Southern thing or not?

[clarabelle]

I find these kinds of threads frankly irritating. I am irritated with myself for even posting.
I wouldn't dream of coming on here and saying that people from the north don't do something the way I think they should.
I would consider it rude.
If I think"oh thats a northern thing" -I realize I am stereotyping and try to keep my mouth shut

 

[surfergirl602]

First of all, let me just say "bless your heart." I'm so sorry you have to live under those conditions.



Don't pedestrians always have the right of way? Thus, the people who stop are simply obeying the law? Maybe that's why they assume drivers will stop for them.

Actually no. Pedestrians only have the right of way on a marked cross walk. Any other time would be jay walking, and is, truthfully, against the law. You do not legally have to stop for someone crossing the street when they are not in a marked crossing zone.

 

[just4today]

I find these kinds of threads frankly irritating. I am irritated with myself for even posting.
I wouldn't dream of coming on here and saying that people from the north don't do something the way I think they should.
I would consider it rude.
If I think"oh thats a northern thing" -I realize I am stereotyping and try to keep my mouth shut

Just my opinion, but I think the OP enjoys stirring the pot. She certainly doesn't shy away from controversial topics.

 

[Rose&Mike]

First of all, let me just say "bless your heart." I'm so sorry you have to live under those conditions.


Don't pedestrians always have the right of way? Thus, the people who stop are simply obeying the law? Maybe that's why they assume drivers will stop for them.

As a former Yankee, I am thrilled to live in the South! Been here 15 years. And we expect cars to stop in the crosswalk.

 

[SamRoc]

Everytime i go to Statesville North Carolina to visit my sister, its like all the locals drive like they are in Nascar! I cant believe how fast they drive there!

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

Actually no. Pedestrians only have the right of way on a marked cross walk. Any other time would be jay walking, and is, truthfully, against the law. You do not legally have to stop for someone crossing the street when they are not in a marked crossing zone.

Not always. Lots of jurisdictions give the pedestrian the right of way in all circumstances -- no crosswalk necessary.

I sometimes encounter people who cross the street through the process of continental drift. I'm just going to call them tourists.

 

[scrapquitler]

Yes, pedestrians have the right of way, but only in a crosswalk. And just because pedestrians have the right of way, it doesn't mean that they shouldn't use common sense....walking out in front of an oncoming car without looking is not very smart, even if you are in the right and have the right of way.

 

[james'mommy]

Just my opinion, but I think the OP enjoys stirring the pot. She certainly doesn't shy away from controversial topics.

I don't think it's controversial at all. I was simply asking for other people's observations. This is the only place I've lived in the South. I've lived all over the North. I've never experienced this up North and wondered if other people have experienced this. If you don't like the post you can stop reading it. And by no means do you have to comment on it. If you don't have anything nice to say then keep it to yourself.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

I live in the North and we always stop for pedestrians, crosswalk or not.

 

[clarabelle]

I don't think it's controversial at all. I was simply asking for other people's observations. This is the only place I've lived in the South. I've lived all over the North. I've never experienced this up North and wondered if other people have experienced this. If you don't like the post you can stop reading it. And by no means do you have to comment on it. If you don't have anything nice to say then keep it to yourself.

If you believe that -why on earth did you start a thread to insult southerners??

 

[Briarmom]

If you believe that -why on earth did you start a thread to insult southerners??

I don't think it's insulting to say that people wait for pedestrians. I think it's nice of them, whether Northern or Southern.

 

[snapppyd]

I don't think it's insulting to say that people wait for pedestrians. I think it's nice of them, whether Northern or Southern.

Personally I gun the engine just to mess with them. You should see how fast they move

 

[Planogirl]

Everytime i go to Statesville North Carolina to visit my sister, its like all the locals drive like they are in Nascar! I cant believe how fast they drive there!

Actually some of them may be.

Trapped in the South? I find that phrase....odd. The last I checked the border was wide open.

 

[turkeymama]

Actually some of them may be.

Trapped in the South? I find that phrase....odd. The last I checked the border was wide open.

You mean there isn't a manned border crossing at the Mason-Dixon line?

Sorry, I couldn't resist playing along.

 

[Plannin'Shannon]

First of all, let me just say "bless your heart." I'm so sorry you have to live under those conditions.

 

[bean]

Hi James' Mommy...we're neighbors. I'm a GRIT (Girl Raised in the South but I did spend 10 years living in DC. An area which is below the Mason-Dixon but is chock full of Yankees I've also lived for portions of time in NYC and London. I've had more issues with pedestrians in larger cities simply b/c there are more people walking. Which in my opinion is not a bad thing. I don't dilly dally and know how to use a crosswalk. I've had no issues with pedestrians in parking lots here in the Charlotte area. Or no more issues than I've had in any other place. Sorry you feel trapped.

 

[EMom]

Yes, pedestrians have the right of way, but only in a crosswalk. And just because pedestrians have the right of way, it doesn't mean that they shouldn't use common sense....walking out in front of an oncoming car without looking is not very smart, even if you are in the right and have the right of way.

A few years ago, I visited a friend in Norway. She's not Norwegian either, but was living there for a few years. I was going to drive her car sometimes, so she familiarized me with the rules of the road, especially the ones that might come as a surprise. (not make sense)

One was that pedestrians always have the right of way. Alrighty. As we're driving around in the town, she said, "Just watch. They'll step right off the curb and into traffic without so much as glancing to see if a car is coming. You could be going 30 mph and one will step in front of you with no warning and it's up to you to slam on the brakes and not hit them."

Sonofagun if she wasn't right. Even women with strollers, deep in conversation with another woman, would walk right into the street without even checking to see if a car was bearing down on them. I'd never seen anything like it in my life. What confidence they must have that people will follow the law! (I will say traffic fines are steep. My friend's coworker ran a stop sign and the fine was over $700.) So that's an incentive to obey the law. But I'd never put my baby's life on the line the way they did, just on faith no one would hit me with a car. As I said to me friend, "All it takes is one tourist who doesn't know that law and you've got one dead mother and child."

So our version of common sense does not travel well..........

 

[hereyago]

OP, you make me laugh.

So you moved to a state and you don't even know what the rules are according to your state's dmv?

Say if a pedestrian in your state walks when the pedestrian light says not to, according to your state's dmv handbook-it can be looked up online- it states" a safe driver yields right of way to the pedestrian whether the pedestrian is entitled or not.

 

[RunningGirl]

Actually no. Pedestrians only have the right of way on a marked cross walk. Any other time would be jay walking, and is, truthfully, against the law. You do not legally have to stop for someone crossing the street when they are not in a marked crossing zone.

Not in my state (from the dmv handbook):

At intersections without traffic signals,
pedestrians have the right of way if they are in marked crosswalks or in unmarked crosswalks formed by imaginary lines extending from the sidewalks across the streets;

Most of our intersections don't have marked crosswalks.

 

[surfergirl602]

Not in my state (from the dmv handbook):

At intersections without traffic signals,
pedestrians have the right of way if they are in marked crosswalks or in unmarked crosswalks formed by imaginary lines extending from the sidewalks across the streets;

Most of our intersections don't have marked crosswalks.

Ha! The way your bold part is written cracks me up!! I can just imagine someone saying, "But I was in between my imaginary lines!"

I guess it differs by state.