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Is LEFT the RIGHT Responsibility?
By Frederick Corrigan
This story takes place in an area Southwest of Boston, Massachusetts. The length of the trip was about 12 miles on dry roads with snow banks about 3 feet high. This story also takes place a day after a pedestrian was hit by a snowplow, while walking at night, on Route 58 in Plimpton, Ma. My wife and I left Halifax, about 2PM, to visit friends in Brockton. We drove along Rt. 58 toward Hanson. This is a narrow, winding, two-lane road and as we rounded a curve there was a young man walking with his back toward us. We went past him and over a knoll and a Mail truck is approaching with the flashers blinking. The Mail truck pulls over to his right and stops at a mail box. The car following the Mail truck pulls out over the double lines and passes the Mail truck. I had to move to my right, so that this car wouldn’t hit us. I commented to my wife that it was a good thing that we had already passed the young man who was walking, before we encountered the car passing illegally. The car following the Mail truck was supposed to stop until the oncoming lane was clear, and then pass.
We proceeded over Rt. 27 through Hanson and as we came around a curve, we see a man walking on the opposite side of the road. This was a man that I would guess was in his 50’s and walking with his back to the traffic. One mile further, we encounter a teenage couple walking side by side with their backs to the traffic. We approach the East side of Brocton on Rt. 27 and sure enough, there is a young woman, walking in the road, with her back to us. She couldn’t walk on the sidewalk, because the property owner hadn’t shoveled the snow 48 hours after the snowstorm. That’s another issue. Now, we’re proceeding over narrow city streets, school is letting out and the traffic is heavy. A group of 20 teenage students are walking on the street towards us. That is good, except that they are walking 2 and3 students wide, instead of single file. One of the older boys kicked the side of a Lexus as it drove past. I presume that he thought the car was too close. Guess who was in the wrong place As a 74 year old senior citizen, driving is already enough of a challenge without irresponsible pedestrians making it more difficult. Seeing all of these incidences in a 12 mile drive, has to make one wonder how many times irresponsible pedestrians get hit every year in America. I’m not sure who is teaching people how to walk on a street, but what we saw today was irresponsible. To be safer, you should walk on the LEFT side of the street, facing the traffic. When you walk with your back to the traffic, you are not only endangering yourself, but by your being irresponsible, you are putting others in danger.
If a truck can’t avoid you, you don’t get the opportunity to get out of the way. When you are facing the traffic, you at least have a chance to jump out of the path of the oncoming vehicle. If a driver is irresponsible, they can lose their license, pay a fine and or even go to jail. Do we have to create laws that will subject pedestrians to a fine when they walk on the wrong side of the road or street.
Pedestrians are cautioned to wear light colored clothing, for their safety, when they walk on the road at night. When they choose not to, they are irresponsible. OH, OH, here come the fines again. Maybe the answer to help keep people safe is to design all dark colored coats, jackets and hoodies with 1 ½ inch wide fluorescent letters on the back. Then, when people walk with their back to the traffic at night and the cars headlights shine on their back, ”STUPID” will light up. When an irresponsible pedestrian gets hit by a vehicle, the pedestrian is either in the hospital, in surgery or in their grave. In addition, the driver of the vehicle will face loss of license, fines, jail and possibly a life of anguish for the harm that they have done.
We all know that there are many drivers who are irresponsible and many of them drive too fast, drunk, on drugs or on cell phones. Most of them get away with it, until they strike a pedestrian and get caught. Let’s not make it easier for these irresponsible drivers to get caught. Wear light colored clothing, walk on the Left side of the road and be around to enjoy your loved ones another day. When people are RESPONSIBLE, some good things happen. When they are IRRESPONSIBLE, many bad things happen. Winter is here, so if you are walking or driving, be RESPONSIBLE.
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Contributor's Note
I've been driving for over 58 years and I've been blessed.Maybe the lessons on responsibility, when I was young, have contributed to my good fortune.
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So true, Frederick. Sadly there`s a shortage of common sense on our roads today, and it`s virtually guaranteed the pedestrian will always come off worse in the event of an accident.
 | | odls Dec 28, 2009 06:41 | |
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thank you for sharing you comments and you're right,common sense is in short supply.
Have a Healthy, Happy New Year and beyond.
Frederick
You may like the Philippines. Pedestrians are expected to scoot out of the way with alacrity, and anyone getting in the way of a car gets honked at AND yelled at by bystanders.  Of course, in principle it is better for pedestrians to have rights - but as you say with rights come responsibility.
 | | nick Dec 28, 2009 07:12 | |
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thank you for your informational comments and somewhere between the policies in your land and my land, there is a right way to walk responsibly.
Frederick
Pedestrians should always walk facing the traffic
HOWEVER
just as every driver knows that every other driver is an idiot and has to be avoided, shouldn't every driver also know that every pedestrian is an idiot and drive accordingly?
On minor roads I always drove at night and in the rain as though there was a pedestrian in front of me. I was slow but hey, I was sitting in a comfortable and warm car - why did I have to go any faster than I could see?
Very few people over-took me so I must have been acting acceptably.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thank you once again for your thought provoking comments.
However, a person walking with their back to the traffic, is still irresponsible in my old eyes.
Have a great New Year and beyond.
Frederick
It makes me glad to live where we have very little snow and when it does come, I just stay home.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thank you for visiting and for your comments. As a senior citizen, I stay home in bad wheather as much as possible.
Have a Healthy, Happy New Year and beyond.
Frederick
I whole-heartedly agree. It's the same with cyclists.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
We travel some of the same American roads, me thinks.
Thank you for your comments.
Have a Healthy, Happy New Year and beyond.
Frederick
In some neighborhoods in the USA; soliciters walk on the left side of the street for easy access to the passenger side of vehicles to be picked up. Jaywalking warning tickets could help educate youngsters to be more responsible while walking in areas of volume vehicle traffic.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thank you for reading my intel and for your comments.
I'm sure that you are right, jaywalking tickets could help to ease the problem.
Have a Healthy, Happy New Year and beyond.
Frederick
Very true. Likewise for many basic common sense rules we seem to conveniently forget and then want to blame someone or some entity for the bad outcome.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Your comments are so correct. I believe that common sense starts with personal responsibility for our actions.
Thank you for visiting.
Have a Healthy, Happy New Year and beyond.
Frederick
Amen! I have been asked why I walk on the left before and always say "Because if I see them coming, I can get out of the way." Great intel. Know what else? I wish there were bike paths along every road! Sometimes trying to "share" with a bike gets downright dangerous, too.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thanks for your visit and you comments, Karla.
I believe the walkers and bike riders need to be more aware and wear light colored and reflective clothing.
Best wishes.
Frederick
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