pedestrians vs. cars in La Jolla

[Trace One]

I have noticed an exquisite interaction that has arisen in a few places where there is a confluence of slow -moving cars and slow-moving pedestrians.

The crosswalks are controlled by stop signs, nothing else.

When human and car meet at the stop sign, the human wishing to cross in front of the car, the car wishing to proceed on it’s way with as brief a stop as possible. The trouble is, it is in fact more efficient for the car to go first, being faster. But the car must defer to the humans, by law, and sit and watch them slowly cross.

In la Jolla, Ca., the car stops. The pedestrian makes eye contact with the driver, and also stops. The pedestrian then waves the car through, understanding speed efficiencies. The driver thanks the pedestrian, and proceeds.

the key is the driver stopping, and basically asking the pedestrian permission to go first, after making sure the rights of the pedestrian to go first are ackowledged.

The second key is the pedestrian reconizing that it is quicker for the car to go first, and telling the car to go..So many pedestrians don’t make eye contact, and just bumble through crosswalks payhing attention only to their space and pace.

 

anyway, just some landscape thing I noticed, I wanted to describe.

[Thomas J. Johnson]

I enjoy a little car-pedestrian etiquette and the associated communication techniques. There are a whole series of hand gestures, body posturing and eye movements involved for both driver and pedestrian. It is this interaction, amongst other things, that makes a town a village and intersperses a bit of humanity into everyday life. The interactions are courteous, often comedic and sometimes infuriating.

The one species of pedestrian I can’t stand is the oblivious-foot-drag-er (Homo Tardus Ignoro). These people are often found in small groupings, either of social or genetic relations (birds of a feather). They are easy to identify by their general lack of consciousness, often times ignorant of the long line of cars waiting in the middle of the intersection for them to clear the cross-walk. These people generally stare at the ground, their feet (I can’t tell which. Further study/observation required.) or a personal communication device. Social groups of Homo Tardus Ignoro  appear to be equally uninterested in each other as they are in their surroundings, moving with little, if any interaction or expression. Their behavior does not appear to be intentionally malicious towards drivers but rather is due to some kind of genetic defect that causes a severe inward perspective, essentially erasing the outside world and altering space/time perception. This ripple in the space/time continuum can often be felt by drivers in the immediate vicinity as time perceptibly crawls to halt, seconds feel like hours, shades of orange are palpable in the lights transition from yellow to red, waiting for Homo Tardus Ignoro to clear the intersection. And then, just as the drivers foot begins to play with the notion of stomping on the accelerator and ridding the  world of this loathsome creature, the oblivious-foot-drag-er steps on the curb and the world magically resumes it’s perfectly hurried humming pace. All is right again. Accelerators are stomped, glares are cast in vain to the oblivious perpetrator and the intersection is cleared. Homo Tardus Ignoro, upon safely reaching the other side of the street, makes an about face and presses the cross-walk button…   

[Trace One]

HA! exactly, Thomas..I think the Tardus Ignoro also drips gum onto the sidewalks, like an old car leaking oil.

 

 

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