[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Long, long ago, in mom's house, we were taught that pedestrians have the right of way once they're already in the road, but should stop at the curb and look both ways before crossing.

In the Villages, people don't stop and look both ways. They just - walk. They don't care that a car is only a few feet away from them going 25mph. They expect the car to slam on the brake and let the person step off the curb, walk along the street for a few paces, then meander leisurely to the other side.

Happens all the time at strip-malls. They don't try to cross where cars have stop signs. They just cross wherever they feel like, whenever they feel like, and think "right of way" applies to them even before they step off the curb.

I had some lady yell at me one time because of that. I was driving past Hungry Howie's and no one was at the curb or in the street near me, and she just strode out of the store and off the sidewalk and slapped the side of my car and yelled that I was supposed to stop for her.

She should've gone to the corner, stopped, looked both ways, noticed that I was RIGHT THERE a few feet away and moving in a vehicle that could have harmed her, and waited til I passed where she was standing, and THEN stepped off the curb.

But no - it was MY fault for not being able to guess that she was going to pick that spot to step off the curb and cross the road.

I'm the one who would've been in trouble if I had hit her. I'm glad I didn't. But pedestrians do NOT always have the right of way. You only have it if you're already in the road before the car comes. You don't have the right to step off the safety of the sidewalk or curb, or step INTO traffic that is already there. You just flat out don't have that right.

Clearly, I agree 100%