What is it with idiot drivers and crosswalks?

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Our wal-mart has the yellow diagonal striping in front of there store--covers the entire store front where all the doors are located, so it is about 2 car rows wide.

I approach the area to cross and enter the store--I *assumed* it is a crosswalk...or at the very least a zone where pedestrians have the right of way. We wait for the cars--one car from one direction stops (my left)--from the other direction (my right) turns into the row of cars. We step into the cross walk when some demon woman a little too impatient for her britches--decides that she's going to try to "beat" me.

First of all I can't stand it when people do this--so I get a little vocal and today I said "What is wrong with you"--VERY loud. She hears--she stops....gives me the double-birdie salute with an F-bomb and female dog bonus. Real class.

Witnesses attest--a real winner this one.

What is the deal--I don't want to play chicken when I have the right of way with my 5yo and 3yo.

This happened last month as well at the airport. That time I said "HELLO" "SIDEWALK" "KIDS"--all staccato--I was fuming for that one...She was parked--we were mid cross walk and she decides to try and beat us. Airport cop sees this--I apologize to him (thought I'd get in trouble or something--I'm such a baby with that) and continue walking. And he flags down the driver and gives a talking too.

I just don't get it--I obey the laws/rules. I'm not jaywalking--are people in that much of a hurry that my children's lives are just not important enough for whatever it is their late to?

It would be one thing if they said "oops, I'm sorry"--but no--dirty looks and profanity...

 

[mmexpress]

Heh,
I actually kicked someones headlight out for that once.
Then when I went for the driver's door the guy sped away.
People are very ignorant nowadays, it's becoming very intolerable.

 

[liamsaunt]

HA HA! Welcome to Boston! Oh, wait, you live in Florida... Let me tell you, people around here drive like madmen. No respect whatsoever for lights (oh, that red light is for the guy behind me), no merging allowed (because if I allow you to merge, that means you WIN!), breakdown lanes are a sanctioned traffic lane (really), weaving in and out on the highway...it is horrible.

In the city it is just as bad, but reversed! Pedestrians have all of the power. They walk en masse against the light, tying up the intersectons for those people who are wilful (and crazy) enough to try and drive into the city. Of course, the intersections are already tied up due to the entitled driving patterns of the people who actually bring their cars into the city (see above).

And, since your story took place in a parking lot, I will send you one more tale from my Boston "suburb": I recently got a nice spot at the front of a parking lot, one that is very busy. Normally, I park at the back of this lot, but on this occasion, I was going to the drugstore to fill my scripts for 'double lung pneumonia,' so I was happy to be close to the store. A woman wanted the spot I had because she had kids with her etc. On any other day, I would have ceded, but I was sick! Well, when I emerged from the store, I found that she had barricaded my car, all around, with shopping carts. Nice.

 

[stinkerbelle]

I almost threw my 300oz jug-o-Tide at some old Fart who was barelling through the Wal-Mart parking lot.

he had ALOT of "dents" on the hood of his car...so I assume I wasn't the first to think of hitting HIM with something.

somepeople just never learn...but - if you nearly hit someone in your car - be prepared for the "you're number 1" salute.

 

[Mom21]

I was just fuming about this the other day. I was coming out of the Publix. An elderly lady was crossing to come into the store in the pedestrian crosswalk. Some idot, moron, loser almost ran her down. He was going at least 30 miles per hour in front of the store. He slammed on his brakes screeching and she was able to stop. His car actually turn slightly sideways; that is how fast he was going. Then he had the audacity (OK i can't spell but you know what I mean) to lay on his horn. He just layed on it and sat there cursing her. Get over it dude. You are the idiot. Talk about anger management problems!!!!! Poor lady entered the store and was holding her chest the whole way. What if that had been a child? Did I mention he was an idiot and a moron and a loser?

 

[becker1123]

I can't believe how inconsiderate so many drivers are. I can't count the number of times I've been trying to cross (inside the crosswalk!) with a full cart and three kids under the age of 5 only to have people race in front of me. A full cart is hard to stop and you'd think that people would give us a break, but noooo. It was really bad when I lived on the east coast. I find the midwest to be better, but I still have trouble crossing from time to time.

 

[Free4Life11]

That drives me NUTS! If people do that I glare and walk SLOWER.

It really bothers me how rude some drivers are towards pedestrians. I especially love the people who coast right into turns. Yes, I KNOW it's a right-turn only lane but that doens't mean you don't still have to look for pedestrians!!!

It's the same with LEFT TURNS, HELLO YOU NEED TO LOOK! I'm so sick of this.

