Comments on: Crosswalk? Bah.

By: Lynn Stevens

Lynn Stevens — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:15:42 +0000

I know that intersection oh so well! Like Kevin M. mentions, I always conduct myself as a 1st class citizen, albeit a wise one, not willing to get run over. I make my way across in one step increments pointedly looking at drivers, willing them to stop, but stopping myself if need be (and I’m still here!).

By: Kevin M.

Kevin M. — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:37:20 +0000

In Seattle, where I was just recently visiting (and biking/walking in), motor vehicles commonly slow to a stop for any ped. or cyclist who is standing on the corner of an intersection. I’m not even sure how much a painted crosswalk matters–I got the feeling the drivers were consistently reacting to any sight of peds/cyclists at the side of a road who were facing the opposite side. Seattle peds/cyclists carry themselves like 1st class citizens and rarely hesitated to /take their right-of-way/. In Chicago, such awareness (to the law and to other users of the public way) is rarely found. The driving class of Chicago (and the majority of cities in America) is considered by all (peds/cyclists too) to carry exclusive 1st-class rights to the public way.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:12:02 +0000

Sometimes I wish I could press a button that would raise a row of those tire-damage spikes.

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:19:10 +0000

It takes me, on average, 2 minutes of waiting to cross the mere two lanes of South Shore Drive, even though there’s a crosswalk. No one ever stops, and I wouldn’t dream of putting myself in their way on the assumption that they would.