Pedestrian Rage

[fa_jing]

Today I stepped outside for a brief stroll at about 11 am.

I have this pet peeve, see, it's when cars making a turn don't yield to passengers crossing the street on a green light. It happens every once in a while in the downtown area. Usually it's because they're trying to squeeze a left turn in. As long as I can walk at a normal speed and make it across the street, I don't mind if they turn in front of me, I'll do the same as long as there's space. But if they muscle their way in and actually cause me to stop walking, in order to not get hit, that really ticks me off. So I always give a slap to the car as it goes by when this happens.

Today, a big white van really cut into my path and I had to come to a dead stop to avoid getting hit. I found myself inches from the car as it went by. So I slapped the side and windows about 5 times. The driver stops his van in the middle of the street (in downtown Chicago), gets out, and gets ALL up in my face, stands right in front of me. He's older, shorter, fat and out of shape. I don't remember what he said exactly, something like why you touch my car, fu(k you, you were in the way or something. I say that I had the right of way, he just can't turn into me like that. He points to the light, which is now red, and says "see, the light is red." I tell him that the hand ( the don't walk signal) was blinking, not solid, and the light was green, and that means that I have the right of way. He's cursing and stuff, and telling me that he'll kill me or something if I touch his car again. I really wanted to sock him in his fat gut and/or face, but there were plenty of witnessess around and I have a family to think of. I just kept telling him to learn to drive and that I had the right of way. Then he goes, get the fu(k out of my face, I said, you're the one that stopped and got in my face. After a minute or so of this, he realized that he had nothing to say and walked back to his car. I'm shouting at him again to learn to drive and that I had the right of way. As I crossed the street, finally, an onlooker says "what a jerk!" That made me feel better. Man, if I ever get into a fight nowadays it might be over something like this. I get really p!ssed off at unsafe drivers.

[CaptinPickAxe]

Texas is full of drivers who should have thier license revoked and should be beaten with a ball-peen hammer.

[truewrestler]

I drove a white Ford Astrovan van for a little and just missed a pedestrian walking. I was in an unfamiliar part of DC (actually before I moved to the area so 99% of DC was unfamiliar) and coming to a stoplight with a seperate right turn with yeild sign. I started to go through the right turn and was looking to make sure no cars were coming at the same time. A guy apparently started across the right turn area at the same time and I ended up stopping in his walking path just missing him. He slapped my van with his hand or briefcase and walked behind and started up the street I was turning on to, and he looked mad. I waited for cars to pass and turned.

I saw him walking up the street and wanted to stop to say sorry but didn't. I still feel bad about that...

[fa_jing]

TW: maybe you should have gotten out and told him that you'd fu(k him up for touching your car. ;)

We've all made mistakes driving, and DC sure is hard to figure out. At least you didn't do it intentionally and at least you regret it.

[Starchaser107]

Around here, neither pedestrians , nor drivers know anything about how to commute the prper way. i dunno which ones are crazier.

i experience pedestrian rage when im walking and road rage when im driving.

what can i say, everyday is an adventure.

[Water Dragon]

Uh, if the light was flashing, he had the right of way, not you.

-Fellow Chicago Loop Pedestrian-

[Shaolin-Do]

People suck at driving here.
If someone almost hits me with their car, Ill f*ckin kick it. If Im real pizzed, Ill mule kick it. If the driver then gets toothy about it, Ill knock him out and run him over with his own car. end of story.
:eek:


:D

[yenhoi]

In Nevada pedestrians always have the right of way, even if your breaking the law. Its funny. Your always at fault in a auto-wreck if your car hit his car, regardless of why.

Good stuff.

You should have thrown at least one knife at him while he was approaching you. I would have had one into him as he opened his door. Think ahead man. :p

:eek:

[norther practitioner]

Texas is full of drivers who should have thier license revoked and should be beaten with a ball-peen hammer.
Colorado is full of Texan drivers who should have thier license revoked and should be beaten with a ball-peen hammer. Especialy in snow storms...

[Shaolin-Do]

Texans. Snow.
'Nuff said.
:D
<- will be a crazy texas driver in colorado snow this winter. Am kinda scurd to drive in the snow however... Ive only seen it once. :eek: seriously. :eek:

[rubthebuddha]

i think it's basically a national standard that the pedestrian has the right of way. it's a simple thing, because even if the pedestrian is wrong, the pedestrian is gonna be injured.
so basically, if it was flashing red, you were wrong, but the van driver, as the person in the several-thousand-pound vehicle, has great responsibility to control his vehicle in the safest possible manner. he should be looking at where you were at for potential danger, not the sign that said don't walk.

regardless, you were both wrong, but in court, he'll be more wrong because he'd be the one that hit you.

