Crosswalk question/rant

[Deleted User] · May 2015

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lightningsnow · May 2015

arrippa said:
In Boston, we cross wherever we want, as long as it's clear of cars. We don't need a crosswalk.

Having grown up in MA, this seems to be the consensus anywhere in the state. College students near one of the state colleges, don't want to post where exactly I'm from because of creepers, the students do it all the time. But I've also seen them be in the crosswalk and people still don't stop.

When I worked in Lexington, right outside our office building there was a crosswalk that had those flashing lights for drivers to know someone wanted to cross. Most of the time that didn't help.

levioosa · May 2015

Man...this thread....

I guess I'm kind of with smallfrie. You can drive to the best of your ability, but if someone runs out in front of you in dark clothes at night and you hit them...that's not on you as the driver. I remember once when I was about 13 and my brother was 10 or 11 we were walking to the store. We technically were jaywalking (although I think there's some rule here about it being legal if you're over 200 feet or some bullshit from an actual crosswalk), and my brother chose to dart out and run in front of a car when it was super close and going over 40 miles an hour. I almost had a heart attack. And you know what my asshole brother said? "Well, if they hit me, it will be their fault." "No, asshole," I said, "It will be your your fault, and you'll be dead."

Victim blaming: You shouldn't walk there. It's your fault if you get hit.

Common sense: Don't run into the street right in front of a car, asshole.

(Disclaimer, I am not talking about normal street crossing. I am talking about knowingly darting in front of a moving vehicle).

ashley8918 · May 2015

levioosa said:
Man...this thread....

I guess I'm kind of with smallfrie. You can drive to the best of your ability, but if someone runs out in front of you in dark clothes at night and you hit them...that's not on you as the driver. I remember once when I was about 13 and my brother was 10 or 11 we were walking to the store. We technically were jaywalking (although I think there's some rule here about it being legal if you're over 200 feet or some bullshit from an actual crosswalk), and my brother chose to dart out and run in front of a car when it was super close and going over 40 miles an hour. I almost had a heart attack. And you know what my asshole brother said? "Well, if they hit me, it will be their fault." "No, asshole," I said, "It will be your your fault, and you'll be dead."

Victim blaming: You shouldn't walk there. It's your fault if you get hit.

Common sense: Don't run into the street right in front of a car, asshole.

(Disclaimer, I am not talking about normal street crossing. I am talking about knowingly darting in front of a moving vehicle).

Right. Which is exactly what not-smalfrie said.

Also, I never said I disagreed with smalfrie, just that she said it in a really dumb way.

wandajune6 · May 2015

The Kid got hit by a car a few weeks ago in front of our house. We live across the street from an elementary school and the main pickup area is directly in front of our house. There is a crosswalk next to our mailbox. The parents are distracted and frequently focus more on their kids than the people around them. That's their fault.

However, The Kid had his hood up and headphones on and - from what the principal who saw it happen told us - was dancing across the street with his eyes closed at the crosswalk. (Living so close, we know the principal and all of the crossing guards.) He got hit, though he wasn't badly hurt. That's also his fault.

I'm not sure who was more at fault. Even though I think it's the responsibility of a driver to pay close attention, he was also being an idiot. I'm not trying to victim blame but I also think that people need to take some level of personal responsibility.

Skippy0827 · May 2015

I live in a VERY small tourist town... when the snowbirds are gone.. its like a ghost town... when they are here.. people are continuously getting hit. It is not that they are getting hit in the crosswalk.. it is because they are Jay-walking across the road even though there is a legit crosswalk not 5yards from them. I am not saying drivers should not stop, because they should... but pedestrians need to remember that they have rules as well. When you cross the street and it its not a legit "Crosswalk" you are taking your lives into your own hands.

madamerwin · May 2015

Oh man, some of the places you live sound outright scary for pedestrians! Oregon is the exact opposite. If a driver sees a pedestrian standing idly on the sidewalk, it's not uncommon for them to slam on their breaks so the pedestrian can cross (even if that was not their intention). It also leads to the whole "You go." "No, YOU go!" game, where NO ONE GOES.

I think the actual law here is that cars are supposed to yield to pedestrians who have at least one foot in the road at any crosswalk (and a crosswalk is defined as a place where you can cross from one corner to another - painted lines or not).

Granted, biking here can be terrifying. Just yesterday a bicyclist had his leg severed when a pickup truck turned left in front of him. Bike had the right of way, but the car didn't see him. I've been almost hit by cars on my bike numerous times, and I follow all traffic laws religiously when biking.

WinstonsGirl · May 2015

Our rule here is that you have to stop for a pedestrian waiting to cross. I was on my way to work one day after doing some errands. The road ran through not the nicest part of town (my school bordered million dollar houses a few blocks to one side and crack houses a few blocks to the other. I kept slowing down for people standing at the corner. They never crossed but would kind of turn around and take a step of two away from the street. After about 3 blocks of this I realized I was slowing for prostitutes who were looking for the next customer. Oops.

Crosswalk question/rant

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