Fears that Disable Me No. 2 (No. 1 is Pigeons)
Those who know me are well aware of my street crossing phobia (and yes I am constantly ridiculed for it). I more than likely picked this up as a small child. Since my best friend (to this day!) Regina lived two houses down from me my mother would often let me walk over to her backyard by myself but never without the warning of horrors that could happen if I went near the street let alone attempt to cross it.
The phobia doesn’t prohibit me from getting from Point A to Point B - it just takes me a bit longer to get there considering I need to seek out the safest route humanly possible to cross. Also, I can often be found on a sidewalk pretending to look for something in my bag when in reality I am just trying to look normal while I stress about whether or not to cross at that particular point. Oh, and I’m also a big fan of adopting a “big brother or sister” (i.e. a complete stranger who just happens to be at the same crosswalk as me) to tag along with while crossing (and I’ve come pretty damn close to grabbing my “guide’s” hand on more than one occasion).
From that we can conclude two things – one, I am a total freak who’s sanity is hanging on by a thread (but you already knew that now didn’t you) and two, I’m pretty frigin safe about crossing the street.
That said, you think I’d be delighted by the Boston Police’s “Operation Crosswalk”. Not so, and here’s why:
On FOX 25 this morning they were interviewing a cop who was explaining how this operation was going to work, then he went on to say that not stopping for pedestrians in a crosswalk, even if there is a green light, is against the law.
This stresses me out because if people are wanting to cross, even if there is a green light for traffic and the signal is flashing “don’t walk”, does this mean that vehicles are going to stop and let pedestrians go?
What worries me is that one car in a four lane street is going to stop, the person is going to start to cross, and the people to the right of the car who stopped are not going to realize what is going on (or more likely the car behind the stopped car will get impatient and go around) and BLAMO! jogger on windshield.
Oh well…I guess personally I don’t have to worry about this because of my disabling fear of being run over by a car.
Ah the shit I worry about…..Happy Thursday and I hope you are all luckier than me and have tomorrow off!
The phobia doesn’t prohibit me from getting from Point A to Point B - it just takes me a bit longer to get there considering I need to seek out the safest route humanly possible to cross. Also, I can often be found on a sidewalk pretending to look for something in my bag when in reality I am just trying to look normal while I stress about whether or not to cross at that particular point. Oh, and I’m also a big fan of adopting a “big brother or sister” (i.e. a complete stranger who just happens to be at the same crosswalk as me) to tag along with while crossing (and I’ve come pretty damn close to grabbing my “guide’s” hand on more than one occasion).
From that we can conclude two things – one, I am a total freak who’s sanity is hanging on by a thread (but you already knew that now didn’t you) and two, I’m pretty frigin safe about crossing the street.
That said, you think I’d be delighted by the Boston Police’s “Operation Crosswalk”. Not so, and here’s why:
On FOX 25 this morning they were interviewing a cop who was explaining how this operation was going to work, then he went on to say that not stopping for pedestrians in a crosswalk, even if there is a green light, is against the law.
This stresses me out because if people are wanting to cross, even if there is a green light for traffic and the signal is flashing “don’t walk”, does this mean that vehicles are going to stop and let pedestrians go?
What worries me is that one car in a four lane street is going to stop, the person is going to start to cross, and the people to the right of the car who stopped are not going to realize what is going on (or more likely the car behind the stopped car will get impatient and go around) and BLAMO! jogger on windshield.
Oh well…I guess personally I don’t have to worry about this because of my disabling fear of being run over by a car.
Ah the shit I worry about…..Happy Thursday and I hope you are all luckier than me and have tomorrow off!
Labels: Boston News, Driving in Boston
posted by Betty Blog at 1:56 PM
7 Comments:
Being scared of heights (and having been picked on for it) I would never belittle someone for their fears. But, pigeons? I love pigeons! The Rock Dove is a lovely and misunderstood bird.
Oh, well. Good luck with the crosswalks!
I don't fear the pigeon, but they are gross!! We used to set up a box with a stick propping it up and a string attached to catch them when I was a kid. They are so dumb they would be caught easily. We just let 'em go. We used to throw rocks at them too. They are a tough target to hit. We used to throw rocks at them in the old Forrest Hills Station, where they would line up on the girders, for our entertainment, of course.
You should never consider sitting on a motorcycle! I think you already knew that, though :P
Hi -
I'm not doubting your reportage of the Fox News report. But I do wonder how Boston can change Mass. General Laws --- maybe with a bylaw?
Mass. General Laws, Marked Crosswalks begins: “When traffic control signals are not in place or not in operation...” so how can Boston say pedestrians can cross at signaled crosswalks whenever they want?
I'm not a lawyer (nor do I play one on TV) but when I Googled this I couldn't find a nice clear statement about the whole traffic signal thing and "Operation Crosswalk".
As for your phobia, I'm always incredibly impressed with how a couple of yellow lines down the middle of a road, coupled with enlightened self interest, keeps folks from crashing their cars into one another. Similar thoughts about crosswalks - except the enlightened self interest part is not on an equal level.
Hope you had a good holiday weekend.
- Lee
Thanks for the comments - I need to tell you that driving to work today there was an old man with a baby carriage trying to cross market street in Brighton - the light was green but dammit I let him go. Just seemed a little hinky to me!!!
Lee, I would totally doubt anything I reported on here (i drink alot) - but if you go to www.foxboston.com and put operation crosswalk into the search engine that interview with the cop should come up, I just checked and he said "even if its green". From what you say he is wrong, but I don't know if I'd risk having to go to court over it hence my stop for the little old man this morning.
Oh and Gearchic - been there done that with the motorcycle thang - nothing like being thrown off a bike into a chain link fence up in Laconia to cure you of a passion for bikers!! Good times, good times.
But I'd ride with you!!!
Makes me wonder how I ever make it home from the bar most nites given my cognitive state. I have to get thru Coolidge Corner so I'm dodging cars and trolleys.
Oh, right, I'm there so late, there are never any cars on the road!
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