A Gentle Reminder: Please Watch for Pedestrians

First off, I wish to admit, that I am just as guilty as anyone else of the behavior I am about to address.  I simply want to bring to your attention, in hopes of a safer place to live, an opportunity to be more careful.

I love to walk.  I walk with my son when I can convince him to join me, and I walk with my dog who puts up less resistance.  And, when I say I love to walk, I mean, I LOVE TO WALK.  When I have the time, and I can always find the time, I walk all around town.  From our home just south of Uptown Gig Harbor, I will walk downtown and back.  Sometimes through downtown up to the YMCA and circle back.  Sometimes across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge down to the waterside and back.  It is not uncommon for me to get in a 10+ mile walk several times a week.

What I would like to bring to your attention is the fact that many drivers do not always look out for the on-foot-pedestrian.  Many of us, and, yes, me included, have a tendency when we are turning right, out of a driveway or parking lot or onto another street, to simply look for oncoming traffic from our left and fail to look for the foot traffic on our right.  When we approach red lights, in our anxiety to turn right on red, we often sneak up into the crosswalk looking for a clearing to turn and forget about the pedestrian.  I am constantly forced to walk around cars blocking the entire crosswalk when I have the right of way to cross.  The same is true when turning left.  We look at the oncoming traffic in front of us and fail to notice the foot traffic coming up the sidewalk or shoulder crossing the street from behind us.

I am a very cautious walker.  I am always on the lookout for drivers who may not be aware of me and my son and/or dog.  Even so, I still have quite a number of close calls or am forced to stop in the middle of an intersection for the unaware driver.  Most people, once they finally see us, are very apologetic and accommodating – they just were not aware.  I understand.  It is not intentional; it is not done with malice; we simply have gotten into bad habits and easily forget about the pedestrians.  I forgive you.  I just want you to be aware that we might be out there with you.

Like I said – I love to walk.  I understand my responsibilities as a pedestrian and the risks of sharing the roadways with cars and other vehicles.  I just want to share this friendly reminder to keep your eyes open and be aware of us pedestrians.  I am well aware that I am not the only one here who likes to walk.  I pass many others wearing out holes in the souls of their shoes on the pavement along with me on my journeys.  I am sure we would all be thankful to have just a little more awareness among our fellow drivers.

Thanks.  And, I’ll see you out and about around the Harbor.