Jul 30, 2015
Death Just Happens, Living Takes Work
i have found that fear is an important part of truly living. It is easy to just get into a groove in life where you can coast along surviving with minimal emotional variation. To really experience the beauty of life however, we need to do things that scare us. We need to push ourselves and see what we are capable of. We need to get some of life on us, even if it gets messy (especially when it gets messy). These things that scare us the most make us who we are. Here's to a messy life...
Crossing The Street
i've crossed a lot of streets in my time. i've traversed streets in Asia, streets in Europe, and my real bread and butter of street crossing - North America. There are a lot of cultural and regional variations when it comes to the etiquette of trans-road travels.
For example, the laid back folks of Southern California will patiently await the "WALK" light's illumination before beginning their journey, even when there is absolutely no traffic whatsoever. In Japan you can cross a road with a huge mass of people yet never feel like you are being pushed, elbowed, or otherwise jockeyed around for a better position of faster pace. In larger, more heavily traveled Irish towns there will be crosswalk lettering to inform you which way to look before crossing since they drive on the wrong side of the street (Yes, the "wrong" side. Driving on the left is the equivalent of measuring with imperial units. Get on board with the rest of the world - as should the US with measurements.)
The most telling and reflective practice of any region's culture is displayed in the pedestrian practices of the Northeastern United States. No, i'm not talking about the waste of municipal money spent on crosswalk signs since no one ever uses them. Nor am i talking about Bostonian's tendencies to just walk out into traffic and then get characteristically irate when you cannot instantly stop your two ton vehicle for them. What i am addressing is such a deeply rooted cultural practice most of us do not even realize we are doing it or judging others for it.
If someone stops their car to let you cross in the northeast you MUST show your utter appreciation by at least hinting that you are working to get across faster than normal. Some choose to run or jog even, but this selection is typically due to said bipedal being in a real hurry rather than as a thankful gesture. The less confident or easily startled New Englander may do a speed walk to make haste hoping to avoid the honk that says "I stopped to let you go but now I've grown tired of waiting for you".
i personally prefer the "hop-stutter-step" where once they have acknowledged the intent to stop you take this quick little hop, landing in one to two quick steps before falling into you normal pacing. This finely honed move is significant enough to show your appreciation for them not speeding up upon seeing you while simultaneously displaying that you have not completely yielded your pedestrian pride.
Although a quick "thank you" wave is always appreciated, when not combined with some other show of increased speed you will incur the wrath of the most notoriously impatient drivers in the world. Shows of road rage against "walkers" may frequently include the go to - horn honking, or more dickish engine rev. During the warmer months things may escalate to shouts of profanity or insults to your intelligence through open windows (in colder months windows are up but really, who doesn't at least jog across the street in the winter - it's fucking cold out there). If this does occur you, as a pedestrian are entitled to one (just one) retort back with minimal eye contact. More than one insult return or prolonged eye contact WILL result in even the most mild mannered north-easterner in a tie exiting the car and things will get "wicked real" wicked quick.
Keep this bit of advice handy if you ever find yourself a pedestrian in New England but wherever you may roam, take an extra look not just to check for cars but to witness the manifestation of culture in even the humble acts of everyday routine like simply crossing the street.
For example, the laid back folks of Southern California will patiently await the "WALK" light's illumination before beginning their journey, even when there is absolutely no traffic whatsoever. In Japan you can cross a road with a huge mass of people yet never feel like you are being pushed, elbowed, or otherwise jockeyed around for a better position of faster pace. In larger, more heavily traveled Irish towns there will be crosswalk lettering to inform you which way to look before crossing since they drive on the wrong side of the street (Yes, the "wrong" side. Driving on the left is the equivalent of measuring with imperial units. Get on board with the rest of the world - as should the US with measurements.)
The most telling and reflective practice of any region's culture is displayed in the pedestrian practices of the Northeastern United States. No, i'm not talking about the waste of municipal money spent on crosswalk signs since no one ever uses them. Nor am i talking about Bostonian's tendencies to just walk out into traffic and then get characteristically irate when you cannot instantly stop your two ton vehicle for them. What i am addressing is such a deeply rooted cultural practice most of us do not even realize we are doing it or judging others for it.
If someone stops their car to let you cross in the northeast you MUST show your utter appreciation by at least hinting that you are working to get across faster than normal. Some choose to run or jog even, but this selection is typically due to said bipedal being in a real hurry rather than as a thankful gesture. The less confident or easily startled New Englander may do a speed walk to make haste hoping to avoid the honk that says "I stopped to let you go but now I've grown tired of waiting for you".
i personally prefer the "hop-stutter-step" where once they have acknowledged the intent to stop you take this quick little hop, landing in one to two quick steps before falling into you normal pacing. This finely honed move is significant enough to show your appreciation for them not speeding up upon seeing you while simultaneously displaying that you have not completely yielded your pedestrian pride.
Although a quick "thank you" wave is always appreciated, when not combined with some other show of increased speed you will incur the wrath of the most notoriously impatient drivers in the world. Shows of road rage against "walkers" may frequently include the go to - horn honking, or more dickish engine rev. During the warmer months things may escalate to shouts of profanity or insults to your intelligence through open windows (in colder months windows are up but really, who doesn't at least jog across the street in the winter - it's fucking cold out there). If this does occur you, as a pedestrian are entitled to one (just one) retort back with minimal eye contact. More than one insult return or prolonged eye contact WILL result in even the most mild mannered north-easterner in a tie exiting the car and things will get "wicked real" wicked quick.
Keep this bit of advice handy if you ever find yourself a pedestrian in New England but wherever you may roam, take an extra look not just to check for cars but to witness the manifestation of culture in even the humble acts of everyday routine like simply crossing the street.
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