[norther practitioner]

Flashing red means don't start across the street, if he already was going across, that is in the right... If you enter the street, you still technic. have the right of way, but it isn't advised.

Seeing that I learned to drive in the parking lot of a ski area at 13 with dads pickup (read rear wheel drive and lots a torque) in a blizard I have a small advantage over most of these bumbling drivers here in the snow..:D

[Starchaser107]

I got lost driving around in this snowstorm in colorado a while back..i must say, the roadsigns over there make life easier I was able to find my way back just due to well placed signs. I must give colorado props for that

[Chang Style Novice]

If you look left when you are turning right - ball peen hammer! (I've been nearly squished several times in this scenario, when I had a green pedestrian light.)

Also, fu(k you and your gas-guzzling SUV that rides so high you think you are above the world of cyclists, pedestrians and small cars. A sedan is all the car anybody needs except for people who tote large heavy loads for a living, who are to be allowed pickup trucks. The rest of us can rent a pickup or van when needed, and preferably take a bike, bus or train for normal travel (yes, this will mean spending more money on public transit - so what?) I want a world made for people, not drivers (no, the two are not the same.)

[SaMantis]

boston's just a free-for-all whether you're a pedestrian or a driver. The trick is to walk (or drive)right out in front of oncoming traffic and turn your head away like you can't see them bearing down on you. Then trade colorful language and gestures with each other in an escalating yet mesmerizingly beautiful dance of profanity until you're both crushed by a cement mixer.

cambridge takes its pedestrian laws veeerrrryyy seriously, even jaywalkers have the right of way. certain streets (like around Harvard square or the galleria) I don't even drive down if I want to get somewhere in a hurry.

the only drivers I really have a problem with are the asshats at the intersection near my house (next to a school) who will drive right up to a line of kids crossing the street, honk like crazy and swear at the crossing guard. A ball peen hammer isn't good enough for 'em. :mad:

[KC Elbows]

Originally posted by yenhoi
In Nevada pedestrians always have the right of way, even if your breaking the law. Its funny. Your always at fault in a auto-wreck if your car hit his car, regardless of why.

Why are Nevada residents running into the cars of pedestrians? And how do they find their parking spots?

No wonder Nevada has such strict laws against those who hit pedestrian vehicles. That's one tough place.:D

[Volcano Admim]

first of all, i havent read the content of any post here, not even the starting one, just the topic "Pedestrian Rage" is all i read

My brother defines one thing as "suicidal instinct" - That is when one pedestrian is getting across the street then some others who are like 2 or 3 steps distance decide to get across too "I think theres enough time" they think. Eventually one of this gets hit for his collective orientation in thinking that if that guy could get a across in time "Sure i could too, im close"

Keep your eyes on the road
And hands uppon the wheel



btw i dont know how to drive

[fa_jing]

Originally posted by Water Dragon
Uh, if the light was flashing, he had the right of way, not you.

-Fellow Chicago Loop Pedestrian-

I'm not sure. It was Michigan Ave. which is divided. I was at least to the divide and possibly f.arther when the light changed from walk to flashing. Furthermore I was about a third of the way across the second part when he cut into my path. He forced his way past me, so I'm gonna get p!ssed. Plus I see pedestrians crossing like this all of the time. Seriously I have never been cut off like this before.

Maybe I'm just conditioned to Pennsylvania. My understanding is that pedestrians have the right of way in all circumstances.

[fa_jing]

anyway, it's a good thing I didn't kick the mothersuckers' ass then.

LOL :D

[PHILBERT]

Many years ago this almost happened to me. I was standing at a light, and I hit the button to get the signal. The signal comes on, and I hop off my bike and start walking. Some idiot decides he wants to turn right (I am more then 3/4 of the way across by now) and starts going. He then stops when he sees me, then gives me a nasty look and continues, nearly hitting me. I saluted him and kept going.

[Black Jack]

Personally I think slapping someguys car is inviting trouble, but again here in the burbs the reaction is a bit different than downtown where the driving is a lot tighter and these things happen on a much more regular basis, I even know of a guy who slapped the trunk of a speeders car at Schaumburg One mall and and it turned out to be 4 highschool punks who backed up and started a situation right then and there, nothing major but it could of been, scared the h@ll out of the guys movie date that's for sure.

