666monkey

One thing that I can't seem to fully understand about this city is that pedestrians walk straight out into traffic without any indication of fear. Honestly. This happens to me every day. Last week, I saw a man send his cute little 3 year old daughter ahead of him scampering between cars into busy traffic. It was after dark. Tires sqealed. He looked puzzled. He had intended for her to cross the street in this way. Yesterday, I was riding my motorcycle and the light turned green, so I spun open the throttle and shot off as I normally do when in the front of the line. A moment or two AFTER I did this, a woman stepped into the crosswalk right in front of my bike and all the other oncoming traffic. She looked confused when I swerved and glared at her as I passed through HER crosswalk. I just don't get it. Sure, I believe in giving way to pedestrians--just not DOWNTOWN in RUSH HOUR with nearly-gridlocked traffic flooding the streets when the DONT WALK sign--oh, sorry, that's the RED HAND sign in case they can't read English--is clearly illuminated and traffic has the green. No wonder we get called Balitimorons.