h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'd been down to the Credit Union to pay in some money I'd earned cleaning windows over the past couple of days. And on my way home, turning onto Bridge Street (that's the extremely short street which is really just the bottom end of High Street), speeding up after the traffic lights, I came to that new pedestrian crossing between O'Connor Square and the Bridge Centre, the main shopping centre in the middle of town. The road markings suggest that it isn't intended as a zebra crossing. It's a band of red paint, not a series of white lines. I think it's going to be turned into a pedestrian traffic lights system, even though there's another set of traffic lights not thirty meters away.

And there are a couple of ladies stepping off the pavement into the road. They're in the path of my bike, but they're a little way ahead. I can't say they stepped out right in front of me. In fact, I won't even have to slow down: I'll pass behind them.

This thought had not, though, occured to them. They had not seen me approach, judged my distance, and thought that I'd pass behind them or even that I'd have time to slow down. In fact, they hadn't noticed me at all. So, when they looked up and saw a speeding cyclist bearing down on them, they panicked and stopped. Right in front of me. Causing me to come to a screaching halt. No; I didn't hit them. I did, though, very nearly hit a small boy who was, with his father, also stepping off the pavement without looking at the traffic.

Yes, people. A pedestrian crossing gives you right of way. Sort of. You walk up to it, and stop. You wait by the edge of a road with a stance which makes clear your intention to cross. You wait either for a break in the traffic or for a vehicle to stop. And then you step out into the road.

The two ladies stepped out in a gap. I had enough time to come to a gentle halt, if I'd wanted to. But that was pure luck on their part. They hadn't looked and judged my distance. They hadn't noticed I was there at all. The man and his son stepped out behind them, perhaps thinking that the way would be clear because the women were there. Even so, you shouldn't walk along the pavement and then suddenly turn at right angles onto the road without a pause.

Ah, well. No one got hurt.

TRiG.

http://voice-of-timothy.blogspot.com/

It always makes me wonder how people can completely ignore the traffic. I once witnessed that a woman was about to cross the tracks of the Underground - somebody pulled her back only seconds before the Underground was there
Oh, and I'm reading your blog. I love the Marvin song, but that's probably because I have the original series on DVD and love that. I didn't really like the new movie.

As someone (on this site no less) told me don't underestimate folks intelligence just their awareness (nore or less). I think it applies, in that it's a fact people will do stupid things like walk out into the road becuase they cant hear a car or see one in their peripheral vision and perhaps their minds on other things (that not only young kinds, harried fathers and OAP's - but you and I are prone to). So what does this add up to? Expect folks to do stupid things and drive defensively.

Are you still available for window cleaning?

Are you willing to cover travel expences?

Hi P4T. Haven't seen you around for a while. You have a fair point. I'm not always the most aware myself, though I do try to be awake while cycling. And perhaps I had not made enough allowances on that occasion for others' sleepwalking.

TRiG.

I saw your post on the blog, Bel.

The new film annoys me, too. It's Hitchhiker's with all the funny bits taken out. I never saw the TV series. I have the books and the radio series, though.

TRiG.

Have a glance at A17451173.

Absolutely agree bout the stupid pedestrians! People are think. Why won't they walk the extra 3 feet to the crossing or indicate before they change lanes or .......?

I've seen that entry, thanks for the link.