It’s 11:00, do you know where your children are?
When I was in junior high school the local TV station would run this promo at 10:00 saying, “It’’s 10:00 do you know where your children are.” I don’t know why I am even bringing this up. I just looked at the clock on my computer and it said 23:00. And it made me think of that advertisement God only knows why my mind works the way it does.
I’ve tried for the life of me for the past week or so to come up with things I don’t like about Maine. I’ve clearly done that for the last several places I’ve lived, but I’ve been hard pressed to put anything on that list here. Until today.
What I hate about Maine. It’s a state law here that you must yield to pedestrians. Not so amazing, it’s the law most places. But here people take it seriously. At any given moment people will dart across the street fully expecting you to stop. I’ve found myself riding the brake whenever I drive through town because people are constantly walking in front of my car. Today, at sunset, there were five people crossing the intersection diagonally when I had the right away. If I’d glanced away for even a second I might have gotten a ticket but they’d surely be dead. I’m not sure I understand the logic of crossing the street anywhere you like. Is it really so much trouble to cross at the cross walk? Or when the sign says walk? Or when you have the right away? I’m just curious. In NYC more pedestrians are killed a year than people in car accidents. You learn to be cautious. At any given moment you may be run down by a taxi and trust me you won’t live to tell about it. I’ve often thought we should just make it open season on people who think they own the street especially on foot. Just run em down. It would make for great population control, and in NYC we could use the extra housing. Maybe give cab drivers a year end bonus if they smoosh so many illegal pedestrians a year. It’s just a thought. I’m saying.
I mentioned yesterday that I had received some disturbing news. It wasn’t about me. It was about a friend I made this summer in Oklahoma. She and her boyfriend and her boyfriend’s brother were hiking at the Grand Canyon last week and her boyfriend missed his step and fell 300 feet to his death. It just makes you stop and think. Life truly is short and precious and we take it for granted everyday. Forgetting the paragraph above, how often do we stop to think about the things that we are doing or that something fun might end in disaster. I hiked the Grand Canyon 5 years ago and never thought at all about how deadly it can be. Everyday we get into cars, planes and trains and just assume that all will be okay. And in truth we have to. We can’t be paralyzed by the fear that people get killed everyday doing the same thing. And yet we trust it won’t happen to us. So I spent a lot time last night, just contemplating my life, where I’ve been, where I’m going, etc. Just thinking. That’s all.
On a more uplifting note. I saw Notes On a Scandal tonight. What a wonderfully, depressing movie. The performances were amazing. If you haven’t seen it you should. It will make you realize how happy you are with your normal sane life.
August 6, 2007 at 9:41 pm |
i was saddened to hear about the death.
that is actually not uncommon; people fall down the canyon on a regular basis.
it is large, deep and there are no real barriers – and people crawl over the ones that are there.
still, it is sad to see people go so.
August 7, 2007 at 12:10 am |
reality check!
don’t take anything in this life for granted. there are no guarantees.
August 7, 2007 at 4:02 am |
How much we do take life and everyday events for granted!
On the topic of “pedestrians have right of way”: have you investigated? Do they have right of way wherever they cross? I’d check into it. Not that you want to bump of peds (well, maybe you do
), but in most places they have the right of way when they are within designated crosswalks (as per your other comments). I would think that “anywhere” would be chaotic.
August 7, 2007 at 4:44 am |
Yup, you never know when life will throw you a curve ball (or a pedestrian)… Enjoy Maine while you can… it is hot as hell here in the south and only getting worse….ughhh…
August 7, 2007 at 5:42 am |
“We can’t be paralyzed by fear.”
What a truism!
August 7, 2007 at 6:35 am |
Life is so short and we never know when it is going to be over.
OMG – I loved Notes on a Scandal. Judy Dench is freaking awesome.
August 7, 2007 at 10:17 am |
I’m sorry to read about the death of your friend’s boyfriend.
Pedestrians can be SO cavalier sometimes. As a rigid “rule-follower”, I never understand when people jaywalk.
It’s so hot & humid down here I keep expecting to see birds burst into flames mid-flight.
August 7, 2007 at 7:08 pm |
Life is a fragile thing – that is why we need to treat it with respect and enjoy each day that we can.
August 9, 2007 at 11:50 pm |
All sad and joyous aside, I hope that what I have to say has some insight into the minds of those that walk in front of your car.
As often I do, I tell the bare truth, well the resons I walk across the road where ever I fell like it, weather it a law or not, is because it is a moment of freedom, a chance to feel the direction I want to be in. I have yet to learn how to drive so therefor I see no fault of my own in walking in the middle of the road.
Many a time when crossing in a dangerous place I wished for the death of myself, once I just did not care about everything around me and knew if I was meant to be hit then it would happen.
when crossing the road I am very selfish a trait I am not proud of and one that may be my end
Sincerly,
NK