Do you stop for pedestrians at zebra crossings? (Houston, Vega: airport, parks)

[N. Olikee]

After living in CA for a short time, I was "trained" that the pedestrian has the right of way. That's fine if they are using a designated crosswalk.....I yield to them. However, I can't stand people crossing "willy nilly" in the middle of a road without a crosswalk. They are taking their lives into their own hands!

[Sampaguita]

Originally Posted by LizzySWW

They shouldn't assume they're in NY where traffic stops for people.

Funny you mention that because growing up in the 70s/80s in NYC - no one stopped for people in crosswalks. I was so unaware of xwalks that when I moved to SoCal, I remember a few times standing at a xwalk and wondering why cars on both sides stopped. It wasn't until the 2nd time that someone yelled "We're waiting for you to cross!!".

That being said, I never assume anyone is going to stop at the xwalks for me but when they don't, I'm still somewhat dumbfounded (especially when you're with someone in a wheelchair plus a double stroller @ a xwalk in the burbs!).

[Grunn]

Originally Posted by texas7

. I flipped them off and mouthed F-off and went on my way. Probably not the smartest way to handle it.

Possibly not- I always 'help' them realise they nearly hit someone by kicking the f*** out of their car on the way past. You would be amazed how easily the door of a 'premium' SUV dents.

[texas7]

Originally Posted by elnina

It looks like this:

That looks like within the confines of an airport or business parks but what about on our normal streets? I don't think I've ever seen that in the middle of a normal street (other than overseas)? I've only see it on the normal corner intersection crosswalks but could have just missed them or not been in areas where they have those.

[texas7]

Originally Posted by 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.

Pedestrians are all over the downtown area and I was taught when I learned to drive a long time ago to yield to them and what the walk and don't walk signs mean to both pedestrians and drivers. When I see people that don't know how to yield to pedestrians downtown - my thought is geez what an idiot -- that person has no business even driving in a highly pedestrianized area. Parking lots - I was taught that if I saw a car backing out of a space - you know half out already - you stopped until that car backed out. Now people let their kids run behind backing out vehicles (where often they are too small to even be seen) and the ignorant parents go slap the back of the vehicle. People - your kids and sometimes you - aren't always visible to backing vehicles.

[LilyLady]

Originally Posted by 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).

This is exactly what nearly happened to me. I used to work near downtown and I'd drive through the area several times a day. When I stopped at one of these crosswalks, I nearly got hit. The pickup behind me wasn't paying attention (I guess) and had to swerve to keep from rear-ending me. Then he nearly hit the pedestrians! He flipped us both off, cussed at us and kept going. Kind of shook me up. That was close.

Now I live in a tourist town with crosswalks like this both at corners and mid-block. Lots of tourists down at our oceanfront and they walk a lot of places. Very few drivers stop for the pedestrians trying to cross mid-block. But I still do. Fortunately, the speed limit at our oceanfront is 25mph and traffic doesn't go as fast (when they remember the speed limit, that is) as it did in downtown Houston.

I loved living in Houston!

[Sampaguita]

Originally Posted by texas7

Pedestrians are all over the downtown area and I was taught when I learned to drive a long time ago to yield to them and what the walk and don't walk signs mean to both pedestrians and drivers. When I see people that don't know how to yield to pedestrians downtown - my thought is geez what an idiot -- that person has no business even driving in a highly pedestrianized area. Parking lots - I was taught that if I saw a car backing out of a space - you know half out already - you stopped until that car backed out. Now people let their kids run behind backing out vehicles (where often they are too small to even be seen) and the ignorant parents go slap the back of the vehicle. People - your kids and sometimes you - aren't always visible to backing vehicles.

I do have to wonder - are drivers being taught the same basic rules of the road that we were? Because there seems to be no regard for those rules. And what happened to waving your thanks for when you let someone ahead of you? I know that when someone gives way around here it's a rare occasion, though.

Agreed about pedestrians & vehicles backing up. They have some responsibilities here as well. The other day, a mother with 2 young kids on bikes started crossing against the red DO NOT WALK man while cars were turning. She kept walking while texting on her phone. Meanwhile, her kids were kind of fending for themselves.

People are just in too much of a damned hurry these days and too engrossed in their devices.

[Pontificator]

I always stop for zebra crossings. We should extend safety measures to other species, too.

[LizzySWW]

Originally Posted by texas7

Pedestrians are all over the downtown area and I was taught when I learned to drive a long time ago to yield to them and what the walk and don't walk signs mean to both pedestrians and drivers. When I see people that don't know how to yield to pedestrians downtown - my thought is geez what an idiot -- that person has no business even driving in a highly pedestrianized area. Parking lots - I was taught that if I saw a car backing out of a space - you know half out already - you stopped until that car backed out. Now people let their kids run behind backing out vehicles (where often they are too small to even be seen) and the ignorant parents go slap the back of the vehicle. People - your kids and sometimes you - aren't always visible to backing vehicles.

I really don't remember being taught to pay attention to pedestrians or studying the walk/ don't walk signs when learning to drive. The driving teacher had us drive all around the Galleria but there really weren't many people walking (back in the dark ages). Pedestrian safety is a topic driving schools need to teach in depth with all the walkers around town now.

Kids in parking lots! Yep, so many stupid parents let their kids run wild in parking lots and it's a growing problem. These are the same parents who let their kids run around in the mall & grocery store aisles. Hold your kids hands people. It's not that hard!

Rant/Tangent warning:
My biggest complaint about this city is that "personal space etiquette" is becoming extinct.

People are no longer aware of things like knowing it's rude to take up the entire width of a store aisle with their family. (When did shopping in Houston become a family outting anyway?????) If I have my kids shopping with me I'm constantly pointing out that we need to move over so we don't block the person coming toward us. They stay next to my cart at all times. And my youngest holds my hand as soon as we get to the parking lot. I'm just not seeing the same kind of basic manners reciprocated with others.

[Sampaguita]

Hey Lizzy - the problem I think is just a general lack of respect for anyone or anything. When I was in HS, we had some kind exercise where we were asked the one thing we'd want to teach our children. I answered "I'd want to teach my children respect - respect for themselves and respect for others - everything else will follow."

I still believe that. Wish more people thought more of themselves & others with respect.

On personal space - I can't stand it when people get so close to you, you can see the pores on their faces. BACK OFF, PEOPLE!