Pedestrians Watch Out!
 

Almost got hit again by a moving vehicle while on my morning walk today. Amazed by how few Villagers respect the walking public and ignore those who are approaching, waiting to cross or walking in a crosswalk.

This is why I always walk facing traffic

Worst is areas with no sidewalk or diamond lane that force pedestrians into the street to get to a MMP. Particularly near gates.

Absolutely no idea why you are amazed at all. Average age here is quite high and with that goes common sense, reflexes and concentration.

It won't get better so be vigilant and don't moan about it.

I think you might need to be more specific about how you were "almost hit"

Also, "approaching", "waiting", and "in the crosswalk" are very different things.

If a pedestrian is "approaching" the crosswalk, he has only one obligation----to stop at the street and wait for all vehicular traffic to pass. Motorists can "ignore" him

If he is "waiting", he has fulfilled his obligation, but motorists should watch him carefully lest he does something stupid.

If he is in the crosswalk, the motorist must stop and allow the pedestrian to cross. The pedestrian cannot however jump into the crosswalk when traffic is approaching and expect the motorist to brake into a skid.

Some jurisdictions have a statute that states motorists must yield to pedestrians in their half of the crosswalk. That seems a bit cavalier to me

Having watched so many pedestrians step straight off kerbside to cross roads without looking, I am amazed how many survive, not how many get hit!:shrug:

Just spend sometime in any Publix, Lowes, or Home Depot parking lot...

People simply step off the curb, without looking for oncoming traffic...

Their head is usually buried in their phone...

Yes a pedestrian has the right of way but they also have a responsibility to know what is going on around them. They should walk towards the traffic, if walking 2 or 3 wide the need to be prepared to get over to the side to allow a vehicle to pass, so goes for those walking in the middle of the street in the neighborhoods. We step to the edge when walking our neighborhood to allow cars and carts to fast safely.

Well said.

Almost doesn't count

How true! Those white grid lines don't protect you from a car with an inattentive or reckless driver, as one often sees in any of the big store parking lots around here.

Some months back I remember reading an article about three drivers at (I believe) one of the Wal-Mart stores here, all within a few yards of one another, backing out of their parking spots. The rear ends of all three cars collided. When things like that happen it pays to be extra watchful when walking near the path of any car.

You bring up a good point re: average age. I agree vigilance is key, but did not expect to come across so many rude drivers in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown. :)

No need to go into the specifics, but thank you for breaking down all the possibilities. :)

Haha, maybe it was you? ;)

Except when playing horseshoes and throwing hand grenades.lol :boom:

I am amazed by the amount of people who walk the paths in the morning and evening with DARK COLORED CLOTHING. The only person you can count on for your safety is you, make yourself as visible as possible when walking the paths

You didn’t say what time of day you were walking but the facts ,if you driving your cart into the sun you cannot see walkers in the shaded areas, at dawn and dusk dark clothing cannot be seen , you can see, but oncoming carts cannot see you,same applies to carts and cars without lights at early dawn and at duskin shaded areas.

When we first moved here I didn’t understand why there were so many law firm commercials. I understand now.

That looks like Regan Road, always hard to walk there day or night.

That being said, don't be a darkwad!

Joe

Urban Dictionary: Darkwad

do you mean curbside?

Just because I have the right of way walking, something motorize moving at 20 MPH and weighing more than a ton… I’m looking out for myself…

Quite true. Also realize you ONLY have the right of way walking when you are already in a crosswalk before a vehicle approaches.

Does your second sentence contradict the first? First you say to make yourself visible so others can see you, then you say to not depend on others. I agree with the second sentence. I don’t think it matters what I wear. I am vigilant and assume I am 100% invisible and get out of the way when someone approaches. It seems to me that making yourself highly visible might give you a false sense of security. It doesn’t matter how visible you are to a distracted driver.

Check the license plates of the rude drivers. Also many golf carts sport the license plate of the state the owner hailed from.

Quite a lot of those rude drivers in America's friendliest hometown aren't FROM America's friendliest hometown.

More so now as the snowbirds are flooding in.

Good point! Although I prefer a sidewalk, whenever I can find one ;)

I agree on the sidewalk. But sometimes that is not safe.

It felt like a contradiction to me too.

I had someone give me this advice one time: Don't cross in a crosswalk, always cross in the middle of the street. In the crosswalk you assume drivers are going to stop and you let your guard down. In the middle of the street you know they are aiming for you so you pay more attention.

I can wrap myself with light colored armor before I walk and feel safe. If that makes me let my guard down, if I'm walking in the middle of the path or happen to weave into traffic or have the sun behind me, the armor isn't going to help at all. On the other hand, if I'm paying attention to my surroundings, particularly to the vehicle coming towards me, then it doesn't matter what color I am wearing.

Come on, if you don’t like the way I drive, stay off the sidewalk.

//to those humor impaired, it’s a joke.

Laws
 

Two main laws in Fl, drivers must watch until walkers exit the crosswalk. Walkers must give drivers time to stop. If you step into the street and the driver does not have enough time to stop, you are at fault.

Wish I had posted that. Oh, wait.............:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

I'm amazed at the number of drivers who don't even look in the opposite direction of where whey are turning while running their stop sign! I really wonder how in the hell they've lived this long.:22yikes:

Probably because they haven't encountered their twin in the other vehicle:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

And right you are on all aspects of your post

Most villagers and people in general do respect pedestrians. Don’t lump everyone in with a few.

Similar to driving in the traffic circles, if you don't look out for the other guy, you'll be in trouble.

This thread reminds me the time in 1985 my Dad was given a position in a multi-national communications company. He had to move to London. He was always preaching to us as kids to faithfully to look left than right. Good thing my mother was right behind him when they took their first walk about in London. Looking left then right almost got him. He always kept his head on a rotating swivel after that episode.

If only they used the crosswalks...

It does in "Horseshoes and hand grenades..."

Almost everyone here moved here from somewhere else...

Damn! Someone beat me to it! :thumbup: