After a moment, my brain deciphered what he had yelled back: 'It's not operational, d^ckhead!!!'. I looked back, and sure enough, it was a defunct zebra crossing - the new one was about 50 metres up the street.
Originally posted by dfm65Ouch. That must have made you feel smart, eh?
something like this happened to me at a zebra crossing, which i was pushing a full shopping trolley across (for the curious, no i am not a bag lady). i stopped wheeling in the centre of the crossing, after the driver had reluctantly stopped, pointed at the stripes in an exasperated and self-righteous way, and loudly called the driver an IDIOT!. He drove off, s ...[text shortened]... d sure enough, it was a defunct zebra crossing - the new one was about 50 metres up the street.
Every pedestrian/cyclist should have a sort of paintball-gun, which could seriously fudge up a car, without any further injuries ofcourse.
After the 'fudging' (it could be some sort of fudge) has occurred, you treat it like any other accident. You call the police and get out your insurance.
In the case of dfm he would have to pay up. Honest mistake, insurance covers all.
But in the case of Shanshu the driver of the car would have to pay and Shanshu walks free (twirling his gun in front of the crowd).
That would be cool.
😛
Originally posted by Shiny KnightI like that plan!
Every pedestrian/cyclist should have a sort of paintball-gun, which could seriously fudge up a car, without any further injuries ofcourse.
After the 'fudging' (it could be some sort of fudge) has occurred, you treat it like any other accident. You call the police and get out your insurance.
In the case of dfm he would have to pay up. Honest mist ...[text shortened]... pay and Shanshu walks free (twirling his gun in front of the crowd).
That would be cool.
😛
Originally posted by Shiny Knightyeah that would be cool, cept here in SA you would paintball the car and they would fire back with AK47`S and that would be the end of it...
Every pedestrian/cyclist should have a sort of paintball-gun, which could seriously fudge up a car, without any further injuries ofcourse.
After the 'fudging' (it could be some sort of fudge) has occurred, you treat it like any other accident. You call the police and get out your insurance.
In the case of dfm he would have to pay up. Honest mist ...[text shortened]... pay and Shanshu walks free (twirling his gun in front of the crowd).
That would be cool.
😛
risky business
Originally posted by dfm65zebra crossings are particularly hazardous, i've often had to stand my ground on them, what don't 'drivers' understand, you see stripes and if there is pedestrian crossing or about to cross, you stop, simple really.
something like this happened to me at a zebra crossing, which i was pushing a full shopping trolley across (for the curious, no i am not a bag lady). i stopped wheeling in the centre of the crossing, after the driver had reluctantly stopped, ...[text shortened]... t zebra crossing - the new one was about 50 metres up the street.
i ride a bike alot to get around and where i'm from its flat so they put in lots of cycle lanes, although car drivers sometimes think they are allowed to drive in them. I almost got knocked into oncoming traffic as somebody thought they would turn right out of a junction onto the road i was on while i was cycling, i managed to turn out of the way in time, but not without cracking the front of his car with my bike, he then proceded to yell abuse. stopping short of road rage i started yelling that when you give way at a junction you are supposed to give way to ALL oncoming traffic not just the cars,
some people just have no idea about how to drive
shanshu....dear....sweetie.....on the subject of issues...
Perhaps, a person who weighs perhaps 200lbs should consider the consequences of standing in front of an vehicle which weighs around a 1000 lbs......
Of course, I could be wrong...but it strikes as a bit....well, questionable?
Though it does make for a good story....we would be devestated without you here at RHP....
Originally posted by AynatAh, thankie. As I said, I think next time I will just move out of the way of the oncoming car of death, and simply jeer and curse from the safety of the sidewalk.
shanshu....dear....sweetie.....on the subject of issues...
Perhaps, a person who weighs perhaps 200lbs should consider the consequences of standing in front of an vehicle which weighs around a 1000 lbs......
Of course, I could be wrong...but it strikes as a bit....well, questionable?
Though it does make for a good story....we would be devestated without you here at RHP....
Lucky for me, the driver probably thought I was crazier than he was!!
*does happy dance*