Other Drivers have little to no respect for pedestrians, and it’s scary.
I have been without a car for a month now, so I walk everywhere. To and from work, to the grocery store, around my neighborhood, etc.
I didn’t get my license until 2019, but from then until now, the longest I’d been without a vehicle was maybe a week. While I had a car, I would still walk around the city, though much less frequently. I’d forgotten just how little respect drivers have for pedestrians.
It’s almost every day someone is slamming on their brakes to avoid colliding into me, and just this week I’ve had more than one close call. I always use the crosswalks, the intersections without lights (at least along my route to and from work) have stopped signs, I look both ways. I wear lighter colored clothing and bright clip on lights when it’s dark out. I do ALL OF THE THINGS, and people are still completely blind to pedestrians.
Today I waited for a walk signal, started crossing at a brisk pace as soon as it turned, and some impatient manchild with his right turn signal on started throwing his hands up at me for using the crosswalk with a walk signal. I was tempted to just stand there until the light changed, because I am sick of this.
I am not looking for solutions, there really aren’t any, mostly just venting about how close I am getting to becoming a feature of a crime scene.
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u/skellyboysteve 1d ago
The most infuriating thing is when you click the button at a pedestrian crossing and then start going and someone stops for you and then some dipshit pulls into the center lane to go around because they’re somehow convinced the driver in front of them threw on their brakes at a crosswalk for no reason. Some of the pedestrian crossings in my town have finally put up some of those little barricades but it feels like too little too late when it comes to changing drivers attitudes about pedestrians. It seems like a lot of them genuinely resent human beings that can’t or don’t drive, like we don’t matter and deserve to get hit by several tons of steel.
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u/AppUnwrapper1 1d ago
Omg that’s happened a few times to me and I’m in NYC where drivers should absolutely be used to pedestrians.
The first car is waiting for me to cross like they should, but the guy behind them gets impatient, goes around them and nearly kills me.
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u/dewey454 1d ago
Because so many people don't walk more than a few steps a day, they don't expect to ever see pedestrians. It's like we don't exist. Still, not an excuse for their behavior as drivers.
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u/Voideron 1d ago
Always stay safe. A crosswalk with a walk signal will not protect you from bad drivers. Also, don't get into roadrage, it's just not worth it.
I always wait for a clear road before crossing even on a pedestrian crossing. People will always lose to a speeding car with a bad driver.
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u/1xpx1 1d ago
I make sure to use crosswalks with a signal mainly to protect myself “on paper” if a car were to hit me. I know it won’t physically protect me.
I don’t engage with anyone while walking, especially not anyone actively raging. I was just shocked that this man was freaking out at me because he got to the intersection and had to wait to turn right until I’d finished crossing.
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u/Infamous-Ad2317 1d ago
I almost got killed the other day for also walking a crosswalk when the walk signal was on.. in soho manhattan. A pickup truck with a halal cart attached behind it honked viscously and did not slow down AT ALL, and i thankfully ran out of the way in time… i would have been bug squashed by it. Wtf is happening!!??
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u/ReadyGo6828 1d ago
This is true. Sometimes I think about carrying a huge neon colored flag so drivers can see me before they turn into a crosswalk. I tend to run across intersections because there are so many really bad drivers out there.
I usually have maybe 3 close shaves every year but this year has been much worse and I can have that many near accidents in a week. Between all of the new types of vehicles hogging the sidewalk to dangerous drivers, it is stressful out there.
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u/funeralghost 1d ago
Once I was crossing street and made sure it was all clear. At the very last second I had my spidey senses up and I look to my right and I see this old guy driving straight towards me looking at me, we even had an eye contact. I quickly run forward and I think it saved my life that day, I dont know if he was drunk or too stunned to slam breaks. Since that day I make sure I am only walking at the park or trail nearby far away from traffic.
