Kids in the Crosswalks
I left for work this morning and not a half block later I encountered a young man walking in the street. In the street.
As I approached, it ws obvious to me that he intended to cross the street... eventually. The question was whether or not he would cross immediately or remain walking in the gutter (with a perfectly good mandatedly-built sidewalk two yards to his left, btw) until I passed.
Just at the moment I had to decide to slow down and swerve around him or continue on my way, he stepped in front of me. Not one moment before.
He didn't even look up.
I slowed, came to a stop. Waited for him to notice me. When he did not, I gave the horn a double-tap. Toot-toot!
Finally, he raised his earbud-wired head and gave me a look as curious as if he'd just discovered an interesting bug. But he didn't change his course, and he didn't speed up. He didn't even have the courtesy to jump in surprise or act in any way as if he had been in any danger at all.
Dude, what if I had been paying as much attention as you?
I relayed this story to some co-workers (who shall remain unnamed) who asked if the young man had been in a crosswalk at the time. No, he had not.
"Then you could've hit him, and it would've been legal!"
Yeah. Thanks.
This isn't the first time I've come across a young person in the street who had no inclination to get out of harm's way. One time, about a half-dozen preteens were loitering stock still in the crosswalk of a street onto which I wanted to turn. In this case also, I came to a complete stop waiting for them to notice me. After the double-tap (toot-toot!), several middle fingers shot up at me. And when they moved, it was grudgingly and slowly and accompanied with colorful language.
As if ~I~ was the one in the wrong.
Have you encountered this kind of attitude? It infuriates me because there's no recourse. I could call authorities, but by the time I would finish dialing, the offenders would be where they're supposed to be, and then what? The officer should wag a finger and give them a strong talking to?
Your thoughts?
Jul 10, 2010 at 11:48 a.m.
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I used to see this alot in my neighborhood as I was working in the yard. Every time I would say; "Hey guys, get out of the street, this is not the 'hood' and you're all old enough not to require toddler supervision."
Worked every time.
Jul 9, 2010 at 10:51 a.m.
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I've had the same thing happen to me. Kids by the schools at lunch will walk out in front of you and just stroll, take their sweet time. I got fed up with this time after time. So now I press the gas and they run!!! I have a big truck with flow master muffler, so you can hear it. When I hit the gas the louder I sound and the fast their stroll gets.
Jul 8, 2010 at 1:38 p.m.
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I would have enjoyed a tap tap vs toot toot.
These kids now adays haha, no respect.
Did they all have hoodies on too on a 90 degree day? Punks. sorry this has happened to me and cannot believe they WONT move and then have nerve to flip you off.
If you would have hit them the parents would have sued your well you know.
frusion" He never turned me in nor did I get in trouble with his punk friends, but that was also the last day he did that."
Sorry for saying this but COOL!
Jul 8, 2010 at 12:23 p.m.
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Coincidently we were just talking about this very thing at work a couple of days ago. I work with someone that lives on the west side of Madison and they experience the exact same thing.
.
I would not recommend doing this, but when I was in high school, day after day there was a punk that would stand in the driveway just to be annoying. One day I hit him with my car--not hard but hard enough and he hit the ground. He never turned me in nor did I get in trouble with his punk friends, but that was also the last day he did that.
Jul 4, 2010 at 8:42 a.m.
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This has happened multiple times while I was driving, the most memorable being when several teens stepped off the sidewalk to cross the street midblock in front of me. I was going about 15-20 mph in a residential neighborhood, so stopping was no problem. But one of the boys made a fist and whacked my hood as he passed. KEEPING my foot on the brake was the problem.
Jul 2, 2010 at 2:33 p.m.
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That is the way you thin the herd of the dumb ones, should of hit him. (I am surprised he did not flip you off)
Jul 2, 2010 at 9:43 a.m.
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TheAnswer: Oh, I've done that in my youth, too. But at least I jumped out of the way. I knew *I* was in the wrong. These kids I wrote about... not so much. It's their attitude that bewilders me.
~Rose
Jul 2, 2010 at 9:04 a.m.
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We used to stupidly walk into traffic when I was a kid. Later in life one realizes what an idiot one was. I'm guessing its during a moment like that you describe above.
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