Is this inconsiderate...

[Locutus of Bored]

I don't see how it's rude. I walk at a fairly brisk pace but I'm not going to start jogging because otherwise the driver has to wait a whole extra second to turn. Seriously, it takes about a second (normal speed) or two/two & a half at most (if you're slow due to age or infirmity) to cross the width of a car. It just seems like you would have to be seriously impatient to find this an annoyance, and that kind of impatience while driving isn't a good mix.

Plus, I don't look at the cars because I'm non-verbally saying "Yeah, I'm making you wait, WTF are you going to do about it?" I look at them because I want to confirm that the driver sees me and isn't going to run me over the second I step out onto the street.

 

[Franklin]

Now I know the walker has the right of way,

End of story right there. Sit tight in your climate-controlled vehicle and show some patience. I do not have to run across a road in deference to a car.

And, for what it's worth, I make eye contact with motorists on purpose as both a cyclist and a pedestrian. It's surprisingly effective at stopping them from pulling out in front of me or advancing on me when they should not. I don't know how this can work, but it does.

You have the right of way as long as you have the walk sign, or are in the intersection when the walk sign switches to don't walk. In DC, the signs have timers that count down the number of seconds for walk, then turn orange and count down the number of seconds until the light changes. Then, an orange hand blinks on, and that means there's about five more seconds until the light changes.
It's amazing how many pedestrians downtown just cross anytime they want. Even when the countdown stops and the "halt hand" comes on. It can get very bad at lunch time. Crowds just keep crossing regardless of the signs.
The way I see it, I'll give a pedestrian every courtesy when the right of way is theirs, but in this case, when the countdown stops, I see the intersection as mine, and I'll ease through it if I have to. That may sound rude, mean, or dangerous, but the truth is, if a person doesn't, they could sit through a light one or two times while people just keep streaming across the street. It gets ridiculous, especially during tourist season.
The timers were supposed to alleviate this by letting pedestrians (and drivers) know where they stand. But so many pedestrians just don't care.

 

[Emher]

I do it as well, and my friends look at me every time like I'm an idiot or something. Granted I'm the most epxerienced driver in my friends group so I know that you rather don't stop completly to save gas if you're driving.

 

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

The only time I do the diagional crossing thing is if i'm on one of those streets that has both sides with a crosswalk that turns to "Go" (little white walking man) at the same time.

 

[T'Baio]

I happen to think it's polite to make haste to get out of someone's way if you're impeding their movement.

I don't hold the "I have the right, so fuck you and wait" belief.

I just think it's inconsiderate.

 

[Augustus]

I live next to a college campus and it can be pretty annoying to have to wait for people as they cross the street at the slowest pace imaginable, talking on their phones, slowly inspecting every inch of ground as they creep across...

I am filled with uncontrollable rage just thinking about it...

 

[Franklin]

I live next to a college campus and it can be pretty annoying to have to wait for people as they cross the street at the slowest pace imaginable, talking on their phones, slowly inspecting every inch of ground as they creep across...

I am filled with uncontrollable rage just thinking about it...

From my experience (more than a few campuses) that's par for the course on college campuses. From before the days of cell phones, too.

 

[An Officer]

Reminds me of a comedy sketch - a guy crossing the road dressed in a giant snail outfit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW-LAjDHE3w&feature=related

It's been around for years, still makes my sides hurt!

 

[Holdfast]

I'm so tired of the slowest walkers in the world crossing, and staring right at you as they do it.

The slow bit doesn't bother me all that much, but the intense staring can be really weird sometimes. Like "I'm going to follow you, and eat you later on" weird.

 

[Starbreaker]

I get absolutely pissed off when I allow people to cross and then they don't even acknowledge me an/or stop to chat on the cell phone halfway through the crosswork. When I'm walking, I try to cross the street as quickly as possible because I am always afraid of getting hit (especially on campus).

 

[Miss Chicken]

I get absolutely pissed off when I allow people to cross and then they don't even acknowledge me an/or stop to chat on the cell phone halfway through the crosswork. When I'm walking, I try to cross the street as quickly as possible because I am always afraid of getting hit (especially on campus).

When you are driving though a green light while pedestrians are waiting for it to turn red so that they can cross the road do you acknowledge them? If not, why should they acknowledge you?

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

Because it's a green light and the driver has the right of way.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Because it's a green light and the driver has the right of way.

Yes, but when the pedestrian has the right of way at a crosswalk should they have to acknowledge the drivers that stop?

 

[kitkat]

This really bugs me.

When I'm at an intersection crossing the street with the right of way, and there's a car waiting for me to pass so it can turn right...I jog or even run to get out of their way. Just being nice and plain courteous.

I'm so tired of the slowest walkers in the world crossing, and staring right at you as they do it. Sometimes they start going diagonally, up the street, so it takes them even longer to get out of your way.

Now I know the walker has the right of way, I even believe the walker has moral and ethical rights above that of the driver...but I still can't help thinking people are being egocentric and inconsiderate.

What do you think?

While we're at it, if I open the door for you, a thank you might be nice. Rude ass motherfuckers.

I actually agree with every word you said here.

I swear sometimes people slow down when they realize you're letting them go in front of you. Ugh.

 

[pookha]

I always try to hurry across for the sake of courtesy as well, and it annoys me when people obviously take their time. Not the elderly or otherwise infirm, of course, just people who are clearly sauntering at my expense.

pray tell how do you know.
a lot of stuff like lupus dont show on the outside.
do you have have some type of medical sensor vision??

 

[Miss Chicken]

It is also difficult for people to tell that I suffer from bad osteoarthritis - so much so that I was granted a disability pension a couple of years ago.

 

[Trippy]

I'm a pedestrian. I don't have a car. I have a child. We go as qiuick across the crosswalk (on our walk sign) as we can, as long as the weather is good. If it's snowing or raining, it takes us longer so we don't slip. I've lost count at how many drivers turn on our ankles. I had to stop, with my child, more than once in the crosswalk so we wouldn't get hit by a car. One time, the driver nearly hit us and screeched to a halt right in front of us. I was so mad I hit his hood of his car and yelled at him for nearly killing my son! And he had the nerve to roll his eyes at us!

So, wait. It won't kill you. Not waiting might kill someone else.

 

[T'Baio]

I always try to hurry across for the sake of courtesy as well, and it annoys me when people obviously take their time. Not the elderly or otherwise infirm, of course, just people who are clearly sauntering at my expense.

pray tell how do you know.
a lot of stuff like lupus dont show on the outside.
do you have have some type of medical sensor vision??

Pfft. It's never lupus.

 

[nevermore]

As someone who is far more frequently the pedestrian than the driver, I always hurry when someone is waiting. Yes, it's rude to maintain the same pace when crossing in front of traffic that you use when wandering in the park; I don't expect someone with a walker to break into a trot, but at least make some effort. A healthy adult who saunters past will in fact get the "idling in first gear" rev.

I also never, ever expect a car to stop unless I have the walk sign and they have a red light. If they stop when they don't have to, I usually just wave then on since they can get through the intersection much faster than I can.

 

[RJDiogenes]

I always try to hurry across for the sake of courtesy as well, and it annoys me when people obviously take their time. Not the elderly or otherwise infirm, of course, just people who are clearly sauntering at my expense.

pray tell how do you know.
a lot of stuff like lupus dont show on the outside.
do you have have some type of medical sensor vision??

Yes, I do.

It's not always possible to tell, of course, but some people just have that attitude; they walk slowly, at an angle across the street, give you the smug look, sit on your hood and smoke a cigarette.....