06-09-2020, 09:39 AM
So I'll be upfront and honest. I drive a car. I drive places. I cycled as a commute when the weather was convenient (and when I was working locally), and I walk for enjoyment, not as a necessity.
Yesterday, I had my car windows tinted. Its a 20 min walk to my home, so instead of waiting, I took the time to get in some exercise both ways. My walk started at Victoria & Lackner. I had to walk thru the mud (current construction area) to push the beg button. I stood at the corner waiting for the walking guy. As he came on, a concrete truck stopped at the stop bar. I looked up, saw the driver (who did stop) and began to cross in front. I quickly jumped backwards out of the way as I heard him start to accelerate his right turn.
A few hours later I walked back (the rest of the walk was uneventful), but when I got to Victoria/Lackner again, pushed the button, and when I got the crossing signal, looked to my left at the cars, where a woman in a van continued her right turn directly into my path while she looked left towards possible traffic.
Much like the recent BLM protests, I'll never truly understand how people of colour feel.... and yesterday in a very short period of time, I am empathetic more to pedestrians. [And I'm a driver that has always been aware of their surroundings, and like to believe I was bike and pedestrian friendly]
Coke
Yesterday, I had my car windows tinted. Its a 20 min walk to my home, so instead of waiting, I took the time to get in some exercise both ways. My walk started at Victoria & Lackner. I had to walk thru the mud (current construction area) to push the beg button. I stood at the corner waiting for the walking guy. As he came on, a concrete truck stopped at the stop bar. I looked up, saw the driver (who did stop) and began to cross in front. I quickly jumped backwards out of the way as I heard him start to accelerate his right turn.
A few hours later I walked back (the rest of the walk was uneventful), but when I got to Victoria/Lackner again, pushed the button, and when I got the crossing signal, looked to my left at the cars, where a woman in a van continued her right turn directly into my path while she looked left towards possible traffic.
Much like the recent BLM protests, I'll never truly understand how people of colour feel.... and yesterday in a very short period of time, I am empathetic more to pedestrians. [And I'm a driver that has always been aware of their surroundings, and like to believe I was bike and pedestrian friendly]
Coke