take care when crossing

the other day, well about a month ago probably now, matt and i were walking on george st (a very posh shopping st in edi)...to convey this story appropriately let me set the scene. it is one of the only streets in edi in which pedestrians have the right of way. they have distinct cross walks or as they call them here zebra stripes and these yellow flashing lights that let cars know we rule, we being the walker of course. so on nearly all intersections but one, these exist. and as we're walking across this one with a mob of people, we view something stunning. mob crosses to middle, where there is always a safe haven for walkers, otherwise pedestrians in britain would never have a chance to ever cross the road. me, matt, and 3 other people are on this little island. one person is in a wheel chair. moving from the island feels fairly safe and we all must be thinking if you dont act now we'll be standing here for awhile. so the guy in the wheel chair creeps out. and yes, the cars just continue to speed by him. he is in a wheel chair, did i mention that? not even a man in a wheelchair gets enough courtesy to slow down or halt from a british driver. and yes, this could be one instance of one brit ruining my perception for all brits in cars, but no it's not. i could tell you countless stories....like when matt and i were on this little side st in bruntsfield near our flat, we walked out into the wee crossing (of course it wasn't marked so perhaps we were in the wrong), then this guy decided to turn. he seriously almost hit us. and it was only to make a point. matt and i both stopped. the guy said something that only an asshole where cars reign would say. i actually was worried matt would get in a fight. bc matt and i, if i can speak for him, are really adamant about pedestrian right of way here, bc there are so few opportunities, but we were definitely there before he was.

is there an upside? well, let me tell you that you don't feel any safer on your bike...

but when there is an act of kindness, that is when someone 'gives way', you really notice it. and it seems like a noble deed. ridiculous isn't it? i am not asking for total reign of the road ways, just a little caution and respect when it comes to me crossing the road.

whenever i can actually make a car stop, say by pushing a pedestrian walk button or something, i do. for one second i feel a bit of power again.