48 thoughts on “March 2, 2018: Endurance”

  4. I'm curious how others would deal with this situation:

    I cross a two-lane street on my way to my bus stop. This street is moderately busy, but not so busy that I can't start walking across with a very clear opening. A third of a block after my crosswalk the street junctions with a very busy four-lane road via a light-controlled T-intersection. The right-turn lane is separately controlled by a specific turn signal.

    Invariably, I'll start making my way across with a clear right-of-way. Sometimes a car will turn off the very busy road onto my street, but they almost always stop when they see me to let me finish crossing. The cars approaching the intersection in the lane furthest from me, however, frequently do not yield. They can see me—I drive this street often enough to know—they're just not stopping. Sometimes they don't even yield despite the fact that I'm already in their lane. When this happens, sometimes they try to go behind my back. Other times they just drive through at regular speed, expectating I will yield, not trip & fall, not have a little kid with me who slips my hand & runs out. Apart from the alarming proximity to me, their failure to yield is particularly disconcerting because there's a neighborhood park on the same side of the street I'm walking toward, and plenty parents with small kids cross this street. Because it's during the morning commute, many of these drivers are regular hazards who I've come to identify on sight.

    So, I have two questions:

    1) In general, what would you do if you are aware of this behavior? Several people cross this street during the morning to reach the bus stop, so it's not simply a matter of me varying my own route.

    2) What do you do in the specific situation of a driver not yielding (or even slowing down) when you are already in the crosswalk, particularly if you're exposed in the lane of traffic they're traveling in?

    1. Call the local law enforcement, then when they do nothing, let someone hit you and sue both the driver and municipality.

    2. 1) contact my city councilman
      2) contact my city councilman
      - particularly with a park nearby. If they can't improve the crossing, then they should be posting an officer there periodically and enforcing it. You're walking in a crosswalk, after all.

      1. ayyup. Traffic control is as much a political issue as it is a bureaucratic one. Sounds like this street is ripe for some speed tables or flashing lights at the crosswalk, at least.

        2. I tend to forget there are parts of town with alders whose primary communication with constituents is not a mix of concern trolling and reminding constituents that they’re a CrossFit athlete.

    3. Might be time to tip off local law enforcement and council members about the repeat offenders. A ticket or two will likely slow people down, but that can't happen without anyone watching.

      Edited to add: or what RR said!

    4. I can do the proactive stuff folks have helpfully mentioned above. Thanks, everyone.

      What about the reactive thing in that moment (particularly with #2)? Do you glare? Shout? How do you impress upon the driver that what they’re doing’s not okay, and that you both know it—without unnecessarily escalating a vehicle-on-pedestrian confrontation or creating an altercation that puts you in the wrong, too?

      2. I have issues with drivers in downtown Minneapolis every so often--particularly people turning left when I'm in the crosswalk with a walk signal. I first try to make eye contact with the driver. If they continue to come toward me, I tend to put my arms out to each side and yell "Watch out!" or something similar. I'm not exactly a, um, physically imposing human being, but I've never had a negative reaction as a result.

        1. Washington is terrible. I've even had a police car and traffic enforcement vehicle drive through the crosswalk by Bunkers as I was trying to cross with my dog.

          1. An ambulance did that in Japan, but I saw and waited for it and they got on the loudspeaker and said "Arigatou Gozaimasu!" as they drove past. Couldn't help but chuckle.

          2. I slapped the back of a car that almost hit me in the crosswalk in DC. It then stopped and informed me it was Secret Service like that excuses them from following the law.

      3. Three ideas:
        Louisville Slugger
        Stanford Cricket Nexzen
        Big Stick a'la Sheriff Buford Pusser

      4. My reaction to this sort of behavior, whether I'm in a car or walking, is usually putting my hands up in the air, sort of a "WTF?" gesture along with a "Why did you do that dumb thing" facial expression. It helps me release a little righteous indignation, while also expressing to the other person that they messed up.

        I don't know how useful it actually is, but it makes me feel a little better.

        1. Heh, I do pretty much exactly this with as much incredulity as possible. Works (and feels) best if you can make direct eye contact and follow them as they drive past.

          1. Oh, definitely. I'll turn my head around as far as my neck will allow to maximize the amount of time I stare at them.

        2. I have nearly daily encounters like this on my bike. I’ve tried to relax my approach a bit, but will uncork a shouted “use your turn signal bro” almost weekly. I’ve gotten into some shouting matches that just leave me more upset for a longer period of time. I’ve also had a vehicle follow me trough the quarter, which put the fear of god into me. My new solution is to mad mug the offender while ringing my loud bell. CH, you could carry an air horn. That would at least loudly announce your prescence without involving shouting.

          1. I like the air horn idea. I’d considered carrying a racquetball (loud thump when thrown, but no permanent damage), but figured that could escalate too much.

            1. I've had a number of situations that escalated quickly (and needlessly on my part) and have found that nothing good comes. The racquetball will certainly lead to confrontation which is likely not good in your situation.

  5. Well, now the hometown boys hockey team made state by knocking off one of those private schools last night. 2OT, exciting game! Now on to our BB teams!

  6. Are refs in the NBA getting more trigger-happy, or am I just noticing it more? Neither technical on Towns looked like much, and they had indeed blown the call on Crowder.

    1. Yea. Waaay worse than the ZaZa b.s. we convo-ed about recently. He just drilled Rubio for no reason.

  10. This has turned into a terrible road trip. Bad loss last night, and a likely loss tonight. These are games the Wolves have to win.

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