Courtney Hansen

Watch out if you walk

You just have to wonder about some pedestrians.

I know, I know, they have the rightof-way on the street. But some days, I really wonder how some of them make it out of bed and dress themselves each morning.

Like today. Let me put you in the driver’s seat. I’m driving down the street, when out of the blue, a woman just strides up to the pedestrian crosswalk and steps out into traffic.

She doesn’t look up; she doesn’t pay the slightest attention to whether there are any cars coming; and she has no idea whether any of us can stop in time.

I was lucky I was one lane over; because nowhere in the laws of physics is there a mathematical formula that would have allowed me to stop the car in time.

Instead, I sailed through the crosswalk. And I wasn’t happy about it because even though I missed her, some silly part of me still believes human life is worth preserving, even when the owner of that life has no respect for it.

Oh, I was furious with her. And I got more furious as I drove away and realized she’s probably completely oblivious to her little near-death experience; in fact, she’s probably out playing in traffic again, right now.

So, in the interest of my sanity — if not her safety — here are a couple of reminders to all of us next time we travel -- by car or by foot — through a crosswalk. Oh yes, I say “we” because “we” turn into those same pedestrians on a daily basis.

OK, here’s the big one: punishment for walking into traffic without thinking . . . is final.

Yes, pedestrians can be inconsiderate and totally self-absorbed, gabbing on the cellphone or texting lunch buddies about where to meet. But in this country, at least, the punishment is . . . a jaywalking ticket. I know some drivers have a hard time remembering that as they ponder mowing down people in vengeance.

But remember: the punishment for using your car as an implement of death is a lot worse than a ticket. Drivers and pedestrians, keep your heads up and focused on what’s around you.

A crosswalk is not an obstacle course:

Here’s an important driving tidbit: if someone ahead of you stops for a crosswalk, you are not, repeat, not allowed to just whip around them. You’re not allowed to pass in a crosswalk, plain and simple. Why? You can’t see if someone’s about to walk in front of you.

Moreover, if you’re coming to a crosswalk and the car in the lane beside you is stopped at it, there’s a good bet that there’s someone in front of that vehicle. So stop.

“Right-of-way” is meaningless in your hospital bed:

Call it Courtney’s 43rd law of physics: “when a body meets a hood at full speed, the right to cross the street suddenly becomes irrelevant.” You might think, “I have the right of way,” but what difference does it make if you go toe-to-toe with 5,000 pounds of moving glass and metal? Learn that your life is worth more than your ego. Live to be right another day at something less final.

Drivers do not have magic powers: That means you, the pedestrian, cannot just walk out in front of me, the driver, and expect me to be able to instantly stop . . . as much as I’d love to do just that. Being a pedestrian requires just as much attention as driving a car, perhaps more so considering how vulnerable you are and that traffic is coming from every direction. Open your eyes and check before you step out. Push the little button for the crosswalk light. Make sure the traffic knows you’re there before you make any sudden moves. Put your right arm out in the direction of travel.

And to all the pedestrians who are, at this second, leaping to their keyboards to e-mail me about every jerk driver who wronged them: don’t bother, because none of it matters if you decide to grace their front bumpers with your presence. You may be right, but, it’s not much good if you wind up dead.

Speaking of e-mail, I’m sure someone out there will send a nasty letter or two arguing that you have to be prepared to stop in any emergency. I couldn’t agree more. There are more driving dopes out there who blaze through crosswalks and yellow lights than there are pedestrians who carelessly step out into moving traffic.

But if I have to be ready to stop for every lunatic who decides to jump out in front of me, I guess we had better change the speed limit on every road, lane and highway to something more ... manageable. Say 10 km/h? Because that’s about the only way I can guarantee being able to stop for every absent-minded pedestrian who can’t see a car coming.

While our job as drivers is to look after pedestrians — and it really is — there’s only so much the laws of physics can do.

Among her numerous accomplishments, Courtney Hansen is the author of her own book entitled the Garage Girl’s Guide, the host of Spike TV’S “Power Block,” the former host of TLC’S Overhaulin’ and a writer with Wheelbase Communications. You can e-mail her by logging onto www.wheelbase.ws/mailbag.html.