Substitute 4 highschool punks intent on just a little pushing and vile words with a screwed on way to tight, WASP, suburbanite, with wife problems, a bad day at work and a morgage on the way and it could of been worse. I had one of those guys slam on his brakes one time and tear off my windsheild wipers, kick off a side mirror, try to get in my car, and threaten to murder my 16 year old arse if I ever made a hand gesture to him again.

btw- Keep your controlling hands away from my SUV's. People should mind there own concerns and drive what they want to drive. Yep, I got two of them, both Fords, I love them, and need them for the Midwest winters and bad weather.

[FatherDog]

Originally posted by Black Jack

btw- Keep your controlling hands away from my SUV's. People should mind there own concerns and drive what they want to drive. Yep, I got two of them, both Fords, I love them, and need them for the Midwest winters and bad weather.

If you are talking about 'bad weather' in terms of icy or wet conditions, SUVs are bad choice, as they are actually considerably less stable on slick road conditions than sedans or compacts.

That said, I agree with you that some people have legitimate need for SUVs. I don't think it's a disputable point, however, that the vast majority of SUV owners own them because they are trendy.

[Black Jack]

I am talking more about snow. I drive in the winters and 4-low has helped me out a lot.

As for the trendy part, yea of course, most people buy cars or trucks they enjoy, that's part of the whole personal experiance, and I really don't want any Al Gore clones trying to put retarded social castration laws into effect to say I can not drive anything bigger than a Yugo.

Cheers

[FatherDog]

Originally posted by Black Jack
I am talking more about snow. I drive in the winters and 4-low has helped me out a lot.


Fair enough. 'bad weather' was a bit vague, and it's a common misconception that SUVs handle well in wet conditions.



As for the trendy part, yea of course, most people buy cars or trucks they enjoy, that's part of the whole personal experiance, and I really don't want any Al Gore clones trying to put retarded social castration laws into effect to say I can not drive anything bigger than a Yugo.

Cheers

I don't think CSN was seriously advocating banning SUVs, anymore than I'm seriously advocating physical assault when I say that people that tailgate me should be drug out of their cars and sodomized with rakes. I'm just expressing my frustration with an annoying behavior, as is he. Personally, I feel that SUVs should be better regulated with regards to emissions - currently, they are categorized as trucks and therefore under far less stringent emissions laws than those that apply to normal vehicles - but banning an entire class of vehicles is a bit draconian.

[Black Jack]

I agree, I don't think CSN was seriously advocating the banning of SUV's either, though I could be wrong, there are individuals out there who think that such a draconian approach is the right way to go.

It was more a general viewpoint on the current "down with SUV" craze.

By bad weather I mean as stated snow, maybe a overrun road or parking lot covered by a still pool of water after a deep rainstrom, which is something that has happened on occasion and I needed to plow through, even mud. I just like having my options open.

Again you don't need a SUV to have 4 wheel drive options, though I would wager for that driving aspect, they are the best around in technology and construction for deep digging, plus I just like them.

[Chang Style Novice]

As long as we share the streets, what and how you drive IS my business, and vice versa.

[norther practitioner]

As a person who designs roads, and looks at traffic #s, design speeds, stopping sight distances, turning movements, etc. I'll just say that SUVs aren't the big problem, bigger trucks are, that being said, SUVs aren't the most economical, efficient, effective way of moving, but that being said, I drive an Explorer. I almost bought a bigger SUV, but I couldn't see myself taking up that much room on the road unless I had a full car (which barely happens any more).

Thanks Starchaser... thats part of my job.:D

Boulder might have the most strict (read same laws just enforced to the nth degree) pedestrian laws around.. there are a lot of crosswalks that have blinking signs, and if it is blinking, it means you have to stop (even if you can make it across and not affect the flow of pedestrians).

[Black Jack]

How I drive. Yes.

What I drive. No.

Of course the above statement has to be within reason. We are just talking about SUV's here and not rocket cars, engines that use atomic energy to get around, or any other mode of dangerous transporation such as a pinto.

[Chang Style Novice]

Well, I think the Hummer and Expedition, to name two examples, nudge the line.

edit - And I'm very pleased to see that you agree the gov't has a legit role to play in determining the suitability and road-safety of personal vehicles, Jack! We'll make a Naderite out of you yet!

[norther practitioner]

Nader.. good speaker, great ideas, however I think he is a bit too much the idealist and not the realist sometimes, but I did "waste" my vote on him in the past.:D

[Chang Style Novice]

I voted for him in 2000 (of course I cast that vote in Texas - Gore wasn't going to win here, period), but I still kinda wish he'd stuck with consumer protection and stayed out of politics.