If you’re going to drive a giant suv but can’t see over the steering wheel feel the need to get your nose into traffic in order to see, perhaps you need a vehicle you can manage. Don’t snap at pedestrians annoyed because you’re on the crosswalk waiting for rush hour traffic to break for your left-hand turn and nothing’s moving. We don’t care that you’re SUV’s too big for you. If you can’t drive it, don’t drive it – the person in the passenger’s seat telling you you’re in the way was tall enough and old enough to be driving, and seemed to understand the rules better than others. A couple streets down someone was in the same position as you, but instead of staying not moving and trying to explain that I should just accept some people are morons, they backed up a couple inches and apologized – a inch and a ‘sorry’ makes a world of difference.
Next time I’ll be sure to walk behind you & take down your plate.
At least you didn’t have a business name written on your vehicle – these idiots get called.
Buddy on the bike on the sidewalk who refuses to slow down and is hellbent on getting as many bell-rings as he can in before he gets past pedestrians – I’m always on the edge (of the sidewalk) anyway, so one ring works fine. What works even better is riding in the street with the other adult cyclists. I get that it’s dangerous – no one understands better than I do that some people can’t drive. Is it too much to ask that you drive on the side that would create the illusion that you might sometimes drive with the competent cyclist on the road? Downhill full-speed on Quinpool heading toward the arm at rush hour (traffic’s hardly moving) ringing your bell a dozen times and determined to push pedestrians off the sidewalk isn’t working for me. I screamed at you a few weeks ago and you were good until today when you also nearly took out a mother & child. Your next etiquette lesson is around the corner. —Pissy Pedestrian
This article appears in Sep 3-9, 2015.
Bell rings? Are you in Amsterdam? Who rings a bike bell in this city? Clearly a bullshit bitch and waste of time.
I have noticed a number of instances of a tiny person driving a far too large vehicle. It seems especially dangerous when they try to back into a spot.
An adult with a bell riding a bicycle on the sidewalk? Well, if it’s not a hipster chick on a vintage bicycle with a basket, bell and streamers … then I would assume that it is someone with a bit of a mental disability.
What you speak of is common practice here, the cars on crosswalks.
Let’s not forget blocking an intersection even through they see traffic stopping. Blocking a driveway and pretend that you’re not there even though traffic is stopping, even when you’re actually trying to turn into the opposing traffic lane!
Drivers here are, not all but a lot, stupid and selfish.
And to think all this happened on the way to the bank to cash your welfare check.
Bikes on sidewalks are one of my biggest pet peeves in this otherwise great city. I have lost count of the number of times I was passed, without warning, by a cyclist from behind who I had no idea was there. I do know that many drivers make it dangerous for cyclists on the road, but you have the option to report them by taking note of their plates. As a pedestrian, I don’t have that option when you transfer that danger to me!
And don’t get me started on the cyclists who DO drive on the road, but don’t think that the traffic lights apply to them. Rather dangerous when you’re trying to cross the street, and have to dodge a bicycle who didn’t think he needed to give you the right of way.