The almost constant occurrence of people stepping out onto a pedestrian crossing without checking for oncoming vehicles is concerning me and my wife significantly. As she wisely mentioned today, “They don’t stop to think that drivers can be distracted (texting or talking) or having a medical episode, or even may have stolen a vehicle (foot hard down on the accelerator).” And what about emergency vehicles? Should they need to wait because a pedestrian thinks they have right of way?
Do they just ‘know’ (subliminally?) that they’ll be OK even if they don’t check on their surroundings before stepping onto the crossing. Or is it the lure of the ubiquitous smartphone that keeps their senses glued to it, and not to what is happening around them.
My thoughts return to a news item I heard some years ago (when mobiles were the newest fad and everyone HAD to have one). A girl and guy were planning to meet up. He was driving in his pickup truck (yep, USA) and texting her re her whereabouts and she was on the sidewalk, texting back to him her location. His distracted driving while texting had him hit her as she stepped out onto a crossing near where they were to meet. Of course, she was distracted too and not looking for traffic – more interested in his texts.
Just an accident? I think not, but what about you? Have you been involved (or nearly) either as a driver or a pedestrian? Or (more happily perhaps), just as a witness?
Benny
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