Since summer is here, we have been outside walking the neighborhoods and running with our BOB stroller. We love enjoying the sun, weather, and being able to spend time together. The problem is, drivers don’t pay attention to you at all.
My wife teaches sewing in the summer and we were walking to her mom’s house for sewing lessons. Well, as we were heading there crossing a neighborhood street a lady turned in, right in front of us, not paying attention at all, on her phone, almost hitting our stroller with our son in it. I am not going to lie, if she were to have gotten any closer I would have gone off on her.
Recently in Utah they passed a law where you have to be driving hands free (with the exceptions of talking on the phone and using GPS). This woman was texting, putting makeup on, and just not paying attention at all. I was in shock and she had already shot down the residential street before I could even yell anything.
The same day, I was running back home and a guy came up to the red light, but drove through the white lines to turn right. I was already going through the cross walk (which is where the white lines are) and fortunately he stopped just in time. He felt bad and said, “Oh my gosh…so so sorry!!!” Still I am over conscious of the coming and going of traffic as I make my way to my various destinations on foot.
What is wrong with people and not paying attention to their surrounding? I think I notice the way I drive now even more after almost being hit a few times and spending more time on foot. When pulling up to a sidewalk that I can’t see if people are coming, I make sure to slow down before pulling all the way up.
Now, lets talk bikers. I kind of have a love hate relationship with them. I love biking myself, I don’t do it much, but I love when I do. I make sure to pay attention to everything around me because I have family members that are legit bikers. One of my cousins actually has the fourth fastest individual men’s race standing for LOTOJA (see here). And plenty of my other family members participate in intense road biking like this.
Because drivers weren’t paying attention though, another cousin of mine has been ran over by a truck. Not once, but twice. He was obeying the law, riding in the bike lane, and a truck swerved and ran him over. Bikers get hit all the time from drivers not paying attention. I was biking once, and a car pulled out (just like when I was running with my son) and I didn’t have enough time to break. I hit the side of their car and rolled over the front. They ran over to make sure I was okay (I was, but I made sure to freak them out a little) but that didn’t change the fact that they weren’t paying attention or driving cautiously.
That being said, I can’t stand when bikers don’t obey the traffic laws. Aren’t you supposed to follow the same laws as cars? Because there have been plenty of times that bikers have flown through red lights, done crazy turns through intersections so that they don’t have to stop, and just been plain careless. I just wish they would be safe and follow all of the laws.
But when it comes to drivers and not watching out for bikers, runners, and family walkers that is where I get frustrated. So to all you crazy drivers in Utah, if you see me out on the streets running and you get at all close to me or my family I will let you know what I think. If you get close enough, I might even do a little damage to your car as you pass by not paying attention. Believe me, I will make sure that you never get close to me again.