Stupid Pedestrians Vent

[kaytieeldr]

My mother and I were in the Target parking lot. She was several paces ahead of me, heading for the CROSSWALK. She stopped, looked - all clear, so she started crossing. About 4 or 5 steps out, a black SUV came flying around the corner. The driver laid on the horn and without slowing, swerved into the oncoming traffic lane, missing my mother by inches, and screamed "Get out of my way!"

I'm in Massachusetts - where the state motto is, "As a matter of fact, yes, I do own the road!"

Crosswalks in the parking lots are not enough. In addtion, some malls/stores have found it necessary to put up barrels with reflector lights, topped with signs stating "stop for pedestrians". Because, apparently, a pedestrian is an uncommon sight in a parking lot

I agree that pedestrians should look to make sure you are stopping, before pushing their carts across, but I don't see why they should be Thanking the driver. The driver is doing what they are supposed to, not doing the pedestrian a favor.

I agree completely!

Question for the OP: When you encounter a shopper who does behave as you deem appropriate (i.e. yielding to vehicular traffic), do you thank them with a nod or a wave?

I definitely agree. As well as a million other courtesies when driving. Don't blow through the stop sign, don't drive with your flashers on for miles and miles unless

Was that YOU driving behind me last Friday night? I'll tell you what - if you don't ride so closely behind me that I can't see your headlights, I won't drive with my hazard lights on for whatever minimal feeling of safety/protection it affords me.

Yes, I KNOW it wasn't ajk912, but they ARE hazard lights, and the idiot was driving hazardously.

 

[kaytieeldr]

drivers need to be careful, but pedestrians need to pay more attention. why do they always look so surprised to see cars in a parking lot?

Conversely, why are drivers so surprised or inconvenienced when they encounter people walking in/through/across parking lots? Those drivers are going to be, or just were, parking lot pedestrians themselves. Let he who is without sin...

and if you're crossing where cars need to drive, try going straight across, not at a diagonal...it takes less time.

Well, no, it doesn't. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.
A person walking diagonally from the store exit to the aisle where their car is parked is in the roadway less time, and encounters fewer intersections/aisle ends - and so fewer vehicles, said lack of encounter reducing the possible incidence of physical contact between vehicle and human - than one walking straight across to where the cars are, then turning left or right and proceeding to the correct aisle.

 

[Maridw]

At the Super Wal-Mart in our area, people drive in and even though there is a "Yield" sign right in front of the entrance, they rarely stop for people coming out of the store. It is like it is too much of an inconvience for them to stop. We always stop and let people cross. If we are going into or coming out of the store, I always check first before stepping out to cross. I always ginal a thank you of some sort to the drivers that stop.

On Black Friday we pulled into Target and were going to turn down one parking lane, when an SUV came flying down the lane right down the middle and then pulled into the traffic to exit Target. If my DH hadn't stopped she would have hit our car. After she pulled out, another one came flying down the same lane. I guess they were both in a hurry to get to another store for the sales, but give me a break. No need to take out someone's car on the way.

We have a problem with people crossing in the middle of the street near our house. The block is 1/2 mile long and they can't be bothered to walk to one of the lights. They could be going toward the light once they cross, but do they go to the cross walk to cross. NO!!! We have had a few fatalities because of this. Mainly at night because it is not well lit.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Am I the only one who puts a quick hand up in thanks for drivers when I am walking in front of them? Why is it wrong to be courteous these days? Do I OWE them a thank you? No. But why is it so worng? I dont get it. I teach my kids to stop, look and when a car stops raise a quick hand while you hurry across.

I give a quick wave too and I put some pep in my step! It is so annoying as a driver to be in front of a store giving people the right of way and they meander along, as if they are in a park feeling grass between their toes! All the while knowing I'm are sitting there waiting for them to pass. That happens a lot. It's not that I'm in a hurry. It's just rude. It is comical and I do try to look at the lighter side of it.

 

[Stacerita]

I give a quick wave too and I put some pep in my step[/U]! It is so annoying as a driver to be in front of a store giving people the right of way and they meander along, as if they are in a park feeling grass between their toes! All the while knowing I'm are sitting there waiting for them to pass. That happens a lot. It's not that I'm in a hurry. It's just rude. It is comical and I do try to look at the lighter side of it.

Me too.

 

[OK!]

