"I didn't run you over, so you need to calm down!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't care if it's the law for cars to yield to people in the crosswalk I always check before I step into a crosswalk, I don't trust people to stop. People don't pay attention

Yes, we all know that, and yes, it actually is the law.

Now, what do you do when you're driving? That's the real question. Do you obey the law?

[Anonymous]

What can be done?

Get out your phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was in the crosswalk yesterday at Irving and Hiatt (halfway between 14th and 16th Streets) when a driver making a left turn onto Irving nearly ran me down. I kept thinking the car would stop... and it did, about 6 inches from me. I thought, "This is it" and my reaction was to let out a yell and and throw my arms up. The driver rolled down her window. I said, "You didn't see me?" She replied by berating me with, "I didn't run you over, so you need to calm down!" Then she drove off down Irving. If I did that, I would be apologizing profusely and asking if the pedestrian was okay. Yeesh. What in the hell? She's going to kill someone one day. I'm still a bit rattled.

It's just not safe for pedestrians out there. What can be done?

The driver was clearly at fault. But I taught my kids to not step out until the vehicle has stopped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What can be done?

Get out your phone.

Nobody should be driving that fast in a parking lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was in the crosswalk yesterday at Irving and Hiatt (halfway between 14th and 16th Streets) when a driver making a left turn onto Irving nearly ran me down. I kept thinking the car would stop... and it did, about 6 inches from me. I thought, "This is it" and my reaction was to let out a yell and and throw my arms up. The driver rolled down her window. I said, "You didn't see me?" She replied by berating me with, "I didn't run you over, so you need to calm down!" Then she drove off down Irving. If I did that, I would be apologizing profusely and asking if the pedestrian was okay. Yeesh. What in the hell? She's going to kill someone one day. I'm still a bit rattled.

It's just not safe for pedestrians out there. What can be done?

The driver was clearly at fault. But I taught my kids to not step out until the vehicle has stopped.

Then there are a lot of places where your kids will be standing and waiting for a loooooooooooong time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What can be done?

Get out your phone.

Nobody should be driving that fast in a parking lot.

But folks do.
And people who pay more attention to their apps than their surroundings end up getting hit by the folks putting the pedal to the metal.

[Anonymous]

I don't get it. People keep repeating that pedestrians need to be vigilant in crosswalks. They need to yield to cars EVEN if they, the pedestrian, have the right of way. But OP WAS being vigilant. When OP entered the crosswalk both roads were clear. This is in the city. You'd never get anywhere if you yielded to all the cars, even if you have the right of way. That's ridiculous. OP would still be waiting on the sidewalk right now if she did what you say.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What can be done?

Get out your phone.

Nobody should be driving that fast in a parking lot.

But folks do.
And people who pay more attention to their apps than their surroundings end up getting hit by the folks putting the pedal to the metal.

Yes, folks do. And folks need to stop doing that. Because folks doing that is the problem.

But instead of telling folks to stop doing that, you blame the people who are hit by the folks who do that. Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't get it. People keep repeating that pedestrians need to be vigilant in crosswalks. They need to yield to cars EVEN if they, the pedestrian, have the right of way. But OP WAS being vigilant. When OP entered the crosswalk both roads were clear. This is in the city. You'd never get anywhere if you yielded to all the cars, even if you have the right of way. That's ridiculous. OP would still be waiting on the sidewalk right now if she did what you say.

The underlying idea here is that if you get hit (or almost hit), it must be your fault. You must have done something you shouldn't have done, or you must have not done something you should have done.

Meanwhile the people doing the hitting - i.e., the people driving the cars - are being treated like the weather. Sometimes it rains. Sometimes people driving cars hit people. Can't be helped, nothing we can do, it's just how it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pedestrian safety requires eye contact with the driver. Nobody in DC makes eye contact that is why pedestrians have so many problems.

https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/motr/safe-crossings-the-power-of-eye-contact.html

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-key-to-crossing-the-street-safely-eye-contact-1427734205

AGAIN...how would eye contact have helped the OP who was deep within the crosswalk when a speeding driver ran the stop sign?

