walking in the road

[bara]

Okay, I understand that some places dont have sidewalks. I understand that some people have very small yards.

But if you are going to walk in the middle of the road or play in the road at least have the sense to get out of the road or move to the side of the road when there is a car coming. As a delivery driver there are certain roads I HATE to go on during nice weather.

The worst area has nice sized yards and well maintained sidewalks. This in no way stops the residents from walking in the middle of the road or playing in the road.

I was on delivery in this area and despite an abundance of empty drive ways most of the cars are parked in the street (legal there but still annoying), both sides of the street I might add. Then you have kids playing in the street and walking in the street. So I have a girl on my left and a little boy on the right in addition to the cars that I must navigate through which limits my field of vision. So I am going nice and slow so I have plenty of time to react if some one comes out from behind a car and am constantly glancing in every direction.

This girl standing on the driver side of my car must have been awfully full of herself because she asked me if I wanted the basketball she was holding. I can remember her exact words, but I think she was accusing me of staring at her. I wasnt of course. Ive no interest at all in an underage girl and no interest in people who stand in the middle of the road rather than moving to the side.

Its like some people exist to try and start trouble. I ignored her and acted as if I didnt even hear her, easy to do since at first I thought she was talking to the boy on the other side, but then noticed she was staring at me. Its just frustrating as can be.

[Tanasi]

I chalk that up to no home learning. Sometimes it's best to smack the parents upside the head before you smack the kids. We were taught to walk on the should in single file or off the shoulder if possible. I've jumped in the ditch more than once avoiding being run over.
Here in the south we have a saying "My Momma learned me" well "My Momma learned me not to play in the street you'll get run over and then don't crying to her when you're dead."

[blas87]

I never joined a gym after moving back home last spring, because there's so much potential for good walks around here, with so many hills and walking trails.

However, whomever invented the trails is retarded, because they seem to cut off, begin again, cut off, etc etc....

So for a while, on certain roads, there's no sidewalk. I flirt with the shoulder the best I can, but I hate when people can't even move their vehicle even a few feet from me when they whizz by.

[Tanasi]

I never joined a gym after moving back home last spring, because there's so much potential for good walks around here, with so many hills and walking trails.

However, whomever invented the trails is retarded, because they seem to cut off, begin again, cut off, etc etc....

So for a while, on certain roads, there's no sidewalk. I flirt with the shoulder the best I can, but I hate when people can't even move their vehicle even a few feet from me when they whizz by.

In my county we have what is called GreenWays that link several sections of the city and county in basically a one trail system. Folks can either walk, run or bike on the GreenWays trails. Both the city and county have used strong-arm like tactics to put this trail system together. If you should need some zoning changes to a piece of property then the zoning board won't approve your request until you give the needed property to the GreenWay system. When I was in that situation they wanted to put a trail right though my pasture to link the sub-divisions from one side to the other thereby connecting several miles of trail. I refused because it would separate my cattle from either the water or most of forage. Even when I tried to accommodate by running the trail at the edge they still refused because it had to go straight across my pasture.
The wife and I are constantly getting calls from developers wanting to buy our farm to turn it into some god-awful sub-division and we used to get threats to sell. We then made our farm as part the TN land conservancy so it can't ever be anything but a farm or park if we so decide. Neither the city or county can use eminent domain on us because protection is part of the conservancy.
I dis-like sub-divisions and all that comes with it, especially the people and cookie cutter mcmansions on micro lots.
Sorry for the lecture, walking trail discussions sometimes set me off.

[Pixilated]

I sympathize. I turned a corner a few days ago, onto a non-residential road with a few businesses and some stretches of weedy fields, and nearly ran over what looked like an extended family strolling along ... Turned out they were heading to the same place I was (the community garden was holding its introduction day, yay!) and I thought well, good for you, but you won't get much gardening done if you get run over by some inattentive driver. Luckily I was going slowly and was startled enough by their appearance that I slowed down even more. I should add that there were no sidewalks available and one or two were pushing strollers, so the grassy areas were really not too practical ... but still ... please, folks, walk no more than two abreast!

[catcul]

I was driving down a road where I live that is known for having heavy traffic even in the middle of the day. This guy was walking on the right side of the road with a sidewalk no more than two feet away. I thought to myself, "That's a good way to get yourself killed."

Why would someone walk on a road that tractor trailer trucks use often?

[PepperElf]

although i have seen some areas where people walk in the middle of the road on purpose.

one of the roads here, i saw a lady walking in the middle of the road because she specifically wanted the cars to slow down. mainly cos... it was a 25mph road, and during the school year / rush hour, a lot of assholes drive at 45+ cos they want to get home fast.

i wish there were sidewalks there but there's not. or at least speed bumps.

[protege]

Where I live, walking in the road/street seems to be an "inner city" thing. It's pretty common to find kids playing in the middle of the street...or idiots walking there.

Just the other night, I had some woman scream at me to "slow down for the kids." Seems her kids wanted to ride their scooters in the middle of the street, and she was upset that I was "speeding." I couldn't have been going more than the legal 25mph. Never mind that there was a park...complete with paved riding area...less than 2 doors down from her shack. Oh, and the reason most commuters "speed" through the area? Too many cars have been shot at, or like me, had rocks hurled at us.