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I spent most of my adult years living in some of the larger cities in the world. Now I live in Halifax and as a pedestrian having walked these larger cities, I understand your plight—fearing for your life against drivers who drive too fast, don’t look where they are going and are generally too distracted. Now that I live In Halifax, I drive. I drive everywhere. And I consider myself a conscientious driver. I never speed, I never use my phone for texting or otherwise, hell, I barely switch radio stations when I drive and I can say, I have never come close to hitting a pedestrian. But I must request this; please, please, please pedestrians…pay more attention when crossing the road. While I am concentrating on about 10 different things while driving—other cars, narrow streets, parked cars, pedestrians, cyclists, changing lights, bad weather, school crossing guards, bad drivers and our beloved pets of the world—you have but one thing to concentrate on, and that is the driver that is approaching the crosswalk. Countless times as I am approaching a crosswalk in my vehicle, you will simply step out without a care in the world not even looking at the oncoming car. Perhaps it is my responsibility to avoid you, but why would you put your trust in a complete stranger driving a two-ton killing machine? Even if it is my responsibility to avoid you, you will still lose this one. Don’t make it a game of you’re right, I’m wrong. Watch your own ass and hopefully you’ll come out alive. —I’m doing my job, now please do yours
This article appears in Nov 20-26, 2014.
DOING THEIR JOB
“But I must request this; please, please, please pedestrians … pay more attention when crossing the road… Watch your own ass and hopefully you’ll come out alive.” I’m doing my job, now please do yours
But how can they do their job of paying more attention when crossing the road and, at the same time, watch their own ass? Is there contradiction here?
(Avatar #87: A Letter from the Hauptstadt der Bewegung!)
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
Jeez! The nerve of these CFAs!
Welcome to Halifax where pedestrians have the right-of-way, albeit informally. I have walked the streets of the world and only in Halifax do we (pedestrians) own the roads. I understand getting acclimated to another city is difficult, but know this: we will bitch back and we bite-hard. So, get over your self-righteous attitude and accommodate me!
Yep, my thoughts exactly. You can be right because you were in the cross walk but “dead right” wouldn’t be fun. If both parties try their best to be carefull then there is a better chance to avoid it.
This goes both ways. Just this morning I saw a BMW make a quick right turn into a crosswalk and cut off the pedestrians trying to cross. It was as if the driver felt entitled to unencumbered travel – pedestrians be damned. I think it has gotten to the point where pedestrians don’t trust drivers to follow the rules any more so they just take their chances when they see an opening and hope for the best. It’s a sad state of affairs.
“While I am concentrating on about 10 different things while driving—other cars, narrow streets, parked cars, pedestrians, cyclists, changing lights, bad weather, school crossing guards, bad drivers and our beloved pets of the world”
In that case pedestrians would be worrying about other pedestrians, joggers and dog walkers come to mind as well as people with mobility issues that do require the full width of the sidewalk. Pedestrians also worry about narrow or non- existent sidewalks much like your narrow street worries. Pedestrians also dodge cyclists and worry about changing lights then are actually more affected by bad weather then someone in a cozy car. But you got me on the crossing guard part. Pedestrians don’t need to be on the look out for some one in reflective clothing and a big ole stop sign int heir hand, that must be tough for you. And yes, pedestrians do in fact worry about bad drivers too and as I mentioned they also have to be on the look out for our beloved pets and their droppings.
I feel so bad for you, OB. Its tough having the responsibility of driving. One would think its a privilege and not a right, but hey, who am I to pass judgment?
Only time I’m a ped is usually when I miss my effing stop and have to walk back.
Like this morning… in the rain… after already being late because of an accident at the fairview graveyard and some massive fire or something on Robie that apparently took an army to manage. (4 firetrucks and a gaggle of cop cars)
🙁
SPEAKING of SHITTY…
How shitty is it that Scotiabank announces hundreds of layoffs to cut costs but manages to buy naming rights within a month or so to the metro center AND the fucking movie theatre in bayers????
That seems massively shitty to me.
If Corperations are people, they’re the equivalent of a shyster
RSVP
Nukka (11/27, 9:40AM)
INCOMPLETE CITATION!!!
The complete quotation should finish with ” – you have but one thing to concentrate on, and that is the driver that is approaching the crosswalk.”
An incomplete quotation, as no doubt you are aware, is tantamount to a distorted and therefore invalid citation. Invalid citations, as I am sure you are also aware, invalidates one’s entire argument. One cannot be too careful.
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
Welcome to our fair but dysfunctional city so full of imbeciles and no common sense. Everyone just does as they please without any thought to anyone else.
Yours truly
Can someone please explain why there is so much hate towards CFAs? Honestly….I really don’t get it. And in the last 10 years it has gotten so much worse it seems. I know there is going to be a bunch of silly trolling answers – but an honest one is really what I’m looking for.
no idea, i didn’t even know what it meant til i moved here
Self-preservation, people – practice it
The Captain
yep, situational awareness
Good post. Let’s face it, all of us – peds, cyclists, car drivers, truckers – are on the roads. If you weigh much less, and are much less protected, than the other things that may hit you, it behooves you to pay more attention than the drivers of the heavier, faster things.
Incidentally, it is legal to jaywalk in Nova Scotia. It’s only a chargeable offence if you jaywalk in such a manner as to force a vehicle to yield…as in braking. It’s more dangerous actually, based on statistics, to cross at a crosswalk, than it is to jaywalk safely.
RSVP
montrealman (11/27 12:14PM)
Yeah, because an anonymous guy that goes by the moniker “Nukka” and uses an ICP avatar is desperately seeking credibility. Oh lordy….
Screaming Fields of Sonic Love
RSVP
NUKKA (11/30, 1:46PM)
I detect the onset of schizophrenia. You must try to get a grip. Alternatively, perhaps avoiding posting soporific comments about your bicycle might help.
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
Realist in Dartmouth on 11/30/2014 at 1:37 PM said:
“Incidentally, it is legal to jaywalk in Nova Scotia. It’s only a chargeable offence if you jaywalk in such a manner as to force a vehicle to yield…as in braking.”
I just wanted to point out the inaccuracy of the statement above. While I understand the sentiment that judicious jaywalking may actually be the safest way to cross a street, jaywalking against a light is indeed illegal. As an avid viewer of legislature television (just joking of course!) I think I can point you to the pertinent law. Please see Bill 7 below and the pertinent amendments to the MVA, which includes:
6 Clause 93(2)(i) of Chapter 293 is repealed and the following clause substituted:
(i) “don’t walk” light – pedestrian traffic facing this signal, either flashing or solid, shall not start to cross the roadway in the direction of the signal;
http://nslegislature.ca/legc/bills/60th_2nd/3rd_read/b007.htm
Besides, you only get a ticket when you jaywalk in this city if you end up getting hit by a vehicle.
Yours truly.
RSVP
montrealman (11/30 3:06pm)
What bicycle?
Yours. The reference to your $1000 bike was on another thread but I found the task too soporific to track it down.