I make eye contact and walk at a normal pace. In Spain people get mad when cars drive down city streets. They glare daggers at you while they clear the street begrudgingly. We need that energy in the United States. Cars should know that they are second class citizens.
I usually walk just a little more leisurely than I normally would, so the car has to wait two seconds longer.
But if the driver is an asshole (sometimes, when I have the right of way or am already in the middle of the street when they come along they will honk at me to move faster) I stop dead in my tracks, turn and look at them like "are you trying to warn me of something? What are you tryjbg to alert me of?". Because honking isn't supposed to be your anger relief when something is not going as you want.
In parking lots, I usually don’t even make eye contact. I mean I keep the cars in the corner of my vision so I don’t get killed, but it’s their job to not hit me, I’m not going to duck and dodge around them.
I do this particularly in parking lots because those drivers are 2 minutes from becoming pedestrians themselves, so it seems fitting.
My move is a vague wave in the car's direction as I start crossing. It's a mix between "I know who you are and I'm fine with it" and "you shall not pass".
I don't even particularly like it, but it's something I saw my dad doing when I was a kid and now it just... comes out. Socialization is weird.
Same. It’s a half “nice of you” and half “I’m going now and I’m making that clear” mostly so I don’t get run over.
So weird though. Two humans walking at the same intersection will usually both try to find a suitable way around one another. Of course there are exceptions, but generally, pretty even and respectful encounter.
Throw one of those humans behind the wheel of a car and a TON of them behave completely different. As if the people walking don’t deserve the space in the world. Or that they don’t have the right to be “in the way.”
I try very hard to be a courteous driver and pedestrian, but just can’t believe how many greedy, selfish drivers there are. Eye opening if you walk around a lot.
Well, yeah, two humans at the same intersection can sidestep, move at snail's pace and weigh roughly as much as a small donkey or a large dog.
Give one of those apes a literal ton of metal hurling itself at cheetah speeds at the slightest provocation and able only to sort of slightly alter its trajectory in a bit of a parabola and the power dynamics understandably shift a bit.
Here's a fun note, I'm from a place where pedestrian crossings are seen as a mild invitation to slow down, so I tend to wait to see the car fully stopped before I do the magic handwave thing and cross. When I moved to a different country where stopping is seen as mandatory as long as there is anybody waiting to cross I got a TON of angry gestures hurled at me for doing that because drivers thought I was wasting their time by crossing too slowly.
Still can't bring myself to jump in front of the self-propelled metal missile coming my way at lethal speeds without at least seeing some slowing down, though.
The difference is still there for many drivers when at a complete standstill.
I’ve been in the same situation. Amazing how different pedestrian right of way can be, even in cities less than 100 miles apart. But countries are another story. Sweden vs Vietnam is an interesting transition, although Vietnam is still relatively pedestrian friendly in the sense that they’ll try to avoid you and don’t get angry because you exist. In some parts of Mexico, it literally feels like the drivers want to run you over, even if you blatantly have the right of way.
We need that energy in the United States. Cars should know that they are second class citizens.
They are, companies are the first class citizens, cars secound, and people (who aren't billionaires) 3rd
Are you sure they're not just doing normal eye contact to make sure they're not getting run over? It's more or less taught like that here in Germany.
Positive 😄 i went to marbella for a medical thing and stayed in the old town, and when the hospital sent a car to pick me up, people were very annoyed every time.
How did they express their annoyance, other than looking at the driver?
Angry hand gestures, obviously taking their time getting out of the way, etc
A thumbs down is so much better as a reaction to a shit driver than a middle finger. One just says, "Hey fuck you", while the other says, "I am disappointed in you"
I posted the following in another thread but this is what I do:
I'm a tiny woman who isn't starting road rage, so what I do is just make the other person concerned. I've done this as a pedestrian and a driver.
It's really easy, as a pedestrian walking past, pause slightly and drop your eyes to their front grill, tilt your head slightly and grimace. If in the car, point and sit up in your seat like you're trying to get a better view of their car and do the same face. Look alarmed even.
I've seen multiple drivers pull over to check out their cars. At the very least it makes them take time out of their day for no reason - and inconveniencing dickheads is always fun - but given we're in Australia, their imagination can take them to all kinds of places. What did she see? Is it still there? Is it in my car now?????
Similar to the pretending to step over something prank, but this makes the person worry about what's wrong with their car all day. Far more effective.
I love this so much, I'm stealing this idea. Thank you!
Nothing wholesome about this obsequious subservience to cars.
Wholesome would be reclaiming the streets for people.
The same people usually do the same while driving, like stopping very cleanly and making eye contact to make the pedestrian feel safe. Or being quick, polite, and clear when at the store checkout
It's a people pleaser thing, not a 'subservient to cars' thing
They're not waving to the car.
like stockholm syndrome, but for cars?
Volvo syndrome?
I continue walking because I don’t want to normalize a mindset that pedestrians need to beg to use public paths. It should be drivers that feel mildly uncomfortable moving huge equipment through areas designed for pedestrian use.
I force my way in when cars don't want to stop, and good way to wake up in the morning before work, with a chance to not having to go to work while educating people in cars! win, win, win
I threaten the driver with a revolver so they know their place next time
Pedestrian crossings are part of the sidewalk and there is no reason for a human to ever be 'thankful' to continue walking exactly where they're meant to. Remember, at an uncontrolled marked crossing, a pedestrian always has the right of way, whether it's going over a small one lane street or (shudders) a four lane highway.
There's no reason for a human to ever be "thankful" in millions of situations. You're allowed to be gracious. You don't need to be callous about how the world has to be.
Similarly, pedestrians always have the right of way on the road. You may have been convinced otherwise, but Jay-walking is car manufacturer made up bullshit. It is illegal in some states, but even still pedestrians have the right of way, you can just be fined for exercising it. Roads were originally owned by people, not cars. Cars were visitors who now have overstayed their welcome.
misread car as cat at first and was like "yup, reasonable - i also want cats to like me."
I'm always sure to honk my horn and yell "Great job, genius!" so they know I think they're doing great and also smarter than average.
i would personaly advise against running thru crossings (you become less predictable if you run)
I do this too, but actually it is kind of ridiculous, because i often cross in places where cars are obligated to stop, but most never do and try to quickly drive through, so that pedestrians and people on their bikes need to watch carefully as to not get run over
I usually don't like it when they do this. It often forces me to cross even though I haven't checked the other lane or the bicycle paths. I much prefer waiting when I have to wait, it makes everything more predictable and lowers the chance of accidents.
I guess it depends on where you live. In my town its just assumed the cars are going to stop anyways and so pedestrians are dangerously dismissive of the existence of cars on crossways, sometimes people don't even look before crossing.
Drivers have learned this and are always super careful near crossways and new arrived pedestrians get used to it quickly and keep the pattern going.
I mean this is how it should be, pedestrian cross are for pedestrian, cars are entering pedestrian zone on them not opposite, the infrastructure should be changed to make it more obvious like they do in Netherlands
Oh I agree, I like the way they do it here.
In my state cars have the right of way unless it’s a crosswalk and you have the signal to cross.
https://codes.findlaw.com/al/title-32-motor-vehicles-and-traffic/al-code-sect-32-5a-212/
Jaywalking is a capitalist conspiracy, pedestrians should control the means of crossing
I agree, but I live in Alabama everything here is backwards.
If I get there at the same time as a car and they stop then I'll politely hurry through. If I'm a ways off and they stop and try to wave me through, I'm not rushing. You could have already gone before I got to the crosswalk. You made your own bad decision, it's not my burden.
I do not look at them. Just a sideways glance to see if they are slowing down. I walk at my pace and never hurry unless I want to.
It is illegal for them to run me over. Pedestrians always have the right of way. We do not even have jaywalking laws.
My wife calls them hedgehog legs.
Everyone else does it just because it’s polite
What if you just mouthed your thanks to them and crossed without expectations about how or what they should think?
Crossing the street can be a dangerous thing, crosswalk or not.
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