I Am a Pedestrian
Walker, Everywhere... Since my eyesight no longer allows me to drive, I find myself walking when I don't have a ride. Where I live, public transport is virtually non-existent so it means I do a lot of walking. I'm ok up to about 8 miles in a single stretch. I walk to my local Frye's and it takes about an hour and a half to get there. My normal walk to work is an hour or so each way.
So, I average about 150-180 miles of walking each month as a result. It does mean I'm more conscious of the weather and the way people drive (lack of courtesy) than I did when I still drove. So far, I've had to walk in extremes of 100+ degree F sun shining the whole way 4th of July near zero degree F, high winds with snow blowing type weather. Luckily, I'm not bothered as much by cold, so that extreme isn't as bothersome except for the fogging of glasses. :) It is harder to walk when it is really hot though.
The lack of courtesy by drivers is pretty sad. It always makes my day when a driver is nice enough to slow down or let you cross since it is very rare. Usually they just whip by w/o a care as to your welfare. It's as if they never took proper driver's training (which many probably didn't). Simply put, the pedestrian <u>always </u>has the right of way. Reason is simple as well because as a pedestrian you cannot get out of the way of a large moving hunk of steel, plastic, & rubber. So, as a pedestrian, you must be extra vigilant about drivers and especially watch those who obviously haven't heard of "hands free headsets." It is not uncommon to see someone whizzing by with a cell phone stuck to their head w/o a care in the world. What they don't seem to realize is that if they hit and kill someone because they were too busy chatting up a friend, they will be doing 10 years or so for vehicular manslaughter in most states. There is no excuse in this day and age for having a cell phone against your ear while driving whatsoever.
So to all drivers everywhere, watch what you are doing because you may just be a moment's inattention away from doing someone bodily harm that you cannot take back. I'm sad to say there is no excuse for stupid.
So, I average about 150-180 miles of walking each month as a result. It does mean I'm more conscious of the weather and the way people drive (lack of courtesy) than I did when I still drove. So far, I've had to walk in extremes of 100+ degree F sun shining the whole way 4th of July near zero degree F, high winds with snow blowing type weather. Luckily, I'm not bothered as much by cold, so that extreme isn't as bothersome except for the fogging of glasses. :) It is harder to walk when it is really hot though.
The lack of courtesy by drivers is pretty sad. It always makes my day when a driver is nice enough to slow down or let you cross since it is very rare. Usually they just whip by w/o a care as to your welfare. It's as if they never took proper driver's training (which many probably didn't). Simply put, the pedestrian <u>always </u>has the right of way. Reason is simple as well because as a pedestrian you cannot get out of the way of a large moving hunk of steel, plastic, & rubber. So, as a pedestrian, you must be extra vigilant about drivers and especially watch those who obviously haven't heard of "hands free headsets." It is not uncommon to see someone whizzing by with a cell phone stuck to their head w/o a care in the world. What they don't seem to realize is that if they hit and kill someone because they were too busy chatting up a friend, they will be doing 10 years or so for vehicular manslaughter in most states. There is no excuse in this day and age for having a cell phone against your ear while driving whatsoever.
So to all drivers everywhere, watch what you are doing because you may just be a moment's inattention away from doing someone bodily harm that you cannot take back. I'm sad to say there is no excuse for stupid.
51-55, M
