How about those jaywalkers who seem to believe that if they don't look sideways to see if anything is coming at them from right or left, then the Traffic Fairy will make sure nothing hits them as they cross the street? I have terrible news: I can still turn you into a bumper sticker even if you don't see me coming!
We might be able to recover from our economic downturn sooner if the main streets weren't so congested by the gridlock caused by curb lanes blocked by concrete delivery trucks delivering to construction sites. For months lately,almost every main route has been blocked up by either road construction work or by trucks or portable cranes parked in the road at building construction sites. Suggestion: Block the damned streets during the night, when we're home for the day, not while we're trying to get something done across town.
I always wonder about the "why" and the "who" of some of the STUPID road work done around here, as well, Ray! Like...why begin the evening work right at 5pm, fer cryin' out loud?! Or...during weekend DAYS?! UGH!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd, funny...the jaywalking was just a topic of discussion, around here, the other day! We were talking about how they, practically, don't even make the effort to look either way...'cuz they don't care where you are in relation to them 'cuz...LEGALLY, pedestrians have "right of way" whether they are in a crosswalk...or not; so...if YOU hit them, YOU are the only one responsible for the accident!!!!! It's so STUPID!
And...my other beef: how's about the dudes that pull out, from the side, w/their vehicles, and...if they're looking away, even if they saw you coming, YOU'RE STILL responsible for any ding you put in their rear-end...no. 1 'cuz you were BEHIND them; and...2. it is ASSumed that you were following too closely and not that the IDIOT pulled out right in front of you!!!!!!! :-(
@ TC[Girl]-
ReplyDeleteHi, TC - this might explain why these huge SUVs are so popular. Maybe they figure if yu drive something that's big enough, it will make the other guy think twice before taking chances of getting hit by it.
Back in the days of cops doing foot patrols along the streets, people who jaywalked across the street instead of going to a corner crosswalk were given both a nasty lecture and a ticket for jaywalking. There was never any doubt about whether they had any rights to go wherever they pleased,
because they didn't. The roadway was for cars with license plates on them proving who was paying for all that blacktop. People on foot in between those crosswalks were fair game, and they knew it, so they tried not to get hit, because they knew they could be.
Everything's gone crazy lately. I was once knocked flying in an intersection on my motorcycle by a gal driving a BMW who ran a red to get me. The gal on the claims desk at our one-size-fits-all government insurance corporation said, and I quote: "Well, it's your own fault for riding a motorcycle. We're finding you 100% at fault in this accident." I thought she was joking, but they were deadly serious. I got stuck for that and had my premiums increased because of it.
Ray those new cops are too busy looking for the nearest free donut and coffee shop. You can always find them there.
ReplyDeleteRay said "How about those jaywalkers who seem to believe that if they don't look sideways to see if anything is coming at them from right or left, then the Traffic Fairy will make sure nothing hits them as they cross the street"
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately Ray, this activity isn't limited to those people walking, it's the drivers as well..
:-(
@ Peter -
ReplyDeleteThere used to be an all-night doughnut & coffee shop near one of our substations downtown, and if you went in there any night on the midnight shift you'd usually find anywhere from two to four of our policemen and sometimes an ambulance driver or two in there soaking up the goodies.
@ Tommy -
ReplyDeleteI hear you, Tommy, and you're absolutely right. Some of these drivers get fancy new cars and then get out in the traffic, and they haven't got a clue what to do next.
I think whoever runs the auto body repair shops in the countries they came from must be some of the richest bastards on earth. Or to put that another way, driving a modern automobile in heavy traffic
has almost nothing in common with steering your camel through the local bazaar back home.
"I blew the horn, but that tree kept right on coming!"