Do you stop for pedestrians at zebra crossings? (Houston, Howe: oceanfront, schools)

[Sampaguita]

Ahhh...thanks, Zhang Fei. I just think of those as "crosswalks".

Yes - I definitely stop to let pedestrians go in zebra xings.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by ethanw

I always do and is very customary in Europe and Asia to stop. Regardless of who got the right to go, human life is more precious than you being late at some appointment.

Have you ever been to Asia???

I almost got run over by a freaking motorcycle on the sidewalk in Seoul, South Korea.
That's the last day I felt safe walking on a sidewalk.

[elnina]

Originally Posted by ethanw

I always do and is very customary in Europe and Asia to stop. Regardless of who got the right to go, human life is more precious than you being late at some appointment.
I don't see the same behaviour in Houston. They will pretty much run you over if you're not careful. Is very SAD

I don't know about Asia, but in Europe is a law.

[texas7]

Do we even have any so-called zebra crossings (as depicted in the earlier picture) in Houston? All I know of are the ones on the corner crosswalks.

[ethanw]

I've lived all over Asia mate.

Originally Posted by Dopo

Have you ever been to Asia???

I almost got run over by a freaking motorcycle on the sidewalk in Seoul, South Korea.
That's the last day I felt safe walking on a sidewalk.

[elnina]

Originally Posted by texas7

Do we even have any so-called zebra crossings (as depicted in the earlier picture) in Houston? All I know of are the ones on the corner crosswalks.

It looks like this:

[Houston_2010]

I used to not pay attention to pedestrian crossings until I moved for a year to Seattle. OMG! such a walkable area and learned more respect even stopping behind the crossing line at red lights or stop signs. One time I stopped my car at a red light, but over the pedestrian crossing and some homeless guy was making all sorts of manerisms of what a lack of respect I had. I said never again! Even here we have to take good care of pedestrians, keep crossings and ramps clean and available. Same goes to those people riding bicycles.

[juilletdix]

I'm always afraid that if I stop for a pedestrian in the crosswalk, I'll get rear-ended by another driver (one who is most likely texting and/or talking on their cell).

[elnina]

^^^ so you just run over the pedestrian?? You can mess up the front of your car...

[LizzySWW]

I'm guilty of being anti-pedestrian.

My area has become very pedestrian in the last few years. It doesn't always come naturally for me to look out for people darting out in front of my car. Even at a crosswalk.

Honestly, I've hit the gas without thinking & had to quickly hit the breaks plenty of times for walkers recently.

Historically Houston isn't a walkable city, so IMO pedestrians need to be aware of this & always be on guard. They shouldn't assume they're in NY where traffic stops for people.

Along a similar line........It bewilders me how people in parking lots walk across the lot without looking out for cars. They just walk out there like a special angel is protecting their absent - minded souls.

Cultural backgrounds may be at play here too. Many newer immigrants seem to feel they're just as safe as their native country when it comes to car vs. human.

Sometimes the striped crossing walks are under heavy oak tree canopy where it's dark and the striped paint is faded.....it's hard to see & people will dart out there right in front of cars going 30-40 mph.

My solution is to have rail road bars come down to block cars from pedestrian crossing points. Bars up cars go. Bars down people go.