Off The Beaten Path

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Georgia, United States
Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some people move our souls to dance. They awaken us to new understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom. Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon. They stay in our lives for awhile, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never ever the same.

Saturday, December 8

Dodging Traffic

As my husband and I were going out Christmas shopping we were idling chatting about all the traffic, all the pedestrians, and how different things are from state to state. He was born and grew up in the state of Pennsylvania. I grew up in the state of California. Now as I am sure everyone already knows, in the state of California the pedestrian has the right of way. They are supposed to stay in the crosswalks, but often they don't, and if you should hit one, no matter in or out of a cross walk, you would find out just who has the right of way at all times.

Now in the state of Pennsylvania things are much different. I went there once, took a drive with a friend through "King of Prussia" and I was amazed at the little old ladies with shopping carts dodging traffic. I asked him if he didn't think it would be nice to give them the right of way, he looked at me like I was crazy, and said, "what, you want me to get rear ended?" And then he went on to tell me that in the state of Pennsylvania the cars have the right of way and the pedestrians must watch out for them. Tom reassured me that this is very true, then, now, and no doubt will be in the future.

At which time I realized that a California girl would either get killed while walking or rear-ended while driving if she moved to Pennsylvania. Because I would no doubt forget I don't have the right of way while walking and then get run over, or while I driving (if I am not already dead) I would no doubt stop for pedestrians because 50 years of driving habits are hard to break.

4 comments:

Akelamalu said...

Cars have the right of way here too Nea, except on proper crossings.

Dr.John said...

I like California law better. I don't mind stopping for people.

Neoma said...

Hi Akela, same here in Georgia, have to watch out for pedestrians.

Neoma said...

Hi Dr. John, I agree for the most part, but I think they should observe the crosswalks, it is hard when a person is driving to watch out for people who just dart out in front of you and then expect you to stop for them. I hate parking lots, people wandering all over the place, and the cars have no right of way, it can take forever to get out of a parking lot at Christmas time.....