This isn’t my original post. It’s Sunday, I’m tired, I’ve had a drink (or 2) so my original post is sitting waiting for a better review. This post is about my major running pet peeve. What the hell are drivers thinking!?
Ummmm, what was “I” thinking? I used to hate those stupid stop lines. Why is the line so far back!!!! I can’t see the oncoming traffic there!! Gads, engineers must be complete idiots!!!
I have a running path that has, and, I kid you not, a 100% failure to look for pedestrians. A week ago I entered one of the streets with 2 cars way back, a car coming towards me to turn right into the neighborhood and then an additional car behind all of them to turn left. The car getting ready to turn right toward me stopped for me. I had eye contact with the #2 car, the number one car never, ever saw me. She blew a full car length past the stop line and was hesitant to turn right. She could clearly see the stopped car waiting to turn right from the opposite direction. Another car turned left, yet she still waited. Another car turned left into the neighborhood and yet she still waited. Never once did she look right to check why the other car was still waiting. She finally turned right, still never seeing me. The car behind her waited to move up to the stop line until I got through and the original car was still waiting. I made sure to acknowledge each car and gave the 1st car a huge thank you when I passed. I was wearing the most obnoxious loud Brooks florescent yellow rain jacket that glows in the day.
On today’s run I had 4 cars run stop signs in front of me…not even slowing, they didn’t see cars, so obviously the intersection was clear. Yet at a huge intersection, I had a car refuse to cross until they were sure I wasn’t crossing. What is the difference between a light and a stop sign? In my area apparently a stop sign is a suggestion but a light creates manners?
Being a runner has given me a whole new prospective on road safety. Look both ways folks, really. The runner/biker/child has already stepped into the intersection you are just entering. Why in the world can’t you look both ways!!!!
Love
Heather
flippinrunner 