Watch Where You Step: A Note to Pedestrians

I find this necessary to write because, in the past two weeks, this incident has occurred no less than three times. Here goes..

I'm driving, okay? And the sun is out, big, bright, and beautiful. I am making a left hand turn at an intersection where I have no arrow, so I sit and wait for oncoming traffic to die down a bit. I make my turn and find, crossing the street onto which I am turning, a pedestrian. I slam on brakes and wait for them to pass.

Normally, this is not an issue. I am mindful of pedestrians having been one many times myself. However, as I said before, the rare anomaly of a sunshiny, winters day has hindered my ability to see these guys. Why? Well, because there is this thing when light is cast upon an object. That thing is called "shadow." If you need a lesson in light and shadow, may I suggest an art class at your community center? Or perhaps kindergarten?

Alright, so we have a city full of buildings, sunshine, light casting shadow...if you are standing in the shadows before you get your signal to walk, I will not be able to see you and, hence, a near accident may occur. The operative word in that previous sentence is clearly "near," because no accident has occurred. Not yet! Nor is it my intention to scare you as you're crossing the street. I'm not trying to give you a jolt. Contrary to my actions and testimonies, I do enjoy humanity. I like people. The reason I get so damned irritated with all of us is that we can all be selfish jags. (Also, it is because I work in customer service and people go brain dead when they shop. But that's neither here nor there. ) So, why on earth would I try and kill you on a seemingly calm and normal Thursday morning?

I am not writing this to put blame on you, Pedestrian. Though I do find your behavior after I hold up my hands and mouth "I'm sorry" in your direction a bit troublesome. So far I've gotten the, "What the fuck, you idiot!" look, the "Well, I am just scandalized" hand on the hip, and a very loud and obnoxious, "HEEEEEEEEEEEEY!" from a woman I am fairly certain I recall from a fight on a subway train in New York back in 2005. All of these reactions forcing me, begging me to scream, "Well...fuck you!"

Honestly. As I have said before, these incidents were not intentional. I simply did not see you. It should teach you something. It should teach you that we all need to work together to stay safe. Your walk signal is not the word of God. Oncoming traffic can still happen. Either it is a person like me who is making a left at the intersection, or it is your run-of-the-mill jackass who feels they are above the law and can disobey traffic signals. You, the pedestrian, need to be just as mindful of cars as I, the driver, should be of you.

Can we join forces? Can we put aside our differences and work together so no one dies? I do not think I am better than you simply because I have a car and you have to walk. I'm simply warmer.