Pedestrian Laws have caused more problems than they have resolved....
I am both a pedestrian and a driver (as most of us are) and when I was a child, we were taught to look both ways, and look again, before crossing. We were also taught to use the crosswalks. Now more and more states are passing laws requiring drivers to give pedestrians the right of way, no matter where they cross. That sounds fine in practice, and it probably does reduce pedestrian-vehicle accidents, but one side effect I have noticed as a driver is that now there are more and more pedestrians who don't even look before crossing...they just step out into the street with an arrogant attitude as if challenging a driver to even nudge them. Then they saunter slowly across the street, again as arrogant as possible, glaring at the drivers who are waiting and getting irritated by the arrogant attitude of the pedestrian. It can be so bad at times that you just want to run the s.o.b. down and to heck with the consequences. Courtesy goes both ways, from the driver and from the pedestrian. When I am in a state that has pedestrian right-of-way laws, and I am walking, I watch the traffic, and if my crossing is going to cause inconvenience for the drivers and flow of traffic, and even risk of an accident, I look the driver in the eye, smile and give him or her the go-ahead. I always get an appreciative smile back, and we both go our ways with a little good feeling instead of anger at the arrogant driver or pedestrian.
