can't shake off anger and anxiety when almost hit by car (or bike)

[Anonymous]

this might not be a common problem, but it is a growing one for me. i commute to work on foot. i don't own a car, so i walk and/or public transport to most places.

i do not exaggerate when i say that a car or a bike comes close to hitting me, frequently while traveling at a high rate of speed, about 3 or 4 times a week.

i am starting to have significant anxiety and anger over this. i find myself flinching in crosswalks and constantly having to turn my head to make sure that i won't be hit by cars making turns (when they get the green arrow at the SAME TIME that pedestrians get the walk sign).

worse, when i am almost hit, i have a hard time getting over the fear (adrenaline rush) and the anger. i've started screaming back at cars.

i purposefully plan my routes so that i am crossing only at lights, because crossing at any other kinds of intersections is an outright hazard. i don't know what to do. all of the joy of being able to walk to work is being sucked away.

cars driving in densely populated NW DC are downright reckless and stupid. and the bikes have gotten much worse as of late. it is not uncommon for a bike to blow through a red light while i am crossing and come to scary, screeching halt just inches away from me.

gah. this is really frustrating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:worse, when i am almost hit, i have a hard time getting over the fear (adrenaline rush) and the anger. i've started screaming back at cars.

Hey, FWIW, I think this is pretty normal. Well, a normal resposne to that much adrenaline rushing through your body. I feel you. I'm a bike commuter of a couple decades standing, and when I am at the receiving end of a very close call, I feel and have been known to act the same way. For the record, speaking as a biker, I do not for one minute believe that bikes have a right to act irresponsibly any moreso than cars do, and recognize that in the hierarchy of who's most vulnerable, pedestrians are at the bottom (or top?).

The only thing that brings it down a notch after such a close call is time. If I think of a better suggestion for dealing with the rage, I will let you know.

[Anonymous]

I wish I had some good advice, but I don't. I just wanted to say that what you are feeling is normal and legitimate.

[Anonymous]

OMG, OP, I am getting so frustrated about this too. I walk a lot too, and was almost hit by aguy turning onto Wisconsin from Newark in a blue Volvo station wagon with a boarding school and college stickers--he turned without even looking to see whether someone was in the crosswalk. He was this close to running me over, as he was acclerating and not just going at a normal speed. Incidences like these happen all too frequently. I tell all people visiting me from out of town to be esepcially careful when driving/waling in DC.

Sadly, Iam at a loss for solutions. People just don't seem to care. A friend who went out of the country for assignment for a year remarked to me (without me bringing it up) that pedestrian safety had gotten a lot worse since she left)

[Anonymous]

Call your Councilmember and MPD rep and ask for more enforcement.