If you read the article you will see you don't step into the crosswalk until you make eye contact and you know they are stopping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pedestrian safety requires eye contact with the driver. Nobody in DC makes eye contact that is why pedestrians have so many problems.

https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/motr/safe-crossings-the-power-of-eye-contact.html

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-key-to-crossing-the-street-safely-eye-contact-1427734205

How am I supposed to make eye contact with drivers at night? How do I make eye contact with drivers who are speeding I to a train while I’m already crossing? Should my head be on a constant, neurotic swivel? How do I make eye contact with all drivers when using a cross walk to cross a four-lane road? How do I make eye contact with a distracted driver?

Have you seen the number of trees, guardrails, and signs flattened to the ground by drivers? Guess they should have been wearing bright clothing and making eye contact.

I have no sense of humor about this. Drivers in our region don’t have the patience to come to a complete stop at stop signs and crosswalks. People get angry and defensive about red light and stop sign cameras designed to improve safety. I rarely see a discussion that doesn’t devolve into some sort of pedestrian victim blaming. Drivers (and I am one) need to slow down and be willing to sacrifice 3-7 seconds for safety.

You don't walk in front of a car at night.
You don't' walk in front of a car speeding
Yes, swivel your head, it feel neurotic
You make eye contact with each car that is stopping
You don't walk in front of a car with a distracted driver.

Funny... my H teaches this in HS safety course and he gets the same dumb ass questions from 14 year olds.

Here is one you missed... if I get hit in a cross walk can I sue the driver... answer .. no your family sues the driver because you are dead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pedestrian safety requires eye contact with the driver. Nobody in DC makes eye contact that is why pedestrians have so many problems.

https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/motr/safe-crossings-the-power-of-eye-contact.html

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-key-to-crossing-the-street-safely-eye-contact-1427734205

AGAIN...how would eye contact have helped the OP who was deep within the crosswalk when a speeding driver ran the stop sign?

If you read the article you will see you don't step into the crosswalk until you make eye contact and you know they are stopping.

How could OP make eye contact with the driver when the driver was halfway down the block when OP stepped into the crosswalk?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pedestrian safety requires eye contact with the driver. Nobody in DC makes eye contact that is why pedestrians have so many problems.

https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/motr/safe-crossings-the-power-of-eye-contact.html

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-key-to-crossing-the-street-safely-eye-contact-1427734205

AGAIN...how would eye contact have helped the OP who was deep within the crosswalk when a speeding driver ran the stop sign?

The OP saw the car ... 1/2 way down the street... the intersection in question allows for 2 car lengths at most. You tell me how the OP was not across the street in time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pedestrian safety requires eye contact with the driver. Nobody in DC makes eye contact that is why pedestrians have so many problems.

https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/motr/safe-crossings-the-power-of-eye-contact.html

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-key-to-crossing-the-street-safely-eye-contact-1427734205

AGAIN...how would eye contact have helped the OP who was deep within the crosswalk when a speeding driver ran the stop sign?

To add--today a lady at a 4 way stop made a complete stop but was never actually looking up. She had her eyes on her phone the entire time. I saw her so chose not to cross my dogs and me even though it was our turn.

However--this is NOT the same situation that OP and others have detailed. SO maybe everybody should stop with the captain obvious "vigilant pedestrian" canard.

If you are at a 4 way stop and you see the person is looking at their phone.. do not step into the crosswalk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pedestrian safety requires eye contact with the driver. Nobody in DC makes eye contact that is why pedestrians have so many problems.

https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/motr/safe-crossings-the-power-of-eye-contact.html

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-key-to-crossing-the-street-safely-eye-contact-1427734205

AGAIN...how would eye contact have helped the OP who was deep within the crosswalk when a speeding driver ran the stop sign?

The OP saw the car ... 1/2 way down the street... the intersection in question allows for 2 car lengths at most. You tell me how the OP was not across the street in time.

Because OP is currently walking slowly with a cane.