so I am winding down my hike with the dog
out of the woods and onto the sidewalk
up the block and then onto the street
I stand by parked cars mid-block waiting till it is safe to cross
it is cold wet and icy
I am being careful... I am always careful when crossing the street
up hill traffic is clear as far as the eye can see
downhill traffic is not only clear but the lights are such that no cars can legally head downhill
I know this because I know the light cycle
I live here... I drive here... I try to cross the street safely here
I check downhill again... it is clear
as I start crossing I check up hill again
still moving forward I heard it before I see it
a low end sedan... maybe a Honda comes screaming down park road
IGNORING THE RED TURN ARROW
also
IGNORING THAT THE SPEED LIMIT IS 25MPH
and perhaps not intelligent enough to understand that it is icy which decreases traction thus demands and increase in stopping distance
I stall... halting before the double yellow line
I step back pulling the dog with me in and effort to put ourselves someplace more safe
the car arcs a fast and dangerous turn past me
in their lane... but fast and loose... running the red light... showing no respect to a man and his dog nearly in front of his house
impulsively I flip the driver off
not only did are they speeding and running a red light
but they are showing the pedestrian in the road no respect by trying to slow as they cross paths
so often this happens...
a person is in too much trouble to stop for a red light
but flip them off and they have time for an escalated altercation
interesting... this person is 100% Wrong... yet they pull over
to have a discussion? more than likely not
the car is pulled over
I am back to the other side of the street
the self righteous man in me is not about the fight
but about the discussion
about who is right and who is wrong
not about who would win the fight
the car is there... my heart rate increase as I watch the car...
I watched it pull over... I see brake lights.... reverse lights....
I walk with the dog at my side with ice crunching in my feet
my rain jacked blows open as I gesture... here I am
I am not trying to engage a fight
so what am I doing? there is no educating people in this modern age
this is not the age of reason
this is the age of self importance
there is some move brake light on off behavior... the driver is thinking
what are they thinking?
I am sure they are wondering the same thing
what is this man with the gray beard and gray dog thinking?
what is this old man's intension?
I need to contain myself... sometimes I can not contain myself
these conversations rarely go as planned...
but sometimes they do
the driver of the Woodner Apartments Van drives respectfully and waves each and every time he goes up and down the block... only after we had a discussion and came to an understanding
now I feel like it is my friend driving by
we wave and smile... it warms my heart that we came to an understanding
but I still have no idea what is going to happen here
the driver appeared to be latino male
it appeared that he was alone
I have no desire to fight anyone... for some reason I still believe that I can open people's eyes to the senselessness of speeding
as I get closer... driver still not in view the engine revs, the tires spin out, and the driver lets out a Mexican Rebel Yell... and drove off
not the meeting of the minds I was hoping for
but not a confrontation with MS13 either
this person more than likely travels past my house like this several times a day every day
ALWAYS driving like this
always putting me, my family, my dog, my neighbors and friends at risk
that is why I can not let it slide
"accidents" can be avoided
out of the woods and onto the sidewalk
up the block and then onto the street
I stand by parked cars mid-block waiting till it is safe to cross
it is cold wet and icy
I am being careful... I am always careful when crossing the street
up hill traffic is clear as far as the eye can see
downhill traffic is not only clear but the lights are such that no cars can legally head downhill
I know this because I know the light cycle
I live here... I drive here... I try to cross the street safely here
I check downhill again... it is clear
as I start crossing I check up hill again
still moving forward I heard it before I see it
a low end sedan... maybe a Honda comes screaming down park road
IGNORING THE RED TURN ARROW
also
IGNORING THAT THE SPEED LIMIT IS 25MPH
and perhaps not intelligent enough to understand that it is icy which decreases traction thus demands and increase in stopping distance
I stall... halting before the double yellow line
I step back pulling the dog with me in and effort to put ourselves someplace more safe
the car arcs a fast and dangerous turn past me
in their lane... but fast and loose... running the red light... showing no respect to a man and his dog nearly in front of his house
impulsively I flip the driver off
not only did are they speeding and running a red light
but they are showing the pedestrian in the road no respect by trying to slow as they cross paths
so often this happens...
a person is in too much trouble to stop for a red light
but flip them off and they have time for an escalated altercation
interesting... this person is 100% Wrong... yet they pull over
to have a discussion? more than likely not
the car is pulled over
I am back to the other side of the street
the self righteous man in me is not about the fight
but about the discussion
about who is right and who is wrong
not about who would win the fight
the car is there... my heart rate increase as I watch the car...
I watched it pull over... I see brake lights.... reverse lights....
I walk with the dog at my side with ice crunching in my feet
my rain jacked blows open as I gesture... here I am
I am not trying to engage a fight
so what am I doing? there is no educating people in this modern age
this is not the age of reason
this is the age of self importance
there is some move brake light on off behavior... the driver is thinking
what are they thinking?
I am sure they are wondering the same thing
what is this man with the gray beard and gray dog thinking?
what is this old man's intension?
I need to contain myself... sometimes I can not contain myself
these conversations rarely go as planned...
but sometimes they do
the driver of the Woodner Apartments Van drives respectfully and waves each and every time he goes up and down the block... only after we had a discussion and came to an understanding
now I feel like it is my friend driving by
we wave and smile... it warms my heart that we came to an understanding
but I still have no idea what is going to happen here
the driver appeared to be latino male
it appeared that he was alone
I have no desire to fight anyone... for some reason I still believe that I can open people's eyes to the senselessness of speeding
as I get closer... driver still not in view the engine revs, the tires spin out, and the driver lets out a Mexican Rebel Yell... and drove off
not the meeting of the minds I was hoping for
but not a confrontation with MS13 either
this person more than likely travels past my house like this several times a day every day
ALWAYS driving like this
always putting me, my family, my dog, my neighbors and friends at risk
that is why I can not let it slide
"accidents" can be avoided