Crossing into the pedestrian realm,
I realize lights are probably not required of peds, by law, but under the
heading of, "common sense" or possibly, "I like my body intact, vs
smashed-into"... one would think that peds would favor lights, esp when walking
in dark places.
Westbound on the Lakeshore Path/Howard Temin Path down behind the Friedrick
Center/Natatorium can be quite dark, and there are no streetlights or building
lights near the big curve by the old swimming beach, before the approach to Lot
60.
Today was the third time I passed the same lone walker coming toward me, right
in the big curve by the swimming beach. If I had not had a head light, and she
had not had small reflective "N"s on her New Balance shoes, it would have been
nearly impossible to see her. A head-on collision looking for a place to
happen.
I spotted her in enough time to avoid her (I have a pretty strong headlamp),
and braked, partly in surprise, and partly in disbelief that any one could be
that difficult to see and not realize it. I addressed her in a very matter of
fact, low key tone, "Wow, it's really difficult to see you." She hardly broke
stride and answered in a "so what" manner. Still calm and low key, I tried a
second time, "If I hadn't had a light, and you hadn't had reflective shoes, I'm
afraid we would have had a collision. There are a lot of cyclists cruising
around out here without lights" She reiterated an equally, "whatever"
response, and continued on. I'd guestimate that she was probably age 35+ and,
based on my multiple sightings of her, she seems to be a regular out there.
I'm a big fan of darkness, but in a setting like that, I sure would want to be
seen.
Many peds I see DO display lights.
I guess what I found disturbing, in this case, was the person's "huh?"
response.
Lisa Goodman
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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