Life lessons, part 2: Crosswalks? Who needs crosswalks?

Hi, Robert:  Thank you for reading, and for your comment and contribution.  Many (including me from time to time) have spoken of this issue and mentioned how these folks are playing a real-life version of the Frogger video game- reminds you of a Seinfeld episode where  George did the same thing.  Other than the numbers and stories I've mentioned (and even with them), it's still difficult to convey how unbelievable this situation is.  Folks in dark attire strolling in the street at 2 a.m. get hit and the driver's supposedly the bad guy- but wrong answer:  Florida law is written whereas a pedestrian must follow the "rules of the road", and courts have upheld that stance.  Those cases of deaths (and many non-fatal accidents) where pedestrians weren't in the crosswalks have resulted in exactly ZERO motorist convictions.  Simply put, if you get smacked and killed for being an idiot like the folks above, don't expect a driver that's in the right to be paying you any money.

Hi, John:  Thank you for reading, and for your comment.  Careless and unnecessary are great words for these scenarios.  It's an amazing and awesome thing- "awesome" serving in the role of a bad amplifying term in these cases.  It goes well past these street-level scenarios, though- not even counting the fact that folks like this are, in a broader sense, teaching their children and our's that laws don't matter.  Do as you please, and blame someone else if things don't work out.  More proof of the lunacy is in the studies from around here that the media loves to tout:  this area is dangerous due to our lack of sidewalks, and folks here are fat due to our lack of sidewalks.  Retort to both is the same, though- one can't complain about a lack of sidewalks when the ones we have aren't being used.  And for the fat folks, I'd go a bit further (no pun intended):  less sidewalks means more exercise for you.

Good Afternoon, Rob:  Thank you for your comment, and for joining in the preaching or taking a spot in the choir loft.  As you're well aware of the area, this shot is from Semoran heading South towards the 408.  How about taking a drive on the John Young anywhere between LB Mcleod and OBT?  Or anywhere along Colonial, etc.?  As with your lady (and I use the term loosely), they're in their own little world- and we just play a little part in it.

Hi, Elizabeth:  Thank you for stopping by, and for your comment.  This situation is still a bit hard to explain- but once you understand it you realize it's just a microchasm of what we've let our society here become.  Some folks are like the ones in my photo- they know they're wrong, but they're trying to do wrong in a manner they can justify to themselves as being right.  This is immediately disturbing when you come across these situations- but there are the long-term implications of the parents teaching this dangerous practice to their kids that comes into play as well.  Folks like the lady (again, used loosely) in Rob's post know they're doing wrong- but dare you to have a problem with it, and even force you to effectively accept their bad behavior.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Theres also a third type of folk that is probably the most dangerous- and definitely the most annoying for motorists.  Some folks make a game out of it- not like the Frogger video game, but one where a couple will run across x lanes with traffic closing in.  They make it to the other side and raise their hands high as if they've scored 6 for the Crimson Tide.  And if they don't make it across?  Well, that'll surely be someone else's fault.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             On a side note, Elizabeth, I hope all is well with you and your family.  Mine has been fortunate, and I just hope we're doing our part to help some of those that haven't been.  At last count, the Make Your Move benefit concert and subsequent events that my cousin Rick played a good part in has raised $150,000 or so that's either gone out to help folks or is in the pipeline heading towards it.  One of my brothers, Richard, has sacrificed a great deal of time in heading the Bama Bully Rescue (bamabully.org), and he's branched out since 4/27 and rescued pets of all breeds left to themselves following the storms.  He's not promoting that, of course- so I'll have to brag about him a bit.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         My sister and brother-in-law have taken a semi-truck full of supplies up to Rainsville and Phil Campbell- and have no doubt done some good in helping folks along the road to recovery.  Again- not a one of them will toot their own horn (and at least one wouldn't like me tooting their horn, either.  But from Orlando, I'm doing my part in publicity and helping to get the word out as best I can:  America prays, mourns and hopes for Joplin, Missouri's recovery, and Alabama joins them.  But Joplin's hurt doesn't mean that Alabama's hurting has stopped.  May God bless you, and the rest of my Sweet Home.