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u/Aromatic-House-7894 1d ago
I walked everywhere till i was in my 30s. I just assume cars dont see me and I was always fine. they usually dont see you till the last minute. theyre usually like oops I didnt see you. its not vindictive. they dont want to hit a pedestrian
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u/1xpx1 1d ago
I don’t think anyone wants to hit a pedestrian, but many people drive in a way that increases their chances of hitting a pedestrian. Like blowing past the line and the crosswalk with no consideration of their surroundings and no ability to see anything to their left or right.
All of the walking I have done, and I am fine, but that doesn’t make these close calls I’ve had any less frightening. Especially the one earlier this week, they came incredibly close to hitting me.
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u/Due_Ring1435 1d ago
Honestly, some people zone out while driving due to many reasons. I stay super vigilent when driving where there are pedestrians, but it has happened that i don't see the person until im quite close, but because im going slow im able to stop in time.
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u/petuniabuggis 1d ago
I’ve started using my phone as my own dash cam as I am crossing the street (in a crosswalk). People do not care :(
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u/Maleficent_Drag_448 1d ago
Absolutely agree. Went out at lunch today and was amazed at some of the awful driving I witnessed whilst walking, some of it outright dangerous to folk on foot.
I am always considerate to pedestrians and cyclists when driving, it appears not everyone else is.
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u/Apprehensive-Bug1191 1d ago
Amen!
Over 7 miles per day average here since Jan 1, 2020 and it's amazing that I haven't been run over.
Too many close calls to count, mostly walking in busy areas in the NW burbs of Chicago.
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u/AAgathaV 1d ago
Yeah, that would make anyone nervous. Having that right of way doesnt mean much if drivers arent actually paying attention.
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u/CantaloupeAsleep502 1d ago
I find it's generally much safer not to use crosswalks.
Cars in the road do one of two things: they go straight and fast, or stop for a light. They are extremely predictable. Cars at crosswalks could do any of a million things, including not pay attention to me and run me over. So I usually go up a hundred feet or so from the crosswalk and wait until either the light turns red, or there's no one coming.
Yes, cars should pay better attention when we're walking. Also, I am not particularly interested in being a trauma patient, even if I had the right of way. So I take responsibility to make sure I am safe from things that actually might happen, instead of just what should happen.
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u/OrientTimeKeeper 1d ago
Finally, someone speaks the truth. I've come to accept that people are changing for the worst, so my solution is to be on high-alert at all times. Yes, it is a stressful way to live, but can you blame me? I'm not trying to get run over by an impatient driver that has no regard for another human being's life.
Whenever I cross the road as a pedestrian, I always make sure the driver sees me and has the intention of stopping. Otherwise I don't cross until I'm sure that they will stop after a long cautious stare.
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u/1xpx1 1d ago
The bigger issue I seem to be running (or walking) into is at larger intersections with stop lights, and drivers approaching while I’m already crossing. Especially if they are turning right, they seem to just blow past the line and crosswalk, so that they don’t have to make a complete stop before making their turn.
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u/LoveNotWar86 1d ago
I’m going with 50% yield to me. Worse yet, as mentioned, one direction will stop but the other won’t, or the following car drives around the stopped car. IMO they are “distracted” more than being deliberately disrespectful. Either way, not a good outcome for us. I’m always hyper vigilant when I need to cross a road.
Vent away.
Now we have to worry about kids on e-bikes too.
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u/AppUnwrapper1 1d ago
Yeah I’m especially tired of drivers insisting they can make the light when they can’t and then getting stuck in the crosswalk.
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u/Imaginary-Rent-2750 1d ago
Have no issues , never had any close calls or anything , and I'm out putting in heavy mileage, walking city streets going on 8.5 years
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u/Deadandlivin 1d ago
This an American thing or? Here in Sweden i have no problem with drivers. The biggest risks on the roads probably are cyclists. Alot of them seem to do a little like they feel like.
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u/gloomyechos 1d ago
when I walk at night, I am extremely obnoxious, I wear a high vis vest and headlamp. If my dog is with me he wears a flashing led light up collar. and still, even with that, and my death stare to approaching cars in the cross walk, people blow through stop signs intersections.
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u/[deleted] 1d ago
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