The Angry Pedestrian: An Introduction

Let me say first off that I own a car. I drive. I don’t drive a ton, I don’t drive everyday, I don’t drive to my job, but I understand the role of the car in today’s society (in America at least). I can’t walk everywhere and I cover four miles in an hour, not nearly as fast as motorized transit (or a bike for that matter). Having said that, I can’t stand when drivers block the crosswalk. I can remember as a child my stepfather getting in a fight with someone who pulled into the intersection he was trying to cross. (It wasn’t quite this bad, but you get the idea.) He walked with a cane and took longer than I do to walk across the intersection.

Here’s the other thing about me, I’m “frugal”. I don’t like spending money, at least not when there’s a free alternative.Why would I pay for gas when I can walk somewhere?  Furthermore, I was under the impression that pedestrians still have the right of way. Perhaps I was mistaken. It seems as though cars (yes, I’m aware they don’t think for themselves) have free reign to do as they please. It doesn’t matter if someone is following the walk signal and crossing the street. There’s a reason some cities and states maintain “No right turn on red” laws. The pedestrian has to be the hyper-vigilant. I know the car reigns supreme in this country, but sometimes it feels like there is borderline hostility toward pedestrians. We were here first!

Walking has lost its luster. It’s time to restore the pedestrian to their rightful place atop the transportation pyramid.

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