Our debut installment of “REALLY?” earned both praise and criticism from several New Canaan Patch readers.
A look around town at botched and inconsiderate parking jobs—including this gem of a photo from one Patch user whose initials happen to spell out “BAD-Parker”—we received some comments from readers who felt we should have blurred out license plates. Thank you for that feedback.
Pushing My Button
This happens all the time when I’m waiting in my car at a light: A pedestrian walks to the corner, pushes the button to cross and—often without breaking stride—continues into the intersection and is across the road before the all-walk signal for pedestrians lights up.
Really?
I’d rather you just jaywalked without inconveniencing the rest of us.
But who hasn't been walking in a crosswalk in town and had to compete for space within the hatched lines with passing motorists. Or watched drivers sway and swerve on our roads as they talk and text on their cell phones. Pedestrians and motorists alike need to walk and drive safely!
Bring the video camera and microphone to the area around Morse/South on a Friday after 2:30. Some parents might benefit from visual and auditory evidence of their little "darlings" behavior. Ugh.
Can't we have a poll on New Canaan's best driveway instead? How about Glen's favorite dessert? O.K., fish oil it is.
Off topic, but considering the name of this new addition to the Patch, I'm grateful I didn't go with my first choice of usernames (which ironically, also happened to be my immediate response upon completion the first article I'd ever perused in the NC Patch) - "Wth...REALLY?!". I think it's best the article of which I speak remain unnamed.
Next week: Best Overhead Wires. Week after next: Best Plumbing. Whaddya think, kids? Let's keep it positive and civil.
I would, however, like to ask that the "Best Overhead Wires" contest be delayed for at least 2 weeks. As humiliating as this is to admit, my overhead wires sag a bit, and the coloring is terribly (dare I say) pedestrian.
Aver, I would just walk. Do not be bullied. You cross if, when, where You please. GLEN
I see a long line of cars coming and I did not see a break coming soon. I push the button to ensure I would not be waiting a long time. Now that the button is pressed any driver unfortunate enough to hit the red light will be delayed for that period of time. Now that I have pressed the button the delay on the driver is going to happen regardless of what I do now. Why should I wait to cross if the long line of cars stops before they get to the intersection? If the complaint is because I did not wait after I pressed the button, I do not see validity complaint. If the complaint is that I should do a better job of assessing if a break in the cars is near, that is a judgment / courtesy.
The hapless pedestrian is also required to know how long the wait will be until the pedestrian signal flashes walk, too. It is, of course, impossible and might require the pedestrian to step off the curb -- perhaps illegally -- to see around a car parked very close to the corner in order to observe traffic. Close parking to the corner may be legal because the parking commission values parking spaces over safety, as for example in front of the CVS parking lot on Cherry St. This is all too much for mere human pedestrians to accomplish. Push the button, wait until the light changes and then walk. If someone rushing somewhere or other has to wait a little and is forced to observe a traffic signal, so much the better. Happy St. Patrick's Day.
I still say to pedestrians... JUST GO if nobody is looking.
Nothing wrong with "pushing the button, waiting, and then going once it turns to walk". there IS something wrong with pushing the button, then jaywalking. Or "hedging" as someone else referred it to. Either wait for the walk signal, or just jaywalk without pushing the button. One or the other.
BTW, that pedestrian simply got a small head start. The walk signal came on well before he finished crossing the street. It also appears to be early in the morning based on the lack of traffic, why don't you get some gumption and do this rubbish during the middle of the day?