So, I honestly don't walk too much as transportation. I usually just use our one car when it's available. I always can find stuff to do at home, so, even when I plan to walk somewhere it doesn't always happen. I do wish I did walk more, because one misses out on so much holing up in one's abode, or even driving to and fro the same places every day.
For one thing, people on foot are more friendly. When one is walking, it is courteous to make eye contact when one passes another pedestrian and to say hello or at least smile. When people pass each other in cars, it is not necessary to do the same.
Also, now that I am interested in plants much more than I was before, I have time to look at other neighbors' trees and plants and things. Like, after seeing the few yards with bamboo in them, I finally came up with the idea to plant a row of bamboo on the one side of the house that borders next to the apartment complex. That way there will be a natural barrier, so no one will run over our solar lights again, and it will also give us (and the neighbors) a little more privacy.
Anyway, one thing one notices while walking, as one also notices while driving, is things other drivers do that they shouldn't. So, there's the obvious ones:
- driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Um, duh.....
- driving and talking on the phone - especially when driving onto the on ramp, making a left turn, in fast moving traffic, etc. Either what you are talking about is not important at all, or it's so important that you should pull over and give the person you're having a conversation with your full attention.
- driving and texting - I am a big proponent of banning this completely. Who the fuck needs to text while driving? And if you do, just pull over. But it's so much more dangerous than driving and talking on the phone.
- driving and grooming - makeup or shaving or even doing your hair -just can be very dangerous.
- driving and reading, writing or looking at a map!!! This kills me! It's like texting, but maybe worse!
-driving and eating - well, some things aren't too bad, like a simple sandwich that doesn't have a bunch of stuff falling out. One needs to not care at all about spilling food or sauce on their clothes or in the car, or wear a giant bib or napkin. But, I've seen people eating things like salads and hot entrees while driving.
- driving while engaging in sexual activity. Do I really have to explain this one? If I do, then you probably don't understand any of the other things above and you are quite possibly a hopelessly dangerous driver!
Here are the other things that seem less obvious to drivers in my observation:
- turning right when the walk sign in on and there are pedestrians crossing! The pedestrians have the right of way! And it's going to take them longer to go shorter distances, so give them some respect!
- not letting someone trying to merge or change lanes in. Just be helpful and avoid accidents, people!
- driving slow in the left lanes or passing on the right. It's so dangerous! I notice these two kinds of drivers going into Miami. My stereotypical thoughts... old people and oblivious tourists driving slow in the left, adrenaline junkies, angry drivers, or coke heads weaving in and out of traffic going 90+ miles per hour.
- honking or yelling at women and girls walking down the street who are not streetwalkers! It's not flattering, it's rude. It also is often startling when one is minding one's own business walking along and a driver breaks into the pedestrian's world by wooing or whistling or yelling. Also, women who watch unsolved crime stories may be overly paranoid.
- pulling over in a big van or truck with a cab and asking a pedestrian for directions. A guy in a big white truck with a huge cab pulled over today and asked me where Sweet Tomatoes was. I couldn't hear him, because I was not going to get very close to that truck. I've seen enough after school specials. As he pulled away, I noticed that the restaurant was literally across the street, and if he had been minding his driving rather than pulling over to talk to me, he would have seen the place. I watched him pass it, oh well.
So, that's my two cents.
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