Column: In praise of situational awareness and common sense

It was dark as I set off for work recently. It seemed much darker than it had been the day before, though I was leaving at the same time: 6:45 a.m. I felt a bit apprehensive. I don’t like driving in the dark.

I drove my car out of the driveway and onto a side street. Then I made a left onto the long, busy street that would take me to my destination.

I proceeded slowly for several reasons. There are speed bumps on the street. There are often students waiting at a bus stop. As an educator, I am well aware that if they started joking around, one could easily end up in the street.

Also, I would be driving through two crosswalks. In addition to the students, other people might be crossing to go to the nearby supermarket, although that was a rarity this early.

As I approached the entrance to the store, I noticed there were no students at the bus stop on that corner yet. I then realized, as if in slow motion, that the yellow pedestrian crossing signal was flashing.

It was too late. I was in the crosswalk. As I drove, I could see an adult walking toward my car. Once I got through the crosswalk, I stopped, and watched as the pedestrian walked behind my car and safely reached the other side of the street.

My heart was pounding. How had I missed that? I am always cautious to a fault. I felt terribly guilty as I drove up the hill towards work. I almost ran over someone! What was wrong with me?

Then, I suddenly thought, “What was that woman doing in the crosswalk before it was safe to cross?”

I frequently walk to the supermarket myself. I wait until there aren’t any cars nearby, or until drivers stop for me. I find that people are really good about stopping, and I never have to wait long, or even use that pedestrian light.

Walking to a nearby drugstore is another matter. I have to cross a roundabout, which involves several crosswalks and several lanes of traffic. So I have to be hyper-vigilant. Recently, I stepped into a crosswalk when there were no cars in sight. I was in the middle of it when a truck came to a screeching halt a few feet from me. The driver, who was at fault, honked his horn. I was startled out of my wits.

I practically jumped to the curb. He sped off, and I stood on the traffic island for a moment, watching as he careened from lane to lane.

He was clearly a problem driver. The kind all pedestrians fear.

When I’m driving, I am respectful of pedestrians. If I see someone waiting at a crosswalk, I always stop to let them pass. And I wait until they reach the other side. I do this because it’s the right thing to do, but also because I know how vulnerable it feels to be on foot in a world dominated by cars.

But I also believe that pedestrians have a responsibility to watch out for their own safety. It’s as simple as looking both ways and making sure the coast is clear before you cross.

By the time I got to work that morning, I realized that the woman in the crosswalk must have hit the button that set off the light as soon as she entered the crosswalk as soon as she hit the button for the pedestrian light. She did not make sure she had a clear path before she began to cross the street.

This realization made me feel somewhat better. Of course, if I had struck her down, even if I couldn’t have avoided it, I would have been devastated.

Later that day, I had a doctor’s appointment. As I was driving home, I noticed I was being extra-cautious whenever I approached crosswalks. Of course, it was broad daylight, but still…

Then, suddenly, I saw movement. There were three cars ahead of me, and then a break in the traffic. There, I saw a family cross the road. They went across four lanes of traffic, and they were not in a crosswalk. The father was pulling two toddlers in a wagon. The mother was running behind them. She looked terrified.

I felt like the universe was sending me a message. People take chances. People do stupid things. All I can do is continue to be careful and observant.

The family made it safely to the other side. I couldn’t help but wonder, though, why they hadn’t walked a few yards to the crosswalk.

They were lucky that day.

The very next day, my husband Paul and I were in Portland. Munjoy Hill is always busy with pedestrians. Most waited on the curb until Paul stopped our car before they crossed. But one woman just strode out into the street, not in a crosswalk, right in front of us. It was a good thing Paul was driving at a crawl because of the traffic.

OK, I had gotten the message. Some people drive badly. Some people walk badly.

We all, drivers and pedestrians, need to be watching out for each other.