i have a saying that ‘people tend towards stupid’ and generally life (and smokers flinging cigarette butts out of car windows) continues to prove me correct on this one…
another prime example of this seems to be the mono-dimensional thort patterns of pedestrians in stellenbosch who will be walking along the pavement, possibly talking to a friend or messaging on their phone or vibing by themself and then they come to a road intersection and without fail just walk…
none of that left, right, left stuff we were taught as kids… and especially people with kids… it is bizarrely confounding – do you live in stellenbosch and have you observed this? do you live somewhere else and think your pedestrains are as monumentally stupid and death wishical (they’re not!) as ours?
arrive at intersection, walk… cars must wait, no thort of impending death or the possibility of a vehicle much bigger and heavier (most times) than you…
and i don’t think i can make my last point, cos it is a point of race (in terms of my observation experience) but i am wondering if it is possibly a point more of wealth/education/upbringing and context that makes the people who do this the people who do this…
[and normally i am very observant when it comes to driving but the other night on the highway when three different okes ran across in three different places, i honestly don’t think i would have spotted the one running closest in front of me who kinda got deer-scared in my headlights if it had not been for tbV pointing him out and that could have had a very bad ending]
your thorts on shtupidt pedestrian type people? i really do think it’s specifically a stellenbosch thing [and interestingly enuff it is not drunk students for the most part – most of the cars are gone by the time they head home]
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I think I am stupid. But awesome at the same time. is that possible?
i am not a fan of “health and safety” and all these rules of Europe especially in the UK.
when i walk or even ride my bike or approach a turing circle in my car… i just go for it..
I “blame it on my south africaness” where it seems every man for themselves.
I dig it! getting out..is a matter of survival.
its weird how in over here (England) people stop and pedestrian crossings, and how even bicycles have right of way over cars in some places. and in Germany if you cross when the robot is red for pedestrians and one of those street cops see you… you’re so gonna pay a fine.
i prefer the chaos. 🙂
I agree with what you are saying but it’s a bit one sided…allow me:
Technically (lawfully) the road belongs to the pedestrian. Now don’t think I’m saying that this absolves the pedestrian from any responsibility but it calls for an understanding between vehicles and non-vehicular transport (incl legs). Both must look out for each other in a ‘LOOK OUT, you’re going to hit that guy” and “hey dude, I got your back”. Think vehicle mass vs. human mass. Think “maybe I should be a little bit more careful when I am driving.
Yes, just crossing without looking is reeaaallly stupid, even at a pedestrian crossing (that is why there are jagged lines in the road).
I park at work and walk wherever I want to be in stellenbosch and the way vehicles speed up to avoid having to stop at pedestrian crossings,the way drivers ignore people already crossing the road at crossings (and really LOOK THE OTHER WAY on purpose as if that will absolve them from guilt when they knock me over) or people don’t stop at stop streets is really shocking.
Will stopping at a pedestrian crossing sign for 30sec / actually bringing your car to complete stop at a STOP sign so that I can cross really make you lose that much time in your day? Or are your time just a little more important than mine?
So yes, being an irresponsible road user is really “shtupid”, driving or walking.
guilty. i actually do this a lot. not intentionally, i just forget. especially when i have my earphones on and the music is super good, i get lost in it and forget about my surroundings. i’ve been nearly hit way too many times.
my one friend vowed to never walk with across streets with me after a couple “aaahhhh, we are stuck in the middle of the road and there’s cars coming both ways” type situations.
so, i do know better. i just tend to forget a lot.
one thing that really bugs me though is when i try to be responsible and go through the effort of walking to the pedestrian crossing, where the pedestrian is SUPPOSED to have the right of way and drivers decide that because the car is bigger and heavier they don’t have to wait…
i see frans already made that last point i mentioned:
“the way drivers ignore people already crossing the road at crossings (and really LOOK THE OTHER WAY on purpose as if that will absolve them from guilt when they knock me over) or people don’t stop at stop streets is really shocking.
Will stopping at a pedestrian crossing sign for 30sec / actually bringing your car to complete stop at a STOP sign so that I can cross really make you lose that much time in your day? Or are your time just a little more important than mine?”