No more holiday drivers

[SamSpade]

I've never quite figured out precisely why, but I've observed it for decades - there's MUCH worse driving around the holidays and it really doesn't matter where you live. I used to think there was increased carelessness because a lot of people who typically don't drive MUCH are in fact driving, because the holiday shopping kind of forces it.

But I'm doubtful.

Of the numerous events I encountered this holiday season, three of them are easily attributable to obnoxious driving.

One was after leaving Best Buy, and on the crosswalk - after a driver paused to let me cross, the OTHER lane was interrupted by a car going full speed through the parking lot as if there were never a need to watch for pedestrians. They could have easily been doing 40 or 50, but they NEVER slowed down. Later, the same day I was going around the bend by the McDonald's, and the person EXITING the McDonald's parking lot treated the place like a two way stop - and pulled full throttle into the lane I was traveling in, barely missing me - and shooting a glare at me as though he expected me to STOP. I pointed to HIS stop sign and shouted "STOP SIGN!".

Oddly enough - the day BEFORE traffic was snarled going IN to Wal-Mart, because the driver did NOT know they DON'T have a stop sign - and was holding up traffic letting everyone else enter the intersection, to the confusion of everyone.

Emerging from Giant and beginning to merge into the lanes going past the old Ruby's up to the light at 235, I got into the lane, seeing the truck coming out of the other exit - who then went up to full speed and began dodging and weaving around cars until he made it to 235. This would be typical Beltway behavior except the stretch of road is much shorter, which means swerving around 3 cars in about 100 yards at 50 mph is pretty damned dangerous.

And alas - New Year's Eve - crossing the crosswalk - an SUV pulled towards me and into the crosswalk apparently with no intent to stop. Having had enough of this crap, I stopped, pointed to the ground and shouted "CROSSWALK" - while they glowered at me and sped off AFTER I exited.

These are just the ones I easily remember - there were more, but not of these can be excused as feeble or nervous driver unused to heavy traffic. All of them can be ascribed to aggressive obnoxious driving.

What I don't understand is - it's more prevalent around the holidays. Is it possible I just NOTICE it more?

 

[GURPS]

What I don't understand is - it's more prevalent around the holidays. Is it possible I just NOTICE it more?

more idiots are not keeping the world safe by being at work, they are instead ' off ' and out running errands

 

[glhs837]

Hmm, all sounds like the normal, albeit still dangerous, noises around here. I've witnessed all these behaviors year round in those exact spot. Frequency might increase a bit as there are more folks out and about on the weekends than normal.

 

[Auntie Biache']

What I hate is pedestrians who don't understand that if I'm already going through the crosswalk in my vehicle, you can't walk in front of my vehicle and expect to not be run over. These are the people who walk out the door of WalMart and straight into the crosswalk without looking, or they look, see your vehicle in the crosswalk, look the other way, and proceed to walk into your vehicle.

Shortly after we moved here, an older woman was hit by a car in front of the grocer, while in the crosswalk. I don't know who was in the crosswalk first, but now I'm wondering if she walked in front of the vehicle that was already in the crosswalk.

 

[Grumpy]

^that...I do know that pedestrians have the right-of-way but, damn, you need to look before you walk thru a car travel area. I'd say 75% of peds I see in parking lots never look and are oblivious to their surroundings. Sad fact is, you hit one through no fault of your own, you are screwed.

 

[Spitfire]

Greetings:

As I was taught, pedestrians are the more vulnerable user and automobiles must give way. It doesn’t matter if the peds enter the crosswalk after the driver.

 

[Auntie Biache']

^that...I do know that pedestrians have the right-of-way but, damn, you need to look before you walk thru a car travel area. I'd say 75% of peds I see in parking lots never look and are oblivious to their surroundings. Sad fact is, you hit one through no fault of your own, you are screwed.

In GA, it's a draw.

Pedestrians are required to use crosswalks whenever available. If a pedestrian is in a crosswalk, then Georgia law requires all drivers to stop and allow the pedestrian to complete his crossing of the road before continuing to drive through the crosswalk. However, pedestrians should also not expect cars to simply stop just because they dart out into a crosswalk.

§ 40-6-91 (b) No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impractical for the driver to yield.

§ 40-6-92 governs jaywalking and pedestrian crossings. Under section (a), every pedestrian crossing the street (crosswalk or not) shall yield the right of way to all vehicles unless he has already safely entered the road already.

 

[Tech]

What I hate is pedestrians who don't understand that if I'm already going through the crosswalk in my vehicle, you can't walk in front of my vehicle and expect to not be run over. These are the people who walk out the door of WalMart and straight into the crosswalk without looking, or they look, see your vehicle in the crosswalk, look the other way, and proceed to walk into your vehicle.

Shortly after we moved here, an older woman was hit by a car in front of the grocer, while in the crosswalk. I don't know who was in the crosswalk first, but now I'm wondering if she walked in front of the vehicle that was already in the crosswalk.