I give a quick wave too and I put some pep in my step! It is so annoying as a driver to be in front of a store giving people the right of way and they meander along, as if they are in a park feeling grass between their toes! All the while knowing I'm are sitting there waiting for them to pass. That happens a lot. It's not that I'm in a hurry. It's just rude. It is comical and I do try to look at the lighter side of it.

I do, too. I always stop and wait to make sure the driver has seen me and is planning on stopping, and then I jog across to get out of the way as quickly as possible. My personal parking lot pet peeve (ooh, the alliteration!) is when a group of people spreads out all across an aisle and then takes its own sweet time strolling casually toward the store. They can be fully aware that a car is behind them, waiting to drive down the aisle, but they (seemingly) walk as slowly as humanly possible. GRR.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I give a quick wave too and I put some pep in my step! It is so annoying as a driver to be in front of a store giving people the right of way and

Except drivers aren't giving walkers the right of way; walkers (pedestrians) have the right of way.

Are you less annoyed with me (because you will be annoyed, because I do move on foot from my car to the store entrance and back) when I'm using a cart, or a cane, or crutches, or a walker? I have the latter three - and carts are readily available in the parking lots (usually IN parking spaces, but that's a complaint for a different thread ) - so I will use whichever mobility assistance device garners me the least 'attitude' from impatient drivers.

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

I do, too. I always stop and wait to make sure the driver has seen me and is planning on stopping, and then I jog across to get out of the way as quickly as possible. My personal parking lot pet peeve (ooh, the alliteration!) is when a group of people spreads out all across an aisle and then takes its own sweet time strolling casually toward the store. They can be fully aware that a car is behind them, waiting to drive down the aisle, but they (seemingly) walk as slowly as humanly possible. GRR.

I almost always do that...right now not so much because I'm on a crutch due to knee surgery. I will always 'jog' to get out to the cars way faster. Once I'm healed and allowed to do so, I'll continue to do that.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Except drivers aren't giving walkers the right of way; walkers (pedestrians) have the right of way.

Are you less annoyed with me (because you will be annoyed, because I do move on foot from my car to the store entrance and back) when I'm using a cart, or a cane, or crutches, or a walker? I have the latter three - and carts are readily available in the parking lots (usually IN parking spaces, but that's a complaint for a different thread ) - so I will use whichever mobility assistance device garners me the least 'attitude' from impatient drivers.

Giving/have. Semantics. They got it. It's no big deal in how you put it. I'm sitting there.

I'm not annoyed at all with a person that has mobility issues. I'm not impatient. I don't have an attitude. I'm a person that would like to proceed when able bodied people are meandering or lollygagging. It's as simple as that.

 

[teacups]

Question for the OP: When you encounter a shopper who does behave as you deem appropriate (i.e. yielding to vehicular traffic), do you thank them with a nod or a wave?

.

Please quote me saying they should yield to vehicular traffic.

I cant believe how many people just pull comments from the dark hole.

 

[teacups]

Are you less annoyed with me (because you will be annoyed, because I do move on foot from my car to the store entrance and back) when I'm using a cart, or a cane, or crutches, or a walker? I have the latter three - and carts are readily available in the parking lots (usually IN parking spaces, but that's a complaint for a different thread ) - so I will use whichever mobility assistance device garners me the least 'attitude' from impatient drivers.

What happened to that stirring the pot smilie.

 

[agnes!]

Just because a pedistrian has the right away doesn't mean they should step right off the curb without looking or stopping.

And when you (the general you) do get out there, walk straight across; not cutting across at an angle to save yourself some time.

drivers need to be careful, but pedestrians need to pay more attention. why do they always look so surprised to see cars in a parking lot?

and message to those people (and they know who they are), the parking lot isn't a conference room...get out of the way! and if you're crossing where cars need to drive, try going straight across, not at a diagonal...it takes less time. and don't stroll while talking on your cell phone and sipping your coffee...get out of the way and pay attention! and teach your kids to watch out for cars too!!!

Conversely, why are drivers so surprised or inconvenienced when they encounter people walking in/through/across parking lots? Those drivers are going to be, or just were, parking lot pedestrians themselves. Let he who is without sin...

and if you're crossing where cars need to drive, try going straight across, not at a diagonal...it takes less time. ...

