Grace O'Malley wrote:Is it just me or have drivers gone crazy lately? I see people in crosswalks almost hit and cars going through red lights - really bad, really dangerous, and really unnecessary. Is it cellphones or what?
Grace
I believe the world is just going nuts. Between malaise in government, malaise in life, and
a general dissatisfaction of baby boomers that always seem to be singing Peggy Lee's "Is
That All There Is?" and GenX and Millenniums floating between texting, social media, and
wishing all the baby boomers were dead, or at least in rest homes.
Add to it the aggravation of being one of the largest number of bike riders in American
history,(untrue, but ask them), and a new aggravation that would seem comes from bikers
asking for rights, which they have always had, but are more vocal about it then in the past.
Last week, I was watching a girl on a bike with headphones, cross three lanes of traffic on
West 25th and Lorain. She seemed oblivious to traffic, to the fact that two lanes were
turning and that the cars might be wrong but they way a couple thousand more pounds
than she does. I also witnessed a courier downtown freaking out on the hood of a car
slamming his hand repeatedly on it and giving the driver the finger. Had it been a car I
am sure Road Rage would figure in somewhere.
I have also been in cars where the driver expressed extreme dissatisfaction with the fact
that there are now "bike thingys everywhere who do they think they are!" Followed with
I hate them on Detroit, in Metro Parks on the road.... Way too much anger on all sides.
Which brings us to crosswalks, bikes, pedestrians, cars etc. The general idea is to not hit
anyone or anything. I cannot picture any circumstance where it is OK to hit things with
cars, bikes, fists whatever. A cross walk, with or without marking is a SAFE ZONE for all
within its boundaries. No signage or lights change the law.
Which brings us to "Hipsters" which are about as far from "hip" as anything I can imagine,
when was copying your grandfather dress, but ignoring his intelligence "hip?" Getting rid
of brakes? Getting rid of gears? Getting rid of normal handlebars? I can understand styling,
not sure about getting rid of brakes with cars and trucks around.
Guess I am just getting old.
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