 

[monarchsfan16]

There are cross walks all over campus that I have to walk across multiple times a day. It amazes me (still) how many people blow through them. Our rule of thumb is that if it's a NH license plate, they might stop, so it's usually safe to cross. If it's any other state forget about it. *Disclaimer* I am NOT blaming other states. I'm just stating the fact that is true of this campus.
I actually nearly got hit by a campus bus one day, when I crossed. I had stopped and looked. He slowed down and signalled to turn at the road right before the crosswalk. I started crossing and he suddenly gunned it, and drove straight. Nothing like having a bus coming straight at you at 8 am to liven up your day

 

[fran99999]

I fully agree "a lot" of drivers need to reread the drivers manual. But some pedestrians also need to learn they do not "own" the road either. Let me preface this by stating I stop for all pedestrian in crosswalks. I even stop for people not in crosswalks. Especially the elderly and kids.

But why OH why do pedestrians now feel they have to walk down the street, OK close to the edge of the street. Now I could see if no sidewalk but if there is a sidewalk on one side go walk on it. If there is no sidewalk walk behind each other not 3-6 across the street side by side. I think this is part of the "ME" generation. Its all about "ME". "I" rule the world. People stop in the middle of the street to chat with friends. People park in front of the store, right under the DO NOT PARK sign because they are only going in for a minute. People park in Handicap spots again because I will only be in the store for a few minutes. Love this at my local corners type store. Sign clearly states Handicap and people pull in, leave their car running like this makes it alright. Yes I have a handicap placard and Yes I do "sometimes" park in this space. Not all the time if I am in extreme pain only. I know there are people that have wheelchairs, very serious walking issues in my neighborhood that NEED these spaces.

Like I stated earlier we live in the "ME" and "I" generation. Its all about ME!!! and "I" dont have to follow the rules I"M exempt.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I fully agree "a lot" of drivers need to reread the drivers manual. But some pedestrians also need to learn they do not "own" the road either. Let me preface this by stating I stop for all pedestrian in crosswalks. I even stop for people not in crosswalks. Especially the elderly and kids.

I was going to post this oringially...

But yesterday at an outlet mall in St. Augustine. As we are leaving--there are these ladies...who evidently wanted the cross the road to their cars parked parallel to the store on teh back part of the lot. So they are coming out of the lane--but they really aren't. They don't look for cars--it is a group of grown women...they start walking kind of diagnally--like they are going to walk along side of the road for cars to pass---I had to swerve to miss them b/c they stepped INTO traffic without looking. And then they were upset b/c I didn't yield them. Well--I had absolutely no warning you were going to cross the street in a non-cross walk area.

Both of my incidents--I was in the cross walk (today actually had stepped into the area as traffic was accomodating that until speedy came along--and I do make it a habit of looking drivers in the eye.

At UF--I recall them being very strict on the speed limit and on cross walks. THere is no blowing past people (at least when I went)--you would get a ticket.

 

[UrsulasMyHero]

What do you know... this happened to me as well TODAY in fact! I was going into ULTA and I was in the white cross walk and this lady SPEEDS UP just as I near her path. Her window is partially cracked so I speak up. "HELLO, CROSS WALK, PEDESTRIAN HERE!" and got the one finger salute. I love people. LOVE them.... *mutter*

 

[fireman17]

I'm originally from Philadelphia, so people in crosswalks are target practice for us. I worked for an ambulance service and with lights and sirens it wouldn't matter to them thus, they became targets.
Well, in 1986 I moved to New England to take my new job as a firefighter. On the third or fourth day here I'm heading off to work and as I approach a crosswalk there's someone crossing in front of me so I blow the horn and he yells at me and I keep going. That is until I see the red and blue lights stopping me. Now, I'm in uniform so the officer asks where I work and I tell him where and that I just moved here from Philadelphia. So he tells me that it's the law to stop for people in crosswalks and it's a $95.00 fine, then I tell him "well in Philly we aim for them" .
He chuckled and told me next time to stop and have a safe shift.

 

[NMAmy]

I work at a college and right out front there is a pedestrian crosswalk. Big signs in front of it that say, "STOP for pedestrians in crosswalk" and 90% of the time, people blow right through them. It makes me crazy--particularly the day it was pouring rain and I saw a student in a wheelchair stuck in the median--with cars racing past and spraying water all over the poor guy. That's when I marched into the street and threw up my arms to stop the traffic so he could get across. What a bunch of jerks.

