I live in a fairly new 55 and over. There are sidewalks EVERYWHERE. Nobody uses them EVER. Everyone walks in the street.
Neighbors overreacting or do I need my eyes checked?
- Thread starter avacado11
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Anyone who walks in the street at night in a dark neighborhood is a moron IMO. I live at the end of a culdesac, my road is notorious for this. People will walk down the road at night because it is quiet wearing black clothes, no lighting or reflective items, then wonder why you didn't see them standing in the middle of the road. Just asking for a Darwin award.
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Scroo'em. I was raised to be aware of vehicles on the road when I was walking or riding a bike. I still am. I am amazed at the number of 50, 60 and 70+ year old people who walk full-bore out of a grocery or other retail store, straight into the front drive aisle without even slowing down, looking to see if they are about to get killed or anything.
If anyone thinks the average intelligence in the US has risen over time, you are flat out wrong. We are a nation of people who think they are protected by rules and regulations.
If anyone thinks the average intelligence in the US has risen over time, you are flat out wrong. We are a nation of people who think they are protected by rules and regulations.
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I live on a 1.4 mile unmarked, steep and twisty dead end road. My home is 1 mile up the hill. We are in the woods with no street lights and that's how we like it. Neighbors don't keep on outside lights either. Great place for low light pollution and to see the stars. We run into this often as the road is popular for families walking dogs or just the pooch getting a walk at night. Fall time is the worst as it's dark before 5pm.
Some reflective gear is a must. I'm doing 30 and looking for people at night and it's still difficult to see them all the time. No sidewalks here. A few houses down is a retired Deputy Superintendant of State Police. He is old but remains squared away! Full traffic vest when he walks his Great Dane plus a light with a red signal cone. Add to this he hears a car coming and he stops and faces the traffic (not much traffic here).
Even with all that I've had a few instances where I don't see him until I'm close. It's imperative to have something reflective. God forbid the person is drinking or high or texting....so easy for it to be "too late" for a correction and there is no do-over.
Some reflective gear is a must. I'm doing 30 and looking for people at night and it's still difficult to see them all the time. No sidewalks here. A few houses down is a retired Deputy Superintendant of State Police. He is old but remains squared away! Full traffic vest when he walks his Great Dane plus a light with a red signal cone. Add to this he hears a car coming and he stops and faces the traffic (not much traffic here).
Even with all that I've had a few instances where I don't see him until I'm close. It's imperative to have something reflective. God forbid the person is drinking or high or texting....so easy for it to be "too late" for a correction and there is no do-over.
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If you don't carry a small LED flashlight in your pocket at all times, you should.
If you find yourself having to walk down a dark road, you can use it to warn others, if they happen to be looking at the roadway instead of their phone before they hit you.
If you find yourself having to walk down a dark road, you can use it to warn others, if they happen to be looking at the roadway instead of their phone before they hit you.
I don't think it has to do with intelligence, just entitlement. People think "I have the right of way, so if they hit me they are wrong", which is true, but I grew up with the thinking that I would rather stand out of the way on the side of the road when the car passes and be alive than be "correct".
OP was in the right.
If I walk where there are NO sidewalks, I wear a reflective vest.
Too many drivers are distracted, and I won't give them the excuse of, "they didn't see me".
I think most people walk in the street at night to prevent from tripping on the uneven sidewalk joints.
But that still doesn't make it right.
If I walk where there are NO sidewalks, I wear a reflective vest.
Too many drivers are distracted, and I won't give them the excuse of, "they didn't see me".
I think most people walk in the street at night to prevent from tripping on the uneven sidewalk joints.
But that still doesn't make it right.
Glad none of you are living in my neighborhood.
It goes both ways. I drive cautiously in my neighborhood, but I also don't stand in the middle of the street at night wearing dark clothing scolding cars who can't see me.
Yeah in all of WA a LOT (not all) people walk at night with BLACK jackets and pants. NUTS!!!
I'm with the reflective vests suggestions. Politely.
I'm with the reflective vests suggestions. Politely.
How long is your street? The speed limit is 30mph(but not posted) on a similar 1/4 mile long winding dead end street my parents live on. But 30mph is way too fast really as there's no sidewalk and no street lights, and there's no need to go that fast as the street is so short. 15 or 20 is plenty around the corners especially at night.
I remember as a kid, we did have one neighbour who was the traffic cop, he would wave the odd person down and explain that speeding wasn't worth the trouble they could have, and no one sped.
I remember as a kid, we did have one neighbour who was the traffic cop, he would wave the odd person down and explain that speeding wasn't worth the trouble they could have, and no one sped.
Conversely I am amazed how fast morons drive in parking lots/spots knowing at any moment a carriage, door, vehicle or person might pop out.
You might be “right” however that express ride to the body shop sucks or watching someone hauled off by ambulance and answering police questions.
I watched from my car in slow motion almost a real loser do 20 MPH near front of lot and wind take a loose carriage and seriously damage their front end.
Imo you adjusted your trajectory and gave them plenty of space once you saw them. Next time maybe they should plan ahead and wear noticable clothing at night or realize vehicles cannot see pedestrians at night as easily considering they're not using a flashlight.
In this scenario you are fine, they should be wearing something more visible. They appear old enough that they should be able to work this out for themselves, but if it helps explain it.
In general to the ancillary comments in thread: people are idiots, be they in cars, trucks or out. I'm not sure how most of them feed themselves. One really only need to look at the shipping cart return corral at any establishment that has more than one size cart to see the full reality of the situation.
In general to the ancillary comments in thread: people are idiots, be they in cars, trucks or out. I'm not sure how most of them feed themselves. One really only need to look at the shipping cart return corral at any establishment that has more than one size cart to see the full reality of the situation.
I disagree. The OP should NOT apologize. If he did, its not inconceivable his words end up in court at some point to be used against him.
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How many entitled chances do you think you have against a 6,000 lb vehicle plowing down the road at 35 mph with someone screwing with their phone?
It really doesn't matter who has the right of way or what someone is thinking. If you want to be dead, keep acting like someone is always going to move out of your way. It's the same behavior these people have on sidewalks, in stores, etc. They seem to walk STRAIGHT AT ME, while there is room to their right to move over while walking. I ain't moving. I navigate while walking the same as I do while driving, I keep to my lane/space, towards the right. I have had people walk straight at me and shift within 6" of me. I always brace that elbow....
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I agree. I am shocked at how fast people are driving in parking lots/etc today. Heck, one recently I noticed at a CFA (which you know are tight and FILLED with cars/people, was an unmarked local cop in an F150. FLYING through the property, no emergency, just getting in the drive through line.
You should tell this neighbor exactly what Musk just told a bunch of former Twitter advertisers.
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