Well, no, it doesn't. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.
A person walking diagonally from the store exit to the aisle where their car is parked is in the roadway less time, and encounters fewer intersections/aisle ends - and so fewer vehicles, said lack of encounter reducing the possible incidence of physical contact between vehicle and human - than one walking straight across to where the cars are, then turning left or right and proceeding to the correct aisle.

I think that people might be referring to the fact that some pedestrians (yeah, and some drivers) seem clueless that a parking lot is a mixed-use facility. It is a place made for pedestrians and for cars. Some pedestrians walk in that long diagonal line across a street or across a parking-lot lane and they take over the 'road'. No cars can get past them, they talk on their cell-phones, their groups walk in a cluster abreast (just like the clueless groups at WDW that take up an entire sidewalk). If walking in a straight line across the street is possible and they wanted to inconvenience others somewhat less and also endanger themselves less, then they should consider walking in a straight line across the street.

agnes!

 

[LoraJ]

In a parking lot I always yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. I think more of the issue is when I am driving over the crosswalk area and when I started no one was near the cross walk, but then someone darts out into it. If you haven't shown intent when the driver is already driving in the crosswalk, you shouldn't just dart in front of them. When I am the pedestrian in that situation, I always wait for the car to pass and then step into the crosswalk, now I have the right of way. But if a car comes whizzing by while I am actually in the crosswalk, I usually do yell at them to slow down.


Around here, the driver yields to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, if not in a crosswalk, pedestrians need to yield to drivers. However, they still dart into the street wherever they please. I hit a pedestrian once. She darted out into the street no where near a crosswalk from behind a parked van looking the opposite direction. I couldn't stop in time. She and her friend wouldn't let me call 911, I am thinking she isn't in the country legally or something. But I just felt awful about it for a long time.

There are idiot drivers and idiot pedestrians. There just needs to be more common sense and courtesy on both sides.

 

[Kimberly]

What drives me nuts are the pedestrians that meander along on their cell phones. The supermarket I go to, you often have to round a blind corner without much reaction time to see the pedestrians in the crosswalk. It has lead to some accidents unfortunately in the past, but there isn't any other space that they can do it in. The parking lot is shared with a strip mall and just becomes and absolute nightmare. Have people jumping out from between cars not even bothering to look if there was someone flying through the parking aisles looking for a spot.

On Grand Cayman, it's another story... but in NJ... half the times it's the attitude of the driver/pedestrian and leads to problems.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Please quote me saying they should yield to vehicular traffic.

I apologize. You were not the poster who claimed pedestrians should yield to drivers, so my question should NOT have been addressed to you.

What happened to that stirring the pot smilie.

Not applicable. Not stirring any pot. Whichever poster I was responding to claimed pedestrians should move at a brisk pace across the path of the vehicles (my interpretation: thus inconveniencing the varying-degrees-of-patience driver).

Being mobility-impaired, I asked a serious question regarding which device would thus draw the least amount of impatience. I forgot to ask, "What if I'm having a 'good' day and choose to limp across from the parking area to the store entrance?". I deal with enough stress. I don't need people inchng closer as I walk to or from a store, or so impatient that they drive around me before I'm even out of 'their' lane, when I shop.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think that people might be referring to the fact that some pedestrians (yeah, and some drivers) seem clueless that a parking lot is a mixed-use facility.

Unbelievable. Five pages of opposing views, and you just summed it up in ONE sentence! Excellent work!

disclaimer: genuine compliment; no pot-stirring intended, so no pot-stirring smilie required

 

[OceanAnnie]

I apologize. You were not the poster who claimed pedestrians should yield to drivers, so my question should NOT have been addressed to you. Not applicable. Not stirring any pot. Whichever poster I was responding to claimed pedestrians should move at a brisk pace across the path of the vehicles (my interpretation: thus inconveniencing the varying-degrees-of-patience driver).

Being mobility-impaired, I asked a serious question regarding which device would thus draw the least amount of impatience. I forgot to ask, "What if I'm having a 'good' day and choose to limp across from the parking area to the store entrance?". I deal with enough stress. I don't need people inchng closer as I walk to or from a store, or so impatient that they drive around me before I'm even out of 'their' lane, when I shop.

Really, that sums it up well. It is your interpretation. I never said I expected others to have a "brisk pace". I stated I do that for others. I do however expect able bodied people to be courteous and not dawdle.

It seems you are bent on extrapolating what I posted into your experience. It has nothing to do with you or your condition. Sorry you feel otherwise.