Rules for pedestrians

PICKING up on last week’s attack on those brain-dead pedestrians, and thanks to a fair amount of reader response, here is a bit of clarification on what exactly is expected of our bi-pedal brethren.

First of all, P've noticed

_ that those of us who drive also tend to make the most thoughtfur! pedestrians. That is to say, we drivers seem to be more aware of how our foot- falls can affect traffic around us.

We are the crossover group that waits patiently for clear- ings in vehicular traffic when- ever possible, simply because we are aware of the frustra- tions drivers endure when confronted by a blissfully igno- rant ambler. And since it is not within my power to prescribe electroshock therapy to the

- brain-dead, 1 will simply offer these comments to these zom- bies: Zombies, you don’t know how fucky you are. You probably wouldn’t live long in any other major city in the world, You are too complacent and assume too much.

You see, you are rarely a driver's primary concern. At street corners, where two worlds (the driver’s and the walker’s) collide, drivers are supposed to. be watching out for other cars which could be coming from as many as three

| —and sometimes more —

_ different directions.

' ™; Drivers also need to be

”. watching for traffic light

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changes so they can clear intersections smoothly and lawfully. They are also sup- posed te t: watching for pedestrians.

Keep in mind, zombies, that you are not always a dri- ver’s first priority and some- times not a priority at all. This is not necessarily as it should be, bur it is the plain truth, for better or for worse.

In these gloomy, rainy North Shore days and nights ahead, stepping out in front of two or three tonnes of the rolling death that is a car and

expecting it to stop because a book says it should, is probably the most naive — make that the stupidest — move a pedestrian can make. Worse stil, it happens.

Trucks, as an example, make wide turns but their rail ends cut corners quite sharply. Drivers (of any vehicle) finish- ing off left turns are usually trying to do so without rudely’ clogging other traffic (usually).

Drivers making right turns are sometimes so concerned with the lane on their left chat the toes of the brain-dead are temporarily forgotten about if not completely unobserved (especially if said brain-dead shuffle up after that area has

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already been checked). And vice-versa;

Drivers who have had their sight-lines impeded by parked cars are only going to see more clearly by rolling out slowly for a better view, in which case those self-absorbed pedestrians who tromp on by, throwing dirty looks at any driver taking up some of their space, are really only mocking theinselves.

Zombies, you are protected to some extent by a rule book, but more often than not it is the grace of life-appreciating drivers, if not the grace of God, that is stupping you from becoming seriously injured or seriously dead.

Keep in mind thar I’ve only mentioned problems that good drivers face. Heaven for- bid that a brain-dead bi-ped meet up with a brain-dead dri- ver. | am pro-foot power, by the way. The last hundred or so columns have been, in the main, condemnations of poor driving habits and ineffectual use of dated regulations.

I do think it is time for pedestrians to think a fittle more out there, See 20 cars coming your way and then a big, break behind them? Wait a couple of seconds until all is

_ clear — everyone is safe, happy

and moving along smoothly. Has the back of thar dri-

ver's head seen you? Maybe

wait a moment to be sure. Are you such a significant

North Shore figure that every- "

one halts and gawks at the mere sight of you? Really? Whart’s your secret? Dan’t be brain-dead. Be safe.

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