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CorporateProvocateur OP t1_j2fip2s wrote

Reply to comment by KerPop42 in Your Take on DC Pedestrians? Are they Aloof? by CorporateProvocateur

> By not making eye contact, I force the car driver to actually stop for me

This is what I find uncomfortable. I don't know that you've seen me. This is like trying to communicate something with no confirmation that the message had been received. A message in a bottle. Aren't you worried I might NOT have seen you. Seems much riskier to your safety to me. It seems a really big risk for a very small benefit.

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golden_ratio324B21 t1_j2flgej wrote

Alternatively, even if I make eye contact with a driver, who’s to say they still wouldn’t mow me over as a ped? If I waited for eye contact and a ‘go ahead’ gesture from drivers, I’d never get anywhere as a pedestrian in this city.

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CorporateProvocateur OP t1_j2fmdls wrote

I understand this perspective. I mean I guess I'm just assuming most drivers don't want to hit people and are less likely to run over a person looking right at them.

I'm not saying wait for permission. I do this because I feel like it makes things super clear. Just seems not worth the risk to be not to check.

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golden_ratio324B21 t1_j2fn240 wrote

I would hope most drivers don’t want to run over people but then again I’ve had drivers look me dead in the eye and still pull out in front of me (also driving). The think there’s a unique combo here of 1) city dwellers used to being pedestrians 2) tourists/those who aren’t comfy being pedestrians as well as 3) people absolutely tuned out for whatever reason as well as notoriously bad drivers in this area so you see al types of behaviors from both drivers and pedestrians.

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keyjan t1_j2fnpox wrote

Couple years ago, a neighbor of mine out here in the burbs was crossing the Post Office driveway. A driver pulled up to the stop sign, they both made eye contact, my neighbor took a couple steps out into the driveway and the driver ran her over anyway.

(In the “Convenient Cop” vein, the driver behind the striking vehicle was an off duty cop. Neighbor (70 yo!) got a broken shoulder and hip, but fortunately recovered nicely.)

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stormcloudbros t1_j2fkow9 wrote

What does it matter? You have to stop either way.

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CorporateProvocateur OP t1_j2fmlc4 wrote

It makes me anxious that people are just walking out into streets not looking for cars and just expecting all cars to always perfectly follow the rules.

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stormcloudbros t1_j2fmr4y wrote

Honestly, you should be somewhat anxious and alert driving through a city full of people because you dont know what’s going to happen around you.

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KerPop42 t1_j2fvq91 wrote

The benefit is crossing the street at all tbh. And yeah, I consider giving enough warning to the drivers to be important. I don't stand in a crowd, and I make sure that there's enough space that the driver will be able to comfortably stop when I'm already in the street.

But if you're driving in the city, you really do have to be careful. Drivers are at the bottom of the legal totem pole because we have so much potential to harm everyone else and are more nimble than trucks and busses.

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