People & parking lots

When our kids were small we were driving on the highway in the boonies,
going about 20 miles away, to meet at a state park for a picnic with friends.

We came up over a hill & around a blind curve, & there, across both lanes,
were 3 young boys with fishing poles riding their bikes side by side!!!
Luckily, hubby was going way under the speed limit
& they moved over just in the nick of time!

I wanted to pull over & give them a lecture on riding single file!
Hubby said I wasn't their mother,
& it wasn't my place to lecture somebody else's kids!
That was back before the whole 'it takes a village' thing!
I thought if it was our kids doing something dangerous,
I'd want someone to yell at them!
I told hubby in the least he should have blared the horn & scared their pants off!!!
He said he thought about it, but was afraid they would wipe out!

A couple of days later it was in our newspaper,
that someone came along after us & did hit one of them!
He was killed & the driver was being charged with involuntary manslaughter!

I made a phone call & we went into the police station to give a statement.
Apparently there were no witnesses to the accident.
When we told them that we had almost hit them too,
& were able to verify the time that we were traveling through there,
which wasn't mentioned in the newspaper, the charges were dropped.

But that's one of the biggest regrets in my life,
that we didn't stop & make them aware
that what they were doing was so dangerous!
They may not have listened anyway,
but then again, they may have!!!
WOQ

a reply to: wasobservingquietly

I don't know what to say about this. Anything I can think of seems hollow, and just ignoring it seems RUDE and definitely not worthy of it.

Sigh.

a reply to: schadenfreude

I've seen it as stupidity on both sides.

In fact tonight I almost got hit head on walking into my nearest meijer - I was walking on the right-hand side, and was just about to cross when some idiot (I used more colorful language, as their window was down) decided "hey, no-one is in the incoming lane, so I'll just blow the stop sign and turn here"...Well, I was walking in that lane. Sad part was she didn't stop; it was up to me to navigate that 1 inch space away from her car.

Now then, be aware that I pay attention to my surroundings - I've had plenty of times where there would be people walking down the center of a parking aisle (head's buried in their phones), and fail to realize that traffic is right behind them (movie theater lots are the worst). Some of them will go on to be a Darwin Award contender I'm sure, but I won't be the one to get them into the running.

Where in the parking lot were you? If it was in the lane usually right in front of the store, then I hate to say it, but the pedestrian will always have the right of way; even if you are moving. You hit them, and chances are, you will get the ticket. What is supposed to happen is that when there is a gap between people traffic, that is when you are supposed to proceed forward. Yes, it can be a bummer sometimes (Longest I've ever had to sit was 20 minutes so a lady could finish picking up her groceries), but that's how it's supposed to work.

-fossilera

People, need to start paying more attention to their surroundings. Drivers and pedestrians and bicyclists and motorcyclists.

My buddy was almost killed in a motorcycle about a year ago because some said they didn't see him.

a reply to: schadenfreude

Common sense isn't; that's one problem. These days, too many people have the entitlement mentality.

"I want it, so I should have it, and if I don't have it, I should be able to take it from you or make you pay for it for me. If you are in my way, you are at fault, even if you were there first."

TONS of people seem to think that way these days. I have a few for relatives, sadly. I see people like that in parking lots as well; not even looking around, on the cell phone, looking down, and walking as though they are immortal. Of course, if anyone hits them, that person would be blamed. The rule of thumb is the driver is assumed to be at fault, and it's stupid. If some idiot walks out in front of you, it's their fault. Sometimes, there isn't time to stop.

a reply to: Whatsreal

Did you check to see where she parked? Seen some like that, and only cameras and witnesses saved them.

It's true that some drivers are just as careless. The pedestrians I have a problem with are the ones that assume everyone can stop on a dime, even in places the pedestrians don't have the right of way. Examples:

I was driving a LONG time ago, down a street on a military base, early morning. The street was shaded on one side by buildings, and the other by heavy trees. Even in early light, you needed headlights to see anything on the road. This guy in a full dress uniform, very DARK in color, stepped out literally right in front of my car. No crosswalk, no signal, no street light, nothing. No warning, either, and he was invisible till he came across the hood and hit the windshield. No one saw him; other drivers stopped to tell me that and tell it to the MPs as well. He got off with a broken leg, and I had to replace a windshield. There, I was paying attention, but he wasn't. Big car, headlights blazing, and he just decided to cross there.

In my parents' old neighborhood, there was a kid, 5-7 years old, or thereabouts, who thought it was fun to hide between parked cars and dart in front of cars as they came down the road. Neighbors saw her do this, and told her parents. The drivers that almost hit her stopped and told her parents. Yet no one stopped her from being outside alone, to continue her little "game". I never herd of her actually being hit, which is a miracle, but had she been, the driver would have been blamed. She would hide, and literally dart out at the last moment, forcing the brakes to be slammed down HARD to avoid hitting her. Most of us stopped taking that street, who knew she did this, but some people didn't know.

People that walk while texting and not looking around are asking t be hit by people like the soccer mom that almost got you. People with kids do it, too. it's so bad that I sometimes stop and tell a parent that is watching how nice that is to see. Always gets a smile!

a reply to: schadenfreude

Do I pay attention as I cruise places yes...no music even I tried that but people always try to run me over...least I can hear when to jump now. Do I observe traffic laws and wait my turn...yes. All I expect is for drivers to do the same...not to mention if your commandering a 2 ton vehicle you should at least be twice as mindful as me. You sir sound just like the entitled people that try to run me over when I am only following the right of way...you know the system in place to keep us all straight. I don't have mirror and I can't see everything but at least I try and I'm not on a phone. Where I live every road has a median seperating traffic and I watch people as I come to crossings...80% never look both ways just the direction of traffic. However those I see on bikes, skateboards, and walking usually look watch and listen all around. Now you wanna act like your in the right here. Shame on you.

a reply to: RickyD

And how am I acting "entitled" by merely pointing out the obvious that "having the right away" does NOT guarantee you're gonna make it alive across the parking lot if you act like a twit?

How does THAT and other statements that support that, make me sound "entitled"?

Not to mention the obvious fact that this is the RANT forum, and hence by definition, an OPINION.

Reading comprehension fail, you should shoot whoever taught your English class, they really messed you up.

a reply to: schadenfreude

It. Doesn't matter how you put the veil over your arguement. You are saying that the pedestrian shouldn't walk in front of a car...and when it comes to a matter of a few feet I agree...which is why I'm alive talking to you. However you seem to throw right of way to the side which is wrong because thats the system that keeps us all straight. As long as we can all abide by the right of way we're fine...just seems we can't do that. Same reason we can't have an autobahn...most people don't even know what drive right means.

a reply to: schadenfreude

It is absolutely beyond me how anybody could walk around without paying attention to the fact that there are, like you said, two ton moving hunks of metal, everywhere. And the thing that really gets me about that is when you see parents crossing a busy street with their 4 or 5 year old child about 25 feet behind them, and the parents are just going on their merry way without even so much as looking back at their child.

To me, things are dangerous enough when you're really paying attention and being careful. But to walk around in your own little world is crazy. Nobody is perfect, but come on! At least make some effort to pay attention to what is going on around you and your family.