Mortal Enemies

Ugh, this article in our local paper gives me horrible memories. Like the time I was nearly hit by a dump truck driver who pretended he didn't see me waiting to cross the street and who barreled around the corner in his right turn just as I attempted to cross with the crossing signal. Then the car behind him raced through as well, and as I put up my arms to shrug in the universal "WTF?" gesture, the jackass had the gall to point at the crossing signal, which had just turned orange because my five second time to cross the street had lapsed as I avoided getting creamed by the dump truck.

Look, I see pedestrians acting dumb all over the downtown area. They're plunging headlong into the street without looking, chatting on their cell phones and not paying attention to their surroundings, or even reading books as they walk along! However, the fact remains that it's the driver who is going to kill someone when he acts like a jerk and doesn't yield to pedestrians. And I cannot count the number of times I've missed a crossing signal because so many people have run their red light that it times out on me. Drivers in Madison are assholes. Period.

There was a case several years back in which a German couple visiting the states were crossing the intersection of West Wash and Fairchild and a woman driving without a license illegally turned right on red and ran them over, dragging the female tourist more than a block before she even realized that she'd hit anyone. Yeah, that's an extreme example but I see the potential for this happening a dozen times a day. I've almost been hit by cars turning into parkinglots as I cross the driveway on the sidewalk. The jerks don't even pause.

What ticks me off the most are the asshats in the comments section for this article. Here's a choice one:

Growing up I was taught to look both ways and make sure the road is clear before crossing. I rarely yield to pedestrians for that very fact. This red flag stuff is inane. I wouldn't trust my life to a stupid piece of plastic attatched to a wooden stick. Bikers are the biggest problem. Once I start seeing them actually obey traffic signals I might be nice and share the road. The one I love best is the spot on Glenway where autos yield to bikers on the bike path who have a freaking stop sign. Drivers- they do not have the right of way in that situation. Autos do rule the road. They are bigger, faster, and contribute more money into the economy than bikers and pedestrians.How much money do bikers and pedestrians contribute to gas taxes which help fix and maintain our roadways. You are not 'special' because you choose to bike or walk to work. Big friggin deal.

Let me guess, "The Rat," you're a McCain voter, aren't you? Look at him twist the subject so he can make it into a rant against people who choose not to drive. But the halfwit seems to think that drivers contribute more to the economy merely by using the roads. Pedestrians pay taxes, dipshit. And there are no toll roads in Madison, so what the hell are you going on about? He must think that consuming gas makes him morally superior. Yeah, the high gas prices have boosted our economy so wonderfully.