Crosswalks need to be no wider than six feet. Many times I've seen people who just walk out without even glancing.

 

[Ken King]

§ 40-6-91 (b) No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impractical for the driver to yield.

Maryland is similar - Section 21-502. Pedestrians' right-of-way in crosswalks (b) Duty of pedestrian. -- A pedestrian may not suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield.

 

[stgislander]

The crosswalk between Cecil's Country Store and Cecil's Old Mill is a scary place. Even with the new flashing lights and signage, cars go flying through it. A week before Christmas, I was leaving the Mill and had entered the crosswalk when a Penske truck (FedEx contract delivery) came flying around the corner. The driver saw me and hit the brakes hard. The truck came to a stop just at the crosswalk. I threw my hands up in the air and gave the driver a WTF look. She threw her hands up and returned with a "What" look. I later learned a worker at the Mill has called the Sheriff's office twice to report deputies blowing through the crosswalk while she's attempting to enter it.

 

[Clem72]

^that...I do know that pedestrians have the right-of-way but, damn, you need to look before you walk thru a car travel area. I'd say 75% of peds I see in parking lots never look and are oblivious to their surroundings. Sad fact is, you hit one through no fault of your own, you are screwed.

Likely not screwed. Most people who hit pedestrians are not charged criminally (civil is a different matter).

For vehicular homicide/manslaughter they need to identify gross negligence, not just fault. Having the right away is not enough to make the other person grossly negligent (for instance, if you decide to cross a busy street at night in dark clothes in the crosswalk. If you get hit the person who hit you isn't going to be charged).

Though I guess you did say parking lot, and if you are driving fast enough to seriously hurt someone/kill them in a parking lot you may be grossly negligent.

 

[vraiblonde]

Is it possible I just NOTICE it more?

Probably this ^

If they pulled all the careless oblivious drivers off the road it would cut traffic by half.

 

[glhs837]

Friken pedestrian squirrels. Just wander out in your path, then wake up and stop, maybe go back a step then come out again. As one, I try very hard to telegraph my moves so cars know what I'm doing. Another great pedestrian move is the looooonggggg diagonal crossing. Where they take 150 feet to cross a 20 foot strip of parking lot by doing it at a 5 degree angle. usually in a multipack of 6 people in max straggle mode................ And of course, they dont bother keeping an eye on lil' johhny, who saw a balloon and came back across the road..... .

 

[RoseRed]

^that...I do know that pedestrians have the right-of-way but, damn, you need to look before you walk thru a car travel area. I'd say 75% of peds I see in parking lots never look and are oblivious to their surroundings. Sad fact is, you hit one through no fault of your own, you are screwed.

And then the hokey-pokey their sweet time to cross.

 

[SamSpade]

And then the hokey-pokey their sweet time to cross.

While that's irritating - I still recognize that it is the law. On more than one occasion I have had to either assist someone who was walking very slowly - or due to injury, that person was ME.

It can be frustrating, and I personally do my best to hobble quickly and help people - but there's really no excuse for zooming through Giant, Target, Best Buy and WalMart as though there were no pedestrian walkways at all.

I'd rather white knuckle it out in a parking lot than face a traffic court judge - or worse.

 

[Auntie Biache']

While that's irritating - I still recognize that it is the law. On more than one occasion I have had to either assist someone who was walking very slowly - or due to injury, that person was ME.

It can be frustrating, and I personally do my best to hobble quickly and help people - but there's really no excuse for zooming through Giant, Target, Best Buy and WalMart as though there were no pedestrian walkways at all.

I'd rather white knuckle it out in a parking lot than face a traffic court judge - or worse.

Even at a slow roll through the parking lot, if someone walks in front of your car, they're not gonna' walk away unscathed. That said, I hear ya'.

 

[WheezyCarl]

We were exiting Wally World when a vehicle stopped to let us and others cross. Apparently we weren't quick enough, as a car went around said vehicle into our path. I didn't give him the "WTF" look, I gave him the WTF verbal assault. We had a lovely exchange of profanities, as my inner ghetto had emerged. When in Rome...

 

[Mavis]

^that...I do know that pedestrians have the right-of-way but, damn, you need to look before you walk thru a car travel area. I'd say 75% of peds I see in parking lots never look and are oblivious to their surroundings. Sad fact is, you hit one through no fault of your own, you are screwed.

P ppl

 

[LightRoasted]

If I may ...

While that's irritating - I still recognize that it is the law.

The law this ... the law that. Unless a violation of the "law" is visually seen in the presence of "law enforcement", or recorded, and an incident report, and all identifying characteristics of the offender, is filed with the appropriate authorities, then no "law" has been broken, and thereby cannot be enforced, nor can a person be penalized. In, life, it is, "cover your own ass first". If people want to play stupid games, let them win. Just ensure you have the evidence that they cheated. CYA.