The Plight of the Pedestrian

Imagine you were back in 1907, or even 1917, 1927, or 1937. If you looked out on a street at that point, you would see a drastically different image. Most of the traffic on the streets were pedestrians, people walking too and from their destinations. They would be heading to the market, work, church, or places of buisness. Pedestrians were everywhere, and there was a general courtesy that wheeled traffic used to deal with them.

Nowadays whenever someone wants to go somewhere, be it across town or just around the corner, they hop in their vehicle and are off. The mode of transportation we use frequently we know is depleting our fossil fuels and issuing polutants into the air, yet we use them anyway. People have come to depend on having a car, and the car has become an important part of moden society.

I used to own a car, still do. But at this point repairs on the beast will cost more than 10 times what I paid for it, so on my lawn it sits, amusing cats but going nowhere. I have been reduced to the status of pedestrian. And I have ever since been appaled by the lack of courtesy that modern drivers show anyone on foot.

Firstly Valdosta is one of the worst places to be on foot, there is a large and noticable lack of sidewalks anywhere outside of the downtown area. Also most of the crossing signals are in the downtown area, with few in other areas, and still fewer of those that actually work.

Secondly most drivers today seem not to have heard of a cross walk. Though they are painted on about half the intersections, the cars seem to see them as somewhere to stop in. Many times I have had to walk around cars because they haven't the sense to stop outside the crosswalk. And the drivers get mad at me over this.
Thirdly there are alot of cars that don't use their blinkers. This causes me to wait to cross the intersection because I am not going to put myself out in front of a car that I assume is going forward. This often makes the driver mad because they are wanting to turn the direction I am standing and I am in their view or in their way. They will angrily wave me over and I will just shrug and walk on at a safe pace while the driver is wishing I was related to Speedy Gonzales.

And the last and most major problem facing pedestrians are the drivers themselves. They are a rude bunch nowadays, and I have had to jump out of the way of cars on occassion lest I be run over. And with the way most drivers act I don't doubt it would be a hit and run. I don't want to die or be injured, but I do like to get back from work to where I rest without having to look over my shoulder to make sure that a car is not about to clip me.
I have been a pedestrian for quite a long time, and though I drove some when I had a car, I still walked an awefull lot because I don't have a liscence. I have been struck by cars and had many many more narrow misses. If the trend toward this behavior continues I will be worried to be out on the streets at all!
My point is please, if you are going to drive watch out for the pedestrians. We deserve a share of the road too.