In New Mexico, pedestrians have the right of way--whether they're in a crosswalk or not--so you get kind of used to anticipating whether someone might dart across the street or parking lot in front of you.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I'm originally from Philadelphia, so people in crosswalks are target practice for us. I worked for an ambulance service and with lights and sirens it wouldn't matter to them thus, they became targets.
Well, in 1986 I moved to New England to take my new job as a firefighter. On the third or fourth day here I'm heading off to work and as I approach a crosswalk there's someone crossing in front of me so I blow the horn and he yells at me and I keep going. That is until I see the red and blue lights stopping me. Now, I'm in uniform so the officer asks where I work and I tell him where and that I just moved here from Philadelphia. So he tells me that it's the law to stop for people in crosswalks and it's a $95.00 fine, then I tell him "well in Philly we aim for them" .
He chuckled and told me next time to stop and have a safe shift.

Sounds funny--except that my children were the targets. Makes it not so funny.

I would understand an emergency vehicle en route to a location with lights and sirens. But--non-emergency vehicle

One day you might be answering a call that someone was the victim of this target practice. I hope it isn't a child.

 

[caitycaity]

I fully agree "a lot" of drivers need to reread the drivers manual. But some pedestrians also need to learn they do not "own" the road either. Let me preface this by stating I stop for all pedestrian in crosswalks. I even stop for people not in crosswalks. Especially the elderly and kids.

i completely agree with this. as a driver, i have had jaywalkers hit my car with their hand or whatever when they ran out in front of me in the middle of the road. i'm happy to yield to people in a crosswalk, but around here (especially downtown) pedestrians act like they own the road. it drives me nuts!!! fortunately, the dc cops have started giving tickets to jaywalkers as well as people not yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks.

 

[jbdreamer]

My father once had to pull my mother out of the way at a store cross walk while some women not paying attention sped by. My father kicked in her door. At that point the women realized what she had done, and kept driving. I am sure she was too scared to stop.

I see people run the stop sign at my grocery store all the time. You need to be a defensive pedestrian.

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

It really bugs me when people do this. At the Stop and Shop here there are stop signs all along the front of the store. And people refuse to stop at them and get mad at pedestrians for walking across. If they do that to me, I walk slower. When I dormed in college there was a small street to cross to go from the dorms to the main building. It was a street that was closed off by a police car just after my dorm. So no one went down it other than the police and firemen. They wouldn't stop or slow down ever. Also in the winter we would only have a small pathway shovled through the snow to get to the street. And without fail some fireman would park his car directly in front of that pathway. With a bunch of college kids having to climb over his car (practically) all day long I am pretty sure he sported some nice new scratches.

Another thing that really annoys me is the amount of people that make left turns on red! Hello!! I don't remember the driving manual ever stating that this is allowed.

 

[cardaway]

My father once had to pull my mother out of the way at a store cross walk while some women not paying attention sped by. My father kicked in her door. At that point the women realized what she had done, and kept driving. I am sure she was too scared to stop.

There's something to be proud of.

I believe the whole thing would get better if people would stop acting like idiots in parking plots, and I mean the people walking.

Walking right down the middle of an aisle.
Stopping right in the middle of the lane in front of the store to talk.
Walking in and out of parked cars thinking the people driving can see them.

The real kicker was when somebody got out of a car that stopped right in front of the store, started walking backwards in the lane of traffic, all then completely stopped in the middle of the lane to talk to the person in the car.

 

[Chicago526]

Around here I haven't noticed any problems with drivers running crosswalks, but pedestrians sure do think they can do whatever they want.

In all fairness to the pedestrians, it can be confusing. Around here, not all the crosswalks infront of stores have 'stop' signs. If they don't, it means that the pedestrians are supposed to yeild to traffic, not the other way around. But since it's not consistant, they usually assume that they can cross no matter what.

For me, if there is no stop sign and no one is crossing at that moment, I just go through (slowly, of course, people who speed through parking lots drive me crazy!). I've had more than a few people almost step in front of me, assuming I'll stop. But on the flip side, I always wait for traffic to clear when I'm walking through a crosswalk w/out a stop sign. And of course, if there IS a stop sign, I will always stop, even if there isn't anyone in the walkway.

 

[Colleen456]

About a year ago the wife of DH co-worker was pinned between a idiot driver and a parked car. The driver backed off the woman then took off. The really horrible part, as if pinning her wasn't bad enough is that she was 8 months pregnant.

The police took the security tapes from Wal*Mart but were not able to get the plate number. Luckily mom and baby were fine and baby was delivered 3 weeks later.