01-07-2017, 12:38 AM
And all this goes back to a post I made about nearly being run over at Lincoln and Weber when I was waiting for the crossing signal to change so I could legally do cross. Made eye contact with the driver waiting on Lincoln to turn right on the red, and indicated my intention to cross. Light changed, I stepped out, and he went anyway.
Now in my opinion, the guy in my situation was a complete dick. But it doesn't always follow that every driver who does not yield to the ROW of pedestrians is equally selfish and even malicious, as it may well be unintentional, but they nonetheless bear the fullness of fault.
I think the idea of driving is so pervasive and ingrained into our culture that many have become far too disconnected with the inherent dangers AND responsibilities of driving. We hand out licenses with too much ease (there is no finite number of attempts you are allowed to go for and fail your license testing before receiving it), yet death and injury by motor vehicle must surely be the number one cause of accidental death in this country.
When I lived in England (a middle-sized northern city), I remember telling one of my co-workers that there was not a year that went by when I was in high school (80-85) where at least one kid from my school wasn't killed in a car accident, and in two years, multiple students died in this manner. They were astounded.
I see no evidence that drivers today are any better. And while it may be that I'm just more observant of such things now, I might be inclined to think they are worse.
Now in my opinion, the guy in my situation was a complete dick. But it doesn't always follow that every driver who does not yield to the ROW of pedestrians is equally selfish and even malicious, as it may well be unintentional, but they nonetheless bear the fullness of fault.
I think the idea of driving is so pervasive and ingrained into our culture that many have become far too disconnected with the inherent dangers AND responsibilities of driving. We hand out licenses with too much ease (there is no finite number of attempts you are allowed to go for and fail your license testing before receiving it), yet death and injury by motor vehicle must surely be the number one cause of accidental death in this country.
When I lived in England (a middle-sized northern city), I remember telling one of my co-workers that there was not a year that went by when I was in high school (80-85) where at least one kid from my school wasn't killed in a car accident, and in two years, multiple students died in this manner. They were astounded.
I see no evidence that drivers today are any better. And while it may be that I'm just more observant of such things now, I might be inclined to think they are worse.