re: #336 lawhawk

In NJ, drivers are required to stop when someone is in the crosswalk, but drivers repeatedly and continually ignore the law. Coming home from work, I have to cross a street where one of these signs are posted - and even crossing in the crosswalk with that rule puts your life in your own hands. I’ve had experiences with cars that blew through - accelerating even - to avoid having to stop for pedestrians. Nearly got run over a couple of times - and I had one driver get out of the car and got irate with me because I yelled at him because he wasn’t stopping. Should have called the cops on his sorry excuse for an ass.

I am very leery in crosswalks - get across the street fast and avoid interacting with the cars since you generally only get to lose once as a pedestrian regardless of your being right or wrong about precedence. Gets remarked on by my coworkers.

And pedestrians in Philly are odd ducks. Lots of jaywalking, but that is not surprising in a city. But I notice the odd habit here of pedestrians waiting for a light to change often standing 3-4’ out into the street already.

Closest I came to getting hit in the past six years here was crossing a two-land street (Pine) right after the light changed in my favor. Something (probably peripheral vision) made me delay my first step into the street right as a Philadelphia police car blew through the intersection against the light at about 35mph - no siren, no lights, just ran the traffic light.