Stupid driver tricks.......

[osodecanela]

Shortly after noon today, I headed over to the hospital. I stepped off the curb into the crosswalk but not out into traffic, until I was certain that traffic was going to stop for me. A white SUV that was heading east, slammed on its brakes when I waved my arms, coming to a screeching halt. The driver proceeded to hurl pejoratives at me as I proceeded across the street. "I couldn't see you in that dark clothing, you fat %$#&!”

The truth is, he wasn't looking. I'm 5'8" and 270. For you to miss a man my size, in dark clothing & in full sunlight on a bright sunny day, you have to not be watching. Walking back to my office less than an hour later, at the exact same crosswalk, another driver, a woman in a Prius headed west slammed on her brakes, coming to a screeching halt inches from the crosswalk. I was already a third the way across the street; had she not stopped in time, I'd be in the ER at Memorial, rather than at my desk writing this.

Sadly, today was not an unusual day traffic wise on Sonoma Avenue. Vehicles barrel past on this wide section of roadway. At least twice per week, I'll have a car fly past while I'm in the crosswalk, crossing the street. How hard is it to give a pedestrian the right of way? It is kinda the law, ya' know.

I've just written both to the entire city council, and the letter to the editor section of our local newspaper. Who know's, maybe someone will actually do something about this.

Comments

[bosendorfer-boy.livejournal.com]

Good grief! Sounds like drivers in your area are about as terrifying as those in mine. Glad you're okay!

[osodecanela.livejournal.com]

I was at one time a bike commuter and am not willing to do that in this area any longer. I loved riding bike and in my youth was a delivery boy - in Manhattan (and I don't mean Kansas)! I've had at least two colleagues taken out in traffic on bicycles here in the past decade. The drivers here frighten the crap out of me.

[bosendorfer-boy.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's no good. I actually just went on my first bike ride in some years this past Sunday. There are some great biking trails in this area, but. . . you can paint as many "sharrows" on the road as you like; folks in cars still aren't going to pay close enough attention / yield to cyclists.

The ride was great fun! Save for a short one about four years ago (when I was visiting Phoenix and some friends took me for a brief jaunt downtown on bikes) it was the first time I've really gone on a serious ride since I started driving at 16. Matter of fact, some friends gave me this bike last year, but until Sunday I hadn't taken it out because I'm terrified of being around Las Cruces traffic on a bike. It's nerve-racking enough to deal with LC drivers in a car.

[broduke2000.livejournal.com]

That's a neat photo of you in jail. Makes me think kinky things.

[allanh.livejournal.com]

Write an eloquent letter to the Mercury News' Mr. Roadshow, and see if he can tell you the best way to go about having this looked after. You might even appear in his column!

[osodecanela.livejournal.com]

Will do. Thanks for that suggestion.

[jharish.livejournal.com]

FYI, a friend of mine was killed in Santa Rosa in a similar situation.

http://www.mercurynews.com/pacifica/ci_22775884/michael-black-leaves-behind-legacy-good-works-and

[osodecanela.livejournal.com]

My condolences.

His face looks familiar. Was he at your wedding last September?

[jharish.livejournal.com]

He died in February last year, otherwise he would have been there. He was involved in several Santa Rosa non-profits and you may have met him that way. He was really friendly but a little weird - just the way I like it.

[broduke2000.livejournal.com]

You do have something that everyone should see, no matter what you're wearing: RED HAIR.

*HUGS*

[osodecanela.livejournal.com]

I had though of mentioning that, Duke, especially since I also had my hair down. The guy just wasn't looking and rather than taking responsibility for that, all the creep could do was shout at me his frustration. His karma will come around.

While it was responding in kind on my part, I did flip him the bird without bothering to turn around.

[broduke2000.livejournal.com]

I know that I STOP when I see red furr.

[danthered.livejournal.com]

Ugh. That's the kind of thing that'll really wrench a whole day. :-(

[osodecanela.livejournal.com]

The first one left me ticked. The second unnerved me, since I was directly in here path.

[labeartorycub.livejournal.com]

Some drivers don't care anymore and feel entitled to drive as if they're the only ones. I'm glad you weren't hit. You know... it's been nearly eight years since I last saw you in-person at an LJ picnic. We should rectify that.

[osodecanela.livejournal.com]

I'd very much like to rectify that. Let's talk this weekend. I'm pretty sure I have your number still. You around Sunday afternoon?