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This mindset is such a contrast with the calm automotive culture of Canada. In Toronto, drivers habitually wave "jaywalkers" across the street no matter where.
I have to admit, I've played chicken with drivers like the OP more than once. It's pretty foolhardy, but if I'm confident they can see me, I'll make them back down. The thought of sending the blood pressure of OP-type guys through the roof is irresistible in some moods. Mea culpa.
Here's a good article on the real truth about "jaywalking":
I don't know anyone named Jay, so I think I'm good....
The people who bother me are those walkers in the street at dusk or night wearing BLACK. I think they either are incredibly stupid or have a death wish.
I have jaywalked...but only if there are no cars coming. I'm not stupid enough to believe any car will stop for me if I am crossing illegally.
I have to admit, I've played chicken with drivers like the OP more than once. It's pretty foolhardy, but if I'm confident they can see me, I'll make them back down. The thought of sending the blood pressure of OP-type guys through the roof is irresistible in some moods. Mea culpa.
So in other words, you intentionally play in traffic. I hope you have life insurance. I also wonder what kind of cars you are up against in Canada. It seems like the 3 most popular cars are the Hyundai Elantra, followed by the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. Would you be as foolhardy in front of a loaded semi-truck? How about a 3,200 kg pickup truck with a 6.7 liter turbo displacement engine with a catback exhaust revving its engine at you and blowing a compressed air horn? Or a P90D Tesla S capable of going from 0 to 60 in 2.8 seconds?
I honestly think that looking at laws for these kind of things is the wrong way to look at it. You can't put down every single aspect of coexisting in society into a law. It would be a lot more sane and civilized if most of these things were handled through common sense, courtesy, and just being polite and respectful of the other person. In my humble opinion.
And I mean it both way. The way I see it, giving way to pedestrians and jaywalkers largely depends on the kind of road and the speed at which one is traveling. If the speed is low and the road is narrow, such as in most small towns and villages or in narrower streets in the city, cars and bikes should generally stop for pedestrians. Even if it is not a stop light.
Think about it, in a narrow street, if someone is backing out their car or if someone else is trying to parallel park and blocking the road, as a car driver, you would give them a minute or so. You're not going to blast your horn at them right away (unless they are taking way too long). So extending the same courtesy to pedestrians seems to the right thing to do.
In a bigger faster street, it is completely the other way around. It is downright dangerous for a pedestrian to jaywalk when multiple cars are going in either direction. It is even dangerous for a pedestrian to stand in the middle of the road. Walk across to the next signal and wait for the light to turn red. Or wait until there are absolutely no cars in either direction. And it is even more dangerous and illogical for a car to stop in the middle of fast moving traffic to allow a pedestrian to walk across.
Even in the pre-car days, I am sure that no pedestrian would try and walk across a fast moving horse carriage. And I am sure no horse carriage would be stupid enough to drive recklessly at high speeds in a narrow cobblestone road filled with pedestrians. They basically worked it out out among themselves.
I shall keep it politically correct, but around here, from what I see, it is a very specific group of people that will treat streets like they own it, cross on your green or drag through intersection blocking arterial, giving you very condescending look same time.
I actually had post on jaywalking about a year back, it got me so bad. Add to it wearing all black clothes doing their jaywalking thing, in an unlit street in total darkness now, winter time commute. Can't see them.
But hey, Police Chief here in Seattle said "it's safe to cross within ten feet of intersection" so guess what they will do?
This X 1000000000000000.
I live in a Small Town in BFE South Carolina.. There is a 4 lane road through town.. Very dark in places.. I cannot even explain how many close calls I have had with people at night in dark clothing walking across the street or someone on a bike going the wrong way...
Is it Jay walking if the coast is clear, or only if you are an obstacle?
Why don't you check the rules/regulations/laws in YOUR community and find out exactly where you are supposed to cross the street, and what the penalties are for not doing what the rules/regulations/laws call for?
I know of at least two people who paid the ultimate penalty for jaywalking on Main street:
They are DEAD!
I can't help noticing you didn't challenge the data, though. You basically just said you didn't like it; that's not the same as demonstrating that it's not true.
Every thread people do this, I have a job, no time to read every wack job liberal or conservative web page.
I can't help noticing you didn't challenge the data, though. You basically just said you didn't like it; that's not the same as demonstrating that it's not true.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles22
Is it Jay walking if the coast is clear, or only if you are an obstacle?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mighty_Pelican
If I am to come to a stop I will honk and rev the engine but not signal them to pass to see if they stop or go back to the sidewalk or have the audacity to continue.
Furthermore, I will actively honk and rev my engine to let jaywalkers know they are not welcome, which usually leads them to stand in the road to the left or right of me and give me a finger. if I see a jaywalker starting to enter my side of the road I will honk and rev my engine as well, which gets the law breakers angry.
Is the reason for this bizarre behaviour to do with the pedestrian crossing the road slowing you down or slowing you up in some manner? if so one can only imagine the stress incurred with traffic lights,stop signs,left lane